Pulling conduit

highspark · Apr 1, 2012

How do you guys pull your cables through conduit. What have you found the best method.

malcolmsanford · Apr 1, 2012

Andy78 said:
I was always told that things like liquid soap and washing up liquid can degrade pvc over time. Don't know how true that is though.

Think that was always a bit of a myth, and especially on modern PVC. No what it did was when it solidified it became just a horrible gooey mess

Adam W · Apr 1, 2012

Nylon draw wire for 20mm, for larger sizes we use something which looks like a bit of curtain wire, or some polythene plumbing pipe, although it is imperative to wear safety specs as I found out to my peril when it sprung back and hit me in the eye once.
For big bunches of cables or where the conduit is getting full, rub a load of monkey spunk around the cables, maybe squirt some in the end of the tube.

Adam W · Apr 1, 2012

If you tape bunches of singles together at regular intervals (around 6 inches) it stops them tangling and snagging quite so much.
When pulling go for the softly-softly approach - 'pull-a-pull-a-pull-a' rather than yanking the draw wire as hard as you can which usually just pulls it off the cables.

malcolmsanford · Apr 1, 2012

Adam W said:
If you tape bunches of singles together at regular intervals (around 6 inches) it stops them tangling and snagging quite so much.
When pulling go for the softly-softly approach - 'pull-a-pull-a-pull-a' rather than yanking the draw wire as hard as you can which usually just pulls it off the cables.

Bits of lads ............................you should be able to tow a caravan that is hitched to a truck that is pulling a container with a joint ..................so my old sparks use to tell me.

johnboy6083 · Apr 1, 2012

I find that staggering the cables onto the draw tape works well. Using ideal industries- aqua gel (cable lube) works wonders, as does designing the conduit well in the first place.
If i know im going to have a tight run, then i pull all the cbales through that peice of conduit at once.

lofty84 · Apr 1, 2012

i was told u can use a hammer to tap the conduit if the start to bcome slow to pull. the vibrations get them moving again.

Adam W · Apr 1, 2012

lofty84 said:
i was told u can use a hammer to tap the conduit if the start to bcome slow to pull. the vibrations get them moving again.

There aren't many things that can't be fixed by hitting them with a hammer.

Andy 7671 · Apr 1, 2012

Didnt think you could have more than 2 90 degree bends without a drawing in box.

yellow 77, ....

The metal spring could, in very unlucky circumstance find its way into a live board..

Ive always been taught not to tape together cables, but Ive never had to draw a single one back through again so Im not sure on that.

Never really had a problem, I mean how long are these conduit runs from trunking....?

RogertheBodger · Apr 1, 2012

Correctly sized tubing, tie/tape them on tight, plenty of lubrication and it is essential that on long/tighter pulls that you have someone feeding in the cables as you pull from the other end.

Knobhead · Apr 1, 2012

Gently bently does the trick. One at each end feeding/pulling.
I’ve always used French chalk as the lubricant, but I’m old(ish). It’s a hangover from pulling VIR’s in.

highspark · Apr 1, 2012

Would talc count as a similar method to chalk Tony?

Guest111 · Apr 1, 2012

Worked for a well known contractor once and they wouldnt buy pulling lube (too dear) so used lard instead,one day local shop had none so gaffer used a spray something like wd40, later on when megging out all cables were down on this particular circuit.when I pulled the cables out all the insulation was melted on the run where he had sprayed them,whatever it was it sure made a mess I often wonder if the place smells like a chippy when the cables get warm.

Adam W · Apr 1, 2012

phil d said:
Worked for a well known contractor once and they wouldnt buy pulling lube (too dear) so used lard instead,one day local shop had none so gaffer used a spray something like wd40, later on when megging out all cables were down on this particular circuit.when I pulled the cables out all the insulation was melted on the run where he had sprayed them,whatever it was it sure made a mess I often wonder if the place smells like a chippy when the cables get warm.

That sounds like it's asking for trouble - presumably monkey spunk has no nutritional value, whereas I bet the mice love a lard-coated cable. It probably doesn't help prevent the spread of fire either.

Knobhead · Apr 1, 2012

highspark said:
Would talc count as a similar method to chalk Tony?

Yes it would.

I could get French chalk from stores, talc would get funny looks from the store man.

We could get athletes foot power from stores, I’ve used that at a push.

Marvo · Apr 1, 2012

If you use powdered chalk that's sold for the old fashioned chalk line it comes in a plastic bottle with a little pointy spout so you can squirt it into the conduit as the cable or wires get pulled in.