Pulling 16mm SWA through 150 M of conduit?

[1Justin]

Would you attempt to pull 16mm SWA through 150M of existing underground conduit?

A potential job I have taken a look at. I would need to be very sure I could get it through before shelling out £££ on that much cable! (- I already advised the Customer it would have made much more sense to install a cable before filling the trench!).

Facts:
-Conduit was laid about 1 year ago. It is 50mm dia corrugated plastic type, laid in 3 sections of 50M. - I have no idea of the quality and continuity of the two joints, but the Customer will ask the contractor who laid it in.
-Conduit ~ 600mm deep through a semi-wooded garden, no special precautions such as gravel layer or warning tapes.
-Laid pretty straight for first ~60M, then takes a gentle curve perhaps 20 foot radius and turns total about 60 degrees before the end.
-String is through already to start proceedings, so I would be investing first in lots of cord, and a damn great length of blue rope.
-150M of 16mm will weigh about 150Kg!
- I also am aware it only takes a little bit of mud to make a nice plug!


Questions:
Termination for cable nose and ways to stop it snagging?
Friction being the enemy, - so Lubrication?
Best way to fix cable to rope?
Will I need a tractor ...??? (- AKA how hard can you pull safely?)
I haven't seen any longer than 100M from distributors. - Can longer single lengths be got?

Homework:
Ongoing decision as to whether I can get away with 16mm anyhow, but that's work in progress, and not my question here.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Looks like we might have a (cable) pulling party? :smile5:

that sounds like p0rnography...

 

[chronyx]

that sounds like p0rnography...

Changed my mind

 

[1Justin]

Not wanting to disappoint anyone looking for sporting action, but I think I've made up my mind to advise a no-go without more digging. The gardener (who is the primary recipient of this cable in his shed at the end..) won't get his kettle, - or at least not very soon.

Thanks for the inputs.

 

[chronyx]

Can't you just cleat it along the bottom of a fence? This is important you never said there was tea involved

 

[Silly Sausage]

I've just checked out how far 150m actually is...that is one frigging big garden!
If they can afford to live in a place like that, they can afford to pay for a few holes to be dug, don't make life hard for yourself for these rich basterds.

I can imagine you having friction trouble dragging it round that bend.

 

[Beavstro]

Ah come on Justin! I think this is nearly at the stage where the forum members will pay for the work just to see the out come of this situation! Lol

 

[chronyx]

I can imagine you having friction trouble dragging it round that bend.

And we're back to Glennsparks ****ography I blame your avatar

 

[Engineer54]

If a couple of labours can get enough purchase on a bit of rope to stretch that piece of armoured I will eat my hat !!! I am not talking about yanking the hell out of it , and assume a modicum of sense is being applied to the pull and the cable is correctly secured , having said that .

Going by that sort of statement, i dread to think of the state of some of the cables that have been pulled through small long ducts in the UK!! Going round even slow bends in a long ducted system and you'll be having to yank that cable when dead pulling, especially in a small 50 mm corrugated duct over 150 metres. ...But hey, what the hell do i know, ..Right??

 

[7029 dave]

That is some pull with a small duct, good luck!!Bet you will be digging down on it.

 

[iamelectric]

i dont get y some people think a 50mm duct is to small for a 16mm swa , a 16mm swa is roughly 30-32mm in diameter!!!

 

[Guest55]

of course the O.P. has confirmed that 16mm cable is sufficient for his lighting max volt drop over 150mtrs ..................

?

;-)

 

[44ALLAN]

I still think filling the ducting with water was the best idea :rolleyes4::confused5:.
Hopefully the sheath isn't damaged mind

 

[Dipzy]

Load assuming 4Kw max
Cable 16mm 3 core swa
Length 150m
VD 6.3v (2.7%)
Load 17.4 A


Tin Hat frimly on

 

[iamelectric]

i was assuming it was 4 core for 3 phase , so it wont even be 30mm

 

[Engineer54]

I still think filling the ducting with water was the best idea :rolleyes4::confused5:.
Hopefully the sheath isn't damaged mind

Now come on, are you actually being serious?? lol!!