Pulling 6-6-6 w/ ground in 1-1/4" conduit

[paulsharvey]

Anyone have experience with wire size you can pull in conduit? I've ran 98 LF of 1-1/4" conduit to shed, 3 sweep 90s, 1 sweep 45. I need to run 3 conductors, 8 awg copper or 6 awg aluminum. Found a pretty cheap price on 6-6-6 +ground aluminum, at $0.82/lf. Will that pull ok?

 

[Popgadget]

Pull individual conductors, I’d suggest THHN, you could probably pull a dozen #6’s through 1-1/4 pipe.
I would never suggest pulling a jacketed cable through conduit.

 

[LouNY]

It depends on the diameter and shape of the cable, round or oval.
It will need lots of pulling lube. Many multi conductor cables are pulled in conduit.
It is required (or used to be) for romex when used where damage was likely to occur.

https://www.anixter.com/content/dam...erature/envirotectPowerCableInstallManual.pdf

 

[ning]

Anyone have experience with wire size you can pull in conduit? I've ran 98 LF of 1-1/4" conduit to shed, 3 sweep 90s, 1 sweep 45. I need to run 3 conductors, 8 awg copper or 6 awg aluminum. Found a pretty cheap price on 6-6-6 +ground aluminum, at $0.82/lf. Will that pull ok?

You need to check what the maximum % cross section fill is for your conductor count and make sure you don't exceed that.

For 2 conductors I'm pretty sure it's 31% while 3+ conductors can utilize 40%. cross section includes the insulation and any other stuff you put in the conduit.

Google "conduit fill" or see https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/b60c7c7e/files/uploaded/TG16-Conduit-Fill-Requirements.pdf

Note that following this doesn't mean you'll be having an easy time pulling the cable... just that you're ok with code on conduit fill.

 

[Industrial Toys]

NO FRIGGIN WAY! What bad advice! I have pulled thousand of feet of cable, wiring, whatever. You never pull anythng seperately in the same conduit. It's a hundred times more difficult and you risk burning off insulation.

Rules dictate conduit fill but not dificulty over distance in various sizes.

Number one thing! LUBE! Lot's of lube. NIGHT AND DAY! Plus that (lube) person feeding. Keep wire out of dirt.

Having someone to work with that you communicate well with helps. I was pulling cables in an underground for a highrise with this poor Italian that couldn't speak english well. He would say OK when he wanted me to start and OK when he wanted me to stop. The fish was caught in his finger, and he just kept screaming "O.K." as I tried to pull harder and harder, hanging from the ceiling with my linesmans on the fish tape.

That should be an easy pull IF it were STRAIGHT at almost any distance. Have any or the most 90s at your pulling end. Bends are BRUTAL for long runs.

 

[grsthegreat]

is this twisted wires without jacket? or is it shielded with an outer jacket?

if it has a jacket, NO dont use it in pipe. if its twisted, thats direct burial wire, and its not intended to go into pipe, but its done all the time and no inspector where i live cares.

but your best bet is individual runs of either THHN copper wire or individual runs of XHHW aluminum wire. there designed for use in pipe. easier pull as there not twisted. make up all 4 runs , bundle them together and pull thru with rope and lube. need 1 person pulling and 1 pushing into pipe. and you HAVE to pull a ground wire with the 2 hots and 1 neutral.

 

[grsthegreat]

NO FRIGGIN WAY! What bad advice! I have pulled thousand of feet of cable, wiring, whatever. You never pull anythng seperately in the same conduit. It's a hundred times more difficult and you risk burning off insulation.

Rules dictate conduit fill but not dificulty over distance in various sizes.

Number one thing! LUBE! Lot's of lube. NIGHT AND DAY! Plus that (lube) person feeding. Keep wire out of dirt.

Having someone to work with that you communicate well with helps. I was pulling cables in an underground for a highrise with this poor Italian that couldn't speak english well. He would say OK when he wanted me to start and OK when he wanted me to stop. The fish was caught in his finger, and he just kept screaming "O.K." as I tried to pull harder and harder, hanging from the ceiling with my linesmans on the fish tape.

That should be an easy pull IF it were STRAIGHT at almost any distance. Have any or the most 90s at your pulling end. Bends are BRUTAL for long runs.

i think he means 4 individual wires, pulled at the same time. not pulling each wire separately.

 

[oosik]

It's around 75' from my meter pole to the house foundation. I laid 4" heavy wall plastic pipe. I only have the single copper power feed and a rope in the pipe. This was done 40+ years ago. Haven't had to use the rope to pull added cable yet. Probably never will.

 

[Popgadget]

i think he means 4 individual wires, pulled at the same time. not pulling each wire separately.

If that was in reference to my reply, you are correct. My point was not to use jacketed cable.
Build the group of individual wires to be pulled and then lay the bundle out straight or on a reel if you are in a confined space, use a “Chinese finger trap” style pulling grip and lots of lube. 4 #6’s in a 1-1/4” pipe should be an easy pull.

 

[paulsharvey]

My original plan was 8 awg copper THHN, but price is about double 6 awg Aluminum. I wanted to avoid a bunch of bends, but I had to dodge septic drain field and air conditioner.

As a note, I pulled 2 12-2 Romex in 1" conduit, and that was a horrible adventure... roughly 75 ft, Romex doesn't pull well at all