Running Mc in concrete decked drop ceiling

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tim123

Member
Location
Denver
like karl said.. he knows more about it than me I'm sure. I have heard some stories that are probably bs, but anyways... about it being under 25000 lbs of tension and being hit and flying out the building... I could only find a few pics of them coming out the concrete a little bit. We had hit 3 of them doing a 1 foot core drill and all I heard was the floor popping I was underneth catching cores, the guy doing the drilling said he felt the floor give a little bit. To fix it they chipped out the area around where it cut and had to replace the cables.
 
This is what we have been using for multiple runs of mc

support_brackets1.gif


for single runs I would stick with a pole gun, if powder actuated then yes you must be licensed to use it, however they make CO2 actuated that you do not have to be. some places will let you use the tool for free if you buy the fasteners from them
 

quogueelectric

Senior Member
Location
new york
I am running MC fixture to fixture in a drop ceiling with a concrete deck. I dont want to tapcon the mc with one holes to the concrete deck but I cant think of any other way to support the MC. The ceiling isnt up yet so I figured i get ahead of them. I thought about when shooting my fixture supports in the deck for the fixture tie ups maybe shooting extra to tie the MC to. Figured Id ask for some other ideas.
Use a hilti gx 100 or gx 120 Gas operated track fastener is extremely fast as fast as you can pull the trigger it fires. We also used to use the ceiling pole powder actuated tools with a washer and tiewire long enough to strap about 10 cables every 6 ft for mc cable.
 

Flex

Senior Member
Location
poestenkill ny
Ive never seen that style of bridle ring before either. I think for just this single mc I am gonna go witht he tapcons though. Light tails are the only thing allowed in MC. All other power must be in conduit so no need the set up for future MC's.
 

nakulak

Senior Member
who do you get licensed with? I dont really understand having to get a license for a hand tool.

you can usually have a hilti rep come to the site and give a short training session for powder actuated tools, they give a little test, and the guys get a little card that says they are licensed to use them. basically it gives the employer a better position if someone gets hurt. for example, most eye injuries are because guys don't wear safety glasses. nails in people's heads are because they shot to a round post or used a powder tool on hollow wall and shoot nail through wall into someone's head, etc. (all this stuff is probably in the operator's manual, but who reads that ?)

a few years back this was slightly more important because the powder tools were high velocity and more people got hurt. now they are low speed, but they can still kill people.
 

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
cables in the concrete for strength that are tensioned after installation and pouring and curing, unlike rebar which just stays there.
Is that the same as pre-stressed concrete? I remember years ago working under a guy who cut a cable core-drilling a floor. You could hear the "twang!" all through the building. I don't remember ever hearing anything about repairing or replacing it. :cool:
 

macmikeman

Senior Member
For a single run I'd go with the independant support flagged grid hanger wires shot just like how Iwire shows. For multi runs there is some nice pics of nice gear shown here but I used to use another way frequently. I would hang 1/8" threaded rods and then use plain old "bat wings" one above the other. Lets see if I remember- Caddy k12 for 1/2" pipe. I don't know if they make a smaller size for 3/8" diameter cables but I bet they do. A box of those bat wings did not cost very much.
 

ultramegabob

Senior Member
Location
Indiana
I would think just tapcons and one holes would be the fastest, I dont know about cheapest though.

I dont see how drilling a pilot hole, then changing over to a driver and driving a tapcon screw would be faster than using a powder actuated nailgun, BANG! done...
 

Flex

Senior Member
Location
poestenkill ny
I dont think we have the tool in our shop. I think its on another jobsite. For the 20 straps I have to put in I guess Ill just use the bulldog.

The tool being a powder actuated gun
 
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