[TowerTalk] Wire lubricant for cable pull thru conduit

[Tom KD8DEG]

Hi Dick!!!

Pulled telephone cable for many years in all types of conduit.

Go to this site http://www.polywater.com/, I found this to be the best lube, 
and when it drys out there is nothing left of it. Most any electrical supply 
house carries it.

Also I would stager that many cables about 5 to10 inches down, depending on 
the size of the cable, on the main cable.  Start with the second cable down 
5 to 7 inches, then the next 5 to 7 inches and so on with the rest. If you 
do have trouble at a bend this will make it easier than trying to get the 
whole head through the bend all at once.

KD8DEG  Tom


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Grant Saviers" <grants2 at pacbell.net>
To: "Dick Dievendorff" <dieven at comcast.net>
Cc: <towertalk at contesting.com>
Sent: Monday, February 25, 2013 5:36 PM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Wire lubricant for cable pull thru conduit


> Hi Dick,
>
> What I've learned -
>
> Measure the conduit first, I've been surprised by actual pull lengths 
> different than what looked right on paper. I use conduit measuring tape, 
> about 1/4" wide and flat. I have lots if you want some, or check with an 
> electrical supplier. If the conduit is straight with only end sweeps then 
> the calcs may be ok. This tape is also great for blowing thru the conduit 
> as a leader. I tie it to a crumpled up plastic grocery bag and use the 
> shop vac to blow, and away it goes! I pull a couple of small towels 
> through before pulling the cables to clean out whatever got there during 
> construction and reduce the condensation.
>
> Pull everything at once. A rolling hitch around the bundle plus electrical 
> tape will work. Taper the end by staggering the cables and tape all the 
> way onto the free pull line. Or you could use the Kellums as a connection 
> to a "master" cable and tape on the rest. A taper helps at the conduit 
> junctions and sweeps. The ROMEX cables will make the job much harder, 
> especially the UF stuff for underground/water exposure. You might consider 
> pulling 9 (or whatever you actually need) conductors of stranded THHN in 
> 12 or 14 gauge, that will be much easier. HD stocks it in blu, blk, grn, 
> wht & red and sometimes org.
>
> 3/8" polypro works as the pulling rope and is cheap but use gloves. It may 
> put some twist into the cables as it untwists, so the pros use flat pull 
> webbing (what I use) or double braid rope. With the number and low flex of 
> your cables, two persons are a must and three will be better. One to pull, 
> one to feed at the entry and apply lube, and a third to bring up the cable 
> end. With 100', I would stretch it all out unless dirt/contamination is a 
> problem. Then it will be necessary to feed off the spools, definitely a 
> third person in this case. Unwind the coils otherwise the twists will make 
> the pull a lot harder. An electricians reel stand is a big help, but not 
> having one I jury rig something up with C clamps and pipe/conduit scraps.
>
> I have used the TFE loaded lube, not sure it helped much over the usual 
> stuff, check HD. One quart should be enough and the feeder should glop it 
> on as the cables go in. Disposible gloves are nice. The feeder also needs 
> to center the cables into the conduit as they move, otherwise both the 
> conduit end and outer cable sheaths suffer. You should have the anti chafe 
> collars on the conduit hub end threads.
>
> With the conduit load you plan, I think later pulls may be very difficult 
> but pull an extra 3/8 line and measuring tape with the pull. Are any of 
> your cables spares? I stick in an extra CAT5, 4 conductor control, RG6, 
> and RG8 for future antenna or whatever projects.
>
> If the date works, perhaps I can lend a hand and bring some stuff.
>
> Grant KZ1W
>
>
> On 2/25/2013 12:07 PM, Dick Dievendorff wrote:
>> I’ve never run anything through conduit before.
>>
>>
>> I have a 100 foot long 3” conduit between house and tower, and in that
>> conduit I hope to run two ½” coax cables, three 3-wire ROMEX cables 
>> carrying
>> 24V for three different rotators, two 8-conductor (CAT-5 like) cables for 
>> an
>> antenna switch, and three two-wire cables for the rotator position
>> indicators.  It’s a good-sized bundle.  There are no 110 AC power lines 
>> in
>> the bundle.
>>
>>
>> I think I need to pull all this at once, with lubricant, and include a
>> length of pulling rope or tape in the bundle for “next time”.   I believe
>> that I want to pull these through all at once  in order to avoid risk of
>> damage to cables already installed.
>>
>>
>> What’s the right sort of lubricant for this?   What quantity should I 
>> buy?
>>
>>
>> I have some light nylon “fish” cord that I think I can pull through with 
>> a
>> small wadded up plastic bag and a shop-vac.  After I have that pulled
>> through, I assume I attach it to a hefty pull cord. What sort of pull 
>> cord
>> should I be shopping for?
>>
>>
>> Any tips on tying the “bundle” to the cord so that I have a smooth thing 
>> to
>> pull?  I have Kellums Grips suitable for ½” coax, but not for anything 
>> else.
>> Is this a “pulling eye”?
>>
>>
>> I presume I want one person on each end that can communicate, one to feed 
>> a
>> smoothed bundle in one end while the other pulls.
>>
>>
>> Should I tape the whole bundle together every few feet?
>>
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>>
>> Dick, K6KR
>>
>>
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>>
>>
>>
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