Stranded or Solid

[laketime]

What is better to pull for long distances, stranded or solid copper?

 

[celtic]

What is better to pull for long distances, stranded or solid copper?

I'm guessing a 400' long piece of solid 500MCM would be a pleasure to pull :grin:

 

[laketime]

Yeah I have a huge helper. No I will be pulling some control wires about 300' and it will be #12 was wondering if it makes a difference.

 

[Okie Sparky]

I have a huge helper.

Is his name Brutus?:grin:

I'd use stranded. It pulls easy.

 

[SEO]

It would be a rare case that solid pulled easier than stranded. It might push easier.

 

[celtic]

Yeah I have a huge helper.

LMAO

It's good to see a sense of humor.

No I will be pulling some control wires about 300' and it will be #12 was wondering if it makes a difference.

JB's and pull points are usually the bane of a solid wire pull.

If the run is laid out in a manner to minimize pull points - and the points are arranged where laying out 150' x? conductors won't be the world's largest ball of pasta ~ go for it.

Personally, I dislike solid wire pulls [especially when they are XHHW ].

The bigger question might be:
Can you terminate the solid conductor in an efficient manner?
Stranded sometimes works better with sta-cons.

 

[Power Tech]

I don't know about the rest of you but I stopped running 1/2" PVC except for very short runs.

It's stranded for me. 4, #12, 3/4 PVC, 900' to well controls.

 

[Cow]

We don't use solid unless job specs call it out. So that means, pretty much never!

 

[growler]

I will be pulling some control wires about 300' and it will be #12 was wondering if it makes a difference.

300' is not really a long pull. But you can still make it hard or easy on yourself. Use the right pull rope ( not a little 1/4 nylon ) and make the the head staggered and flexable. And don't be afraid of wire lube. Get the good stuff because it cleans off better than old yellar. Just get a bag of rags to clean off the wire and you are good to go.

Control wire is normally spected to be standed anyway.


I don't know why but some electricians that I have met hate to use wire lube but I think it's wonderful stuff. It's even required in many job specs.

 

[laketime]

What kind of vacuum do you use to get the line in?

 

[celtic]

What kind of vacuum do you use to get the line in?

You could spend money [$1000+] on a "system" like the Greenlee 690:

....or just a standard 16 gal. wet/dry vac at Big Box for under $100.

Sure it doesn't have all the attachments of a "system"....but sucking and blowing string thru a tube isn't exactly a complicated process.

You could also blow a string thru a pipe with compressed air.

 

[iMuse97]

What kind of vacuum do you use to get the line in?

hook someone's sandwich baggie on the end of the string and suck it thru with the shop vac.

 

[Power Tech]

hook someone's sandwich baggie on the end of the string and suck it thru with the shop vac.

You have to use a bigger sock on the larger conduits.

I prefer the Taco Bell bags for 2" and the HD bags for up to 5".

It is amazing how far you can suck a line.

 

[Cow]

I agree.

Good ole Walmart sacks work great. For larger conduits we just ball another sack up inside it.

 

[iMuse97]

You have to use a bigger sock on the larger conduits.

I prefer the Taco Bell bags for 2" and the HD bags for up to 5".

It is amazing how far you can suck a line.

Agreed. It is actually easier to suck p-line into a larger diameter conduit b/c there is more pull on the string. I was setting up some 5" runs that were 8' in the ground (asphalt plant), and got many gallons of water out of those things. That's always a nasty business. Glad it was OT. Don't seem to get any of that nowadays.