Electrical Conduit Question

Tractors4u · Jul 1, 2005

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 · Jul 2, 2005

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.

Tractors4u · Jul 2, 2005

( I have been told to use a plastic grocery bag with the sting tied to it and then suck it through with the shopvac. )

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 · Jul 5, 2005

( 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. )

Marine1,
The neutral is usually the white conductor. Green is ground, and any other color is hot.

You can look HERE or Google "electrical color codes"

Marine1 · Jul 5, 2005

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.

Junkman · Jul 5, 2005

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 · Jul 5, 2005

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

LarryD · Jul 5, 2005

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.

Farwell · Jul 5, 2005

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 · Jul 5, 2005

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