Pulling in cable - how hard can it be?

I am knackered - I have spent several hours today pulling in 3 x 16 mm² into 25 mm conduit. OSG promised me that it was possible and indeed it has been, but how difficult does it have to be?

Lube the cable, up the ladder, pull a bit, back to the beginning, lube the cable, back outside again, up the ladder, pull a bit. Down the ladder, move the ladder, up the ladder, pull a bit, down the ladder. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

Am I missing something?

Parents
  • Hm! The hardest bit, which in fact may be attempting the impossible, is dressing the loops of cable into the BESA boxes. I am not sure that my thumbs are strong enough.

    Given what I know now, I would have gone for three-phase and may still have to if I am not happy with the IR testing.

    You live and learn!

Reply
  • Hm! The hardest bit, which in fact may be attempting the impossible, is dressing the loops of cable into the BESA boxes. I am not sure that my thumbs are strong enough.

    Given what I know now, I would have gone for three-phase and may still have to if I am not happy with the IR testing.

    You live and learn!

Children
  • Well, Eland list 16m2 as having a min bend radius of 4 times the over insulation cable dia, so 4 * 7mm  =28mm, so you really should be forming around a 56 mm or larger diameter mandrel - or the size of a  2 inch pipe in old money. I presume you have got at least  6 inch boxes?

    Actually I wonder how many folk over bend 10mm2 in shower switches etc- there the rule is 3 times the overall diameter so 6mm*3=18mm or a 36mm diameter loop.

    Mike

  • Agreed ... as I posted earlier here: engx.theiet.org/.../136412

    Actually I wonder how many folk over bend 10mm2 in shower switches etc

    Interesting ... although to be technically very pedantic, difference vs 1c is that the bend radius is usually given for the cable, not the conductor. So, perhaps an oversight on the cable manufacturer's part (although this ought to be pre-empted by the switchgear or accessory manufacturer, because in any case the product may be served by singles in containment)?

  • but having stripped back the T+E the bend radii of the exposed tails ought to be similar to conduit cable singles - if not then someone has been pratting with the laws of physics again ;-)

    Mike

  • but having stripped back the T+E the bend radii of the exposed tails ought to be similar to conduit cable singles - if not then someone has been pratting with the laws of physics again ;-)

    Yes, if the material and class of conductor, thickness of the insulation, and the insulating material, are the same.

    To confirm, this would be the case for 6, 10 and 16 sq mm 6192Y and 6193Y to BS 6004, compared with the same csa of H07V-R to BS EN 50525-2-31.

  • Oddly, the part reel of "extra flexible panel wire" I have, that is really pretty much the same as UK 'tri-rated' quotes a bend radius of 6 times the OD - larger than the coarser stranded stuff. But that may well be based on repeated flexing rather than one-time installation - it can certainly be bent quite  easily about a much tighter curve than that.

    Mike.