750 kcmil wire-pull

[gerhardschemel]

I always enjoyed the challenges of big conductor pulls. Coming up with new ways to save time and labor was key. My favorite part was making the head so it was tapered and still had some flexibility. The first few times I watched how the JW was trimming the outer strands so they would be tapered. Keep in mind we had to make a hook with the bare ends that was attached to the rope (no set screw single wire grips at the time)
The JW would strip the insulation so he could get at the individual strands to cut them out. I watch him struggle with each strand wiggling back and forth and trying to get his cutters in close enough. After cutting them out he would have to squeeze them all back as close as he could to flush.
Well I was amazed at how much work it took. I knew there was a better and easier way.
Here is what I came up with.
I would mark the needed length that needed to be exposed for the outer strands. I got the medium size tube cutter and round n round it went cutting through the insulation and deeply scoring the outer strands enough that it only took a few wiggles and it broke off clean with no distortion so no need to squeeze any bulging. Next I would move the tube cutter towards the end and score the next ring of strands and break them loose. What was left was a straight long length of wire that was bent into the loop of the pull rope.
This method took a lot less time to make it ready and easier to do the final attachment.
Next was to attach the heavy duty plastic bag with holes punched in it put some extra soft rags inside then fill it with pulling compound.
This was placed a few feet from where the conductors stopped.
Sometimes depending on the circumstances I would install a type C conduit body so pulling compound could easily be added.
I started in the trade in 1979 until 2018 when a work related injury put me on the disabled list. It was caused by a NEC code violation. The arena, where I was the only electrician, still had every inch of data cabling from day one and there was miles and miles of it. Yes I fought to have it removed but one man can only do so much.
I was climbing down out of the hard pan ceiling and the drill motor got caught up on some old cabling which threw my balance off and I jacked up my shoulder tearing my rotator cuff. Two surgeries later I was put on the DL

Yes I miss doing the work.

[Flatearth]

High level elite showcase of workmanship and general technical techniques

[syproful]

This is awesome. This some heavy duty infrastructure solution. But i’m in pretty big residential installations and this in a smaller form would be great for the outside work.

[SlothPossum]

just did my first 750 kcmil overhead 4inch pull today. unfortunately it was not on reels.

[vandorentherd]

what's the name of the metal cylinder that connects the tug rope to the finger traps? I wonder how much it'd take to bend on the pulley

[ericwg]

Very cool to see. Don't get me wrong, the vaults looks really clean afterwards, but as others have mentioned, I'm really surprised at the lack of a loop left in the vault. You just never know when you might need to splice in the future and the lack of a loop could be a real PITA. Also surprised to see no soap/lube. Still, cool setup and the pull seemed to go smoothly.

[TheTheo]

Pretty nifty device for pulling in conductors though conduit and making the tight 90 degree turn into the other bore of conduit in the vault. I had a fish tape when I pulled the conductors into the conduits into the new wiring in my parents house for the shop and darkroom. I could have used BX cable (some of it was BX where EMT could not be run with a junction box to change over) However I decided on conduit, as would be easier to make additions or changes.

[blipco]

That wheel needed to be moved toward the end of the box a few inches to better align with the pipes.

[garbo]

Largest that I ever pulled was 500 MCM copper. Would have had a guy applying pulling lube after cable went around roller. Even with the extra slippery insulation still use plenty of lube. At a large hospital that I retired from inspector told us they had the largest pull box around. Was called the 80 way. Had 80 4" conduits entering it and 80 4" conduits leaving it. Only about 50 conduits had wire. A few years after building was built contractor tapped of the 18 to 20' long pull box with at least 10 4" conduits for a large lab. Only pull box that I ever came across that had a 4" slotted expansion joint. Wire was pulled from switchgear room on 8th floor down to 3rd level of huge basement. Attention you young guys get good at troubleshooting. A lot easier then being a donkey on a wire gang. Watched same contracted kill them selves pulling fire proof heavy MI cable thru 5 walls from 8th floor to 200 HP fire pump in the basement.

[heatley]

Did you fabricate that wheel setup on the job?

[kellybell]

Where are the racks on the wall and slack to get the wires on the rack. Personally I never pipe into the side wall of a manhole. I enter and exit the ends and 90 if i need to turn. Makes pull setups easier and gives you more working room in the manhole. I also loop each run in the manhole in case you need to splice at a later date or have a failure in another manhole you can use the extra length. N inspector I have ever had would sign off on this manhole.

[moenglish]

does anyone actually know if this is a customer part or one that can be purchased ?

[alfredocuba]

Hi can you tell me where this type of wheel