Best pull ever!!

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10fords

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California
Just thought I would post what I did today.:) Installed 860 feet of 2 inch pvc in a straight line with one pull box in the middle. Then pulled in 2, yes 2, #14 stranded wires!! Sure it was up a hill, but it doesn't get any easier than that. It was the wires for a float switch in the water tank, but the owner wanted to put in larger conduit in case he wanted to run power to the tank site in the future. I wish all my wire pulls were like this!:cool:
 
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GoldDigger

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iwire said:
Yeah, 14 AWG copper string. :thumbsup:
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A guy I worked with for awhile on shared duct banks told me that if somebody added wires to a duct and did not leave a pull string, you were morally justified to cut his wires and use them to pull in yours. :)
Then you left a pull string of course.
We never had to test it, though.
 
don_resqcapt19

don_resqcapt19

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Illinois
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retired electrician
GoldDigger said:
You left a pull string too, yes?
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If I want to leave something in place for a future pull, it is never a string. If you use a pull string it tends to cut the insulation of the other wires. I often pull in an extra conductor to be used as a pull string. It too can cut the insulation of the other wires but it is not a likely as the wire is not near as abrasive as a pull string.
 
don_resqcapt19

don_resqcapt19

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retired electrician
mwm1752 said:
wonder what the float switch was controlling -- voltage drop???
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While you have to look at the voltage drop you also have to look at the shunt capacitance of the wires. The shunt capacitance can prevent the open contact at the float switch from shutting the system off. Increasing the size of the control wires actually reduces the length of wire that you can have in the circuit before the shunt capacitance becomes a problem.

Depending on the actual control circuit loads the control circuit run in this thread could be a problem. Even if it is not a problem now, it may become one when the conduit fills with water.

Take a look a the third document down on this page.

 
ptonsparky

ptonsparky

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NE (9.06 miles @5.9 Degrees from Winged Horses)
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EC - retired
We had a neighboring village that used an overhead ACSR for control between pump and water tower. Things worked okay as long as it was dry, but when the Level control called for water if it was foggy or raining, someone would have to manually stop the motor at the pump panel once it was full. I would have been a hero had I known then....
 
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10fords

Member
Location
California
PetrosA said:
Why bust your butt and pull uphill? You could have set up at the top and pulled downhill. Bet you'll never make that mistake again...
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Then I would have had to carry everything up the steep hill! I just stayed at the bottom while my strong teenage son did the pulling:D.
 
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10fords

Member
Location
California
don_resqcapt19 said:
While you have to look at the voltage drop you also have to look at the shunt capacitance of the wires. The shunt capacitance can prevent the open contact at the float switch from shutting the system off. Increasing the size of the control wires actually reduces the length of wire that you can have in the circuit before the shunt capacitance becomes a problem.

Depending on the actual control circuit loads the control circuit run in this thread could be a problem. Even if it is not a problem now, it may become one when the conduit fills with water.

Take a look a the third document down on this page.
Click to expand...

While I have never had a problem YET, I am studying this so I don't have one in the future. Thanks for the info. -Scott
 
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Carultch

Senior Member
Location
Massachusetts
don_resqcapt19 said:
If I want to leave something in place for a future pull, it is never a string. If you use a pull string it tends to cut the insulation of the other wires. I often pull in an extra conductor to be used as a pull string. It too can cut the insulation of the other wires but it is not a likely as the wire is not near as abrasive as a pull string.
Click to expand...

Better yet, install a spare conduit equipped with a string. That way future wires don't damage yours, no matter what happens when they go to use the spare.

In underground PVC installation, the conduit is a much smaller portion of the total cost of installing the feeder. The largest part of the cost is digging and backfilling the trench. Not to mention the inconvenience of leaving the trench open from when it is dug, to when it is inspected.
 
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Carultch

Senior Member
Location
Massachusetts
GoldDigger said:
A guy I worked with for awhile on shared duct banks told me that if somebody added wires to a duct and did not leave a pull string, you were morally justified to cut his wires and use them to pull in yours. :)
Then you left a pull string of course.
We never had to test it, though.
Click to expand...

What if you already fill your conduit to the limit of your comfort (perhaps 35% fill or 30% fill), and never intend someone to use the extra space for future use?
 
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