BB_TX
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Mine is the grey colored.
Electrical Conduit Question
- Thread starter Tractors4u
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- Views: 6373
Freds
Veteran Member
I believe the grey stuff is specifically for electric. It seems to be more flexible and less brittle plus you don't need to use couplings. It has a large and a small end.
On the weather head... that must be a little different where I live, too. It isn't code here and the inspector said it didn't make any difference if I used one or not. I didn't. The linemen said they didn't like them because they are excellent shelters for bees to build hives in.
My own opinion, and apparently that of Penelec, is that the amount of water that would enter a 3" opening would be minimal.
On the weather head... that must be a little different where I live, too. It isn't code here and the inspector said it didn't make any difference if I used one or not. I didn't. The linemen said they didn't like them because they are excellent shelters for bees to build hives in.
My own opinion, and apparently that of Penelec, is that the amount of water that would enter a 3" opening would be minimal.
I was talking to my cousin this past weekend and he was working a job where they were going to blow a plug through. Well the line was really long, about 1000'. Not sure what they used for the piping but it was fairly big. Anyway, the had a 5hp compressor and the line went in a bit, but no luck. So they then brought in a jackhammer compressor. Well after fighting with it for a half hour or so, the pipe is getting really hot and the leaking air. My other cousin jumped in the hole and the both worked on sealing the end. Well, all of a sudden a huge gusher of water comes flying out the other end. He said it was pretty funny watching the foreman running.
TonyReynolds
New member
When pulling long runs of heavy cabling they lube it up with liquid dish soap or equivalent, poured into the conduit. Makes the job much easier.
8NTX
Gold Member
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( When pulling long runs of heavy cabling they lube it up with liquid dish soap or equivalent, poured into the conduit. Makes the job much easier. )</font>
No SOAP!! (Ask Inspector507). Use the wire lube made just for the job instead. Soap can damage the insulation over time, I'm told.
No SOAP!! (Ask Inspector507). Use the wire lube made just for the job instead. Soap can damage the insulation over time, I'm told.
TonyReynolds
New member
Could be, I'm not an expert. The guy doing it told me it was soap. Glad it wasn't my place if this is true. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
PineRidge
Super Member
This is the lube that we have used in the past. It's readily available wire pulling lube.
Marine1
Silver Member
Tractors4u,
First of all let me say that you should use the Grey Conduit. White is for Plumbing and Grey is for Electrical.
Do not use liquid soap. This WILL break down the insulation on the cable. There are products to ease the pull of cables and the lingo for these products is soap but it is not soap.
I would rent the Greenlee Vacuum. This machine will have the plugs and the rat. The plugs are specially designed to seal the end of the conduit as well as let the nylon string flow through the conduit. They are very quick and will blow out any water that gets in. We use duct tape to cover our stub ups to keep water out.
When laying out your pipe keep the bell ends of the pipe going the opposite direction that you are going to blow air in so the rat won't get stuck at the connection point. If it does get stuck just pull back on it a little and let her go.
When you get the nylon string through tie one end onto your rope then pull your rope through. Make sure you get the rope in the conduit before returning the Greenlee just in case you have to blow again.
Feed the wires in at the weather head so gravity will help your pull and pull from other end. Get a weatherhead just because the utilities guys don't like wasps is no reason to let the weather break down your equipment. If you install the right size weather head properly there shouldn't really be an insect problem. Besides, the weather will do far more damage faster than any insect.
Phase all ends before you pull so you will know which cable end is which at the and of the pull.
At the weatherhead, leave about 6' of cable for the utilities guys. They will need at least 3' to make a drip loop.
Get a sock, this is a wire basket with a cable loop on one end of it. It grips the cables like a Chinese finger puzzle, to tie to the rope.
Tape the ends of the wires together with duct tape, put the sock on, tie onto the rope, tape everything together with a lot of duct tape, tape about a foot past the sock, soap it up with wire-aide, and start pulling and feeding. One or more people will pull and one person will feed. I have used a truck or tractor to pull in wire but that was for a very large pulls and ONLY because it was the only way.
Any electrical supplier can get you the nylon string,the soap(Wire-aide),and the sock with no problems.
Hope this helps and happy pulling !!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
First of all let me say that you should use the Grey Conduit. White is for Plumbing and Grey is for Electrical.
Do not use liquid soap. This WILL break down the insulation on the cable. There are products to ease the pull of cables and the lingo for these products is soap but it is not soap.
I would rent the Greenlee Vacuum. This machine will have the plugs and the rat. The plugs are specially designed to seal the end of the conduit as well as let the nylon string flow through the conduit. They are very quick and will blow out any water that gets in. We use duct tape to cover our stub ups to keep water out.
When laying out your pipe keep the bell ends of the pipe going the opposite direction that you are going to blow air in so the rat won't get stuck at the connection point. If it does get stuck just pull back on it a little and let her go.
When you get the nylon string through tie one end onto your rope then pull your rope through. Make sure you get the rope in the conduit before returning the Greenlee just in case you have to blow again.
Feed the wires in at the weather head so gravity will help your pull and pull from other end. Get a weatherhead just because the utilities guys don't like wasps is no reason to let the weather break down your equipment. If you install the right size weather head properly there shouldn't really be an insect problem. Besides, the weather will do far more damage faster than any insect.
Phase all ends before you pull so you will know which cable end is which at the and of the pull.
At the weatherhead, leave about 6' of cable for the utilities guys. They will need at least 3' to make a drip loop.
Get a sock, this is a wire basket with a cable loop on one end of it. It grips the cables like a Chinese finger puzzle, to tie to the rope.
Tape the ends of the wires together with duct tape, put the sock on, tie onto the rope, tape everything together with a lot of duct tape, tape about a foot past the sock, soap it up with wire-aide, and start pulling and feeding. One or more people will pull and one person will feed. I have used a truck or tractor to pull in wire but that was for a very large pulls and ONLY because it was the only way.
Any electrical supplier can get you the nylon string,the soap(Wire-aide),and the sock with no problems.
Hope this helps and happy pulling !!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
LarryD
Veteran Member
While marking the conductors for phasing isn't a bad idea, it doesn't make much difference on a 220 circuit. This sounded like a residential install and I haven't seen too many 3Ø feeds in a rural setting. Doesn't mean you couldn't get one though.
Marine1
Silver Member
Larry,
True, but it would be nice to know which one was the neutral conductor. I'm pretty sure there will be some 120V circuits somewhere.
True, but it would be nice to know which one was the neutral conductor. I'm pretty sure there will be some 120V circuits somewhere.
OP
Tractors4u
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Thanks guys. I bought my conduit this afternoon, it is the gray stuff. I will be just blowing a small line for them to use to pull their heavier line with. Then they will pull the cable through. Oh yeah, I asked the engineer with the power company how to blow the line through. His reply was, " I would use a Wal Mart sack and a shop vac!" /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
v8dave
Platinum Member
In the bad old days of installing satellite ground stations and pulling semi-rigid coax cable through large in-ground conduits, we used cable lube to ease the job. It still took three or four guys to pull the cable through. Almost never had turns to pull through. They put in concrete bunkers where there were turns and you pulled from bunker to bunker. Just had long straight runs.
I asked about the cable lube and the guy said that when cable lube dried out it turned to a dust/powder (like talcum powder). This way it wouldn't "glue" the cable in and the cable could be pulled out if necessary.
I asked about the cable lube and the guy said that when cable lube dried out it turned to a dust/powder (like talcum powder). This way it wouldn't "glue" the cable in and the cable could be pulled out if necessary.
OP
Tractors4u
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</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I have been told to use a plastic grocery bag with the sting tied to it and then suck it through with the shopvac. )</font>
I can now confirm that it works! 270 feet of conduit and the Wal Mart sack made it from one end to the other in less than 15 seconds. It was unreal how fast it moved! I heard a pop and then the spool of fishing line started backlashing. I thought the line had broke. My dad was at the other end and I seen him taking the top off of the shop vac to retrieve the bag. He yells up the hill that it was through already. Thanks guys. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I can now confirm that it works! 270 feet of conduit and the Wal Mart sack made it from one end to the other in less than 15 seconds. It was unreal how fast it moved! I heard a pop and then the spool of fishing line started backlashing. I thought the line had broke. My dad was at the other end and I seen him taking the top off of the shop vac to retrieve the bag. He yells up the hill that it was through already. Thanks guys. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
hobbyfarm
Veteran Member
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Larry,
True, but it would be nice to know which one was the neutral conductor. I'm pretty sure there will be some 120V circuits somewhere. )</font>
Marine1,
The neutral is usually the white conductor. Green is ground, and any other color is hot.
You can look <font color="brown">HERE</font> or Google "electrical color codes"
True, but it would be nice to know which one was the neutral conductor. I'm pretty sure there will be some 120V circuits somewhere. )</font>
Marine1,
The neutral is usually the white conductor. Green is ground, and any other color is hot.
You can look <font color="brown">HERE</font> or Google "electrical color codes"
Marine1
Silver Member
Hobbyfarm,
That is a true statement, However, When pulling cables for a feed and cable of that size. The insulations are invariably all Black. You can buy wire that has colored insulation these days but the price is not worth it. I mentioned the phasing so the neutral could be identified from the rest of the conductors. You are allowed to downsize the neutral and so could identify it that way but I would not do it. It is not allowed in my jurisdiction for good reason. You can also ring them out after the pull and before termination, which is not a bad thing to do anyway. The point is, if all the insulation is Black, the wires are the same AWG, and the wires have the same lettering. It would be nice to know which one is the Grounded Conductor before terminating and going live. I believe the Power Company is pulling the cable in anyway ( Didn't know that on my first post) so this is really a moot point.
That is a true statement, However, When pulling cables for a feed and cable of that size. The insulations are invariably all Black. You can buy wire that has colored insulation these days but the price is not worth it. I mentioned the phasing so the neutral could be identified from the rest of the conductors. You are allowed to downsize the neutral and so could identify it that way but I would not do it. It is not allowed in my jurisdiction for good reason. You can also ring them out after the pull and before termination, which is not a bad thing to do anyway. The point is, if all the insulation is Black, the wires are the same AWG, and the wires have the same lettering. It would be nice to know which one is the Grounded Conductor before terminating and going live. I believe the Power Company is pulling the cable in anyway ( Didn't know that on my first post) so this is really a moot point.
Junkman
Super Member
When I did my 200 Amp 220 volt service the service entrance cable had one wire with a white stripe to identify the neutral. When the power company came to pull their wire through the conduit, it also had the same marking on one wire, so there was no problems keeping everything identified.
Marine1
Silver Member
Junk,
Well, that's just to darn complicated. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I've seen the wire you speak of. I've not seen it on all jobs though. That would be a good way to go. I like the colored insulations, but not for what they cost. It's not a lot more as I recall, I'm just cheap. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Well, that's just to darn complicated. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I've seen the wire you speak of. I've not seen it on all jobs though. That would be a good way to go. I like the colored insulations, but not for what they cost. It's not a lot more as I recall, I'm just cheap. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
LarryD
Veteran Member
His original post indicated from the pole to the xfmr pad, no nuetral required.
I should have left your original post alone, no harm in marking cables, only makes trouble shooting easier.
I also have no idea what the codes are in his area. I work with an electrical engineer occasionally and he was telling me about new ground thinking. No more grounding at the service entrance. A continous ground from the xfmr (source) to the main panel is now the train of thought. But if your main ground and nuetral are bonded, isn't that the same? Seems I was taught that one time.
I've also been told buy our electrical contractor that new WA revised codes require a ground rod at sub-panels as well as a continous ground. Seems a little redundant but only illustrates how local codes can modify the NEC as they see fit.
I'm not trying to re-direct this thread but all the advice on here needs to be taken as that, advice. Everybody seeking advice should always check with their local building inspectors for final guidance.
I should have left your original post alone, no harm in marking cables, only makes trouble shooting easier.
I also have no idea what the codes are in his area. I work with an electrical engineer occasionally and he was telling me about new ground thinking. No more grounding at the service entrance. A continous ground from the xfmr (source) to the main panel is now the train of thought. But if your main ground and nuetral are bonded, isn't that the same? Seems I was taught that one time.
I've also been told buy our electrical contractor that new WA revised codes require a ground rod at sub-panels as well as a continous ground. Seems a little redundant but only illustrates how local codes can modify the NEC as they see fit.
I'm not trying to re-direct this thread but all the advice on here needs to be taken as that, advice. Everybody seeking advice should always check with their local building inspectors for final guidance.
Farwell
Veteran Member
I keep a roll of white electrical tape (bought at Home Depot) for wrapping around the third leg when pulling the three black cables. I wrap the neutral cable for about one foot past the pulling basket so I will still have some white tape showing after the pull.
hobbyfarm
Veteran Member
I didn't realize that you were running feeder cable. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif We used to lay them out and find the foot markings, then code them with some tape. And you're right, just let the utility co handle it, they know what they're doing. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
