• We will be performing upgrades on the forums and server over the weekend. The forums may be unavailable multiple times for up to an hour each. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to make the forums even better.

MC Cable

Merry Christmas
A

Alwayslearningelec

Senior Member
Location
NJ
Occupation
Estimator
I have 2 hr rated 4/C #500 Vitalink MC cable which is a little heavier than standard steel jacketed MC cable.

Would it be too heavy to install a 450' horizontal run off one reel without a splice?
 
roger

roger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Fl
Occupation
Retired Electrician
How is it going to be hung/supported? I have been involved with a 2000' cable tray installation of 4 conductor jacketed 500 with ground. We had 30+ people, five tuggers (spaced the length of the pull), a truck load of rollers and pulleys, and a few days.

It can be done but it will take time for the rigging and as I said, a lot of manpower
 
A

Alwayslearningelec

Senior Member
Location
NJ
Occupation
Estimator
roger said:
How is it going to be hung/supported? I have been involved with a 2000' cable tray installation of 4 conductor jacketed 500 with ground. We had 30+ people, five tuggers (spaced the length of the pull), a truck load of rollers and pulleys, and a few days.

It can be done but it will take time for the rigging and as I said, a lot of manpower
Click to expand...
I don't follow. Your referring to installing cable tray and the MC or just the MC in the cable tray?

If just the MC cable how in the world would it take 30+ guys to install?
 
roger

roger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Fl
Occupation
Retired Electrician
Installing in existing cable tray. Look up the weight of 4 conductor 500 and that will give you a hint for the manpower.

You will have people feeding it off the spool and stationed along the run. If you're going to hang it you will need lifts of some type and rollers.
 
A

Alwayslearningelec

Senior Member
Location
NJ
Occupation
Estimator
roger said:
Installing in existing cable tray. Look up the weight of 4 conductor 500 and that will give you a hint for the manpower.

You will have people feeding it off the spool and stationed along the run. If you're going to hang it you will need lifts of some type and rollers.
Click to expand...
Ok I appreciate the insight. A few questions.
1. How exactly is it pulled off the reel? Tugger pulls it off?
2. How far apart along the run would people be needed?
3. Rollers and pulleys are needed? Where do they get spaced?
 
roger

roger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Fl
Occupation
Retired Electrician
#1 The tugger(s) will help but you will need people pulling it too.
#2 Can't really tell you, it's pretty much case by case but putting someone at each roller and pulley is almost mandatory.
#3 At support locations and turns.

The installation I am was talking about was in an industrial plant which had railways into the loading docks, the reel came on a flatbed rail car. The facility also had cranes, fork lifts, and welding shops. They built a reel stand with I-beams and their crane lifted it onto the stand.

We had riggers that were well versed in these type projects.
 
A

Alwayslearningelec

Senior Member
Location
NJ
Occupation
Estimator
roger said:
#1 The tugger(s) will help but you will need people pulling it too.
#2 Can't really tell you, it's pretty much case by case but putting someone at each roller and pulley is almost mandatory.
#3 At support locations and turns.

The installation I am was talking about was in an industrial plant which had railways into the loading docks, the reel came on a flatbed rail car. The facility also had cranes, fork lifts, and welding shops. They built a reel stand with I-beams and their crane lifted it onto the stand.

We had riggers that were well versed in these type projects.
Click to expand...
Wow very interesting job you had.
My longest run is 450' with about 380' being horizontal with two 90's in the horizontal portion and racks are 8' apart . With that would you know where pulleys and rollers would be needed
 
A

Alwayslearningelec

Senior Member
Location
NJ
Occupation
Estimator
roger said:
I would plan on a roller or pulley at every 5 to 6 supports, this will be 40 to 50' apart and if it started dragging to hard you might need to add.

Omni Cables website shows 4/C W/G Vitalink being 9080 LB per K so you're looking at close to a ton

www.omnicable.com

VITALink® MC 2-Hour Fire Rated Power Cable Cable #VLH1_101108 | OmniCable

www.omnicable.com www.omnicable.com
Click to expand...
Thank you . So if I have say 400' horizontal I would set up all the pulleys and rollers Along the run and once or just a certain section then remove and reinstall them somewhere else along the run?
 
roger

roger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Fl
Occupation
Retired Electrician
Alwayslearningelec said:
Thank you . So if I have say 400' horizontal I would set up all the pulleys and rollers Along the run and once or just a certain section then remove and reinstall them somewhere else along the run?
Click to expand...
No, with a few exceptions you would leave them in place until after the pull and remove them then. You will want the whole length to slide easily. I think you can probably rent what you will need. We did a good bit of Line work so we had what we needed.
 
augie47

augie47

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Tennessee
Occupation
State Electrical Inspector (Retired)
4 gorillas maybe
You were clear you had a ton of wire, correct.
:)
 
Last edited:
A

Alwayslearningelec

Senior Member
Location
NJ
Occupation
Estimator
augie47 said:
4 gorillas maybe
You were clear you had a ton of wire, correct.
:)
Click to expand...
It's 9,000lbs per 1,000'. So if I have about 400' that would be about 4,000lbs on the reel. Now obviously it get's pulled off little by little so your not dealing with 4k lbs at once, correct?

So 4-5 guys wouldn't be able to pull this run?

What would the manpower setup be? How many at the reel? How many pulling? Thanks
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top