Conduit Re-Route

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Alwayslearningelec

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NJ
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Estimator
For a change I will try to be clear, concise and informative with my questions and not rush. lol

The conduits in question are the six right above the exit sign. There are 4 - 4" with 500MCM and 2-2" with 3/0. I drew out a plan view of the extg. and re-route. We need to remove a 15' section starting about 2' to the right of the exit sign and continuing to the right for about 15' and then box it there and splice. So we will ned two splice points. One by the exit and the other ~15' away.

questions.
1. Obviously power needs to be shutdown when cutting and splicing. They are going to give us a full saturday and to kill power where it won't affect anyone as it's a M-F operation. If we get all our new conduits/wire in place during straight time do you thinkg cutting, installing box and splices can be done iver a weekend? I don;t see that being enough time. Thinking it's a 2-3 man operation where spice box install and splices would take 2 men about 2 separate 7 hour shifts and that just one side of the intercept.
2. Is there any type of enclosure that could be used for the splices besides a box like conduit body etc.? Not sure we are going to have room for big box. It will be an angle pull so it'll be 6 x's largest conduit plus adding the others.

We really want to avoid temping out those feeders.

Thanks for any input.
 

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The conduits look very nice right where they are. What's the motivation for the offset?
 
Do the cables on either side of this conduit section terminate in a panel or other box that is close enough to consider pulling some new longer cables on that side to eliminate one splice box? In other words, to pull new cables long enough to go from an existing panel/box to a single splice box on the other side of the elevator.
 
The drawing makes no sense to me. Are you wanting to offset them to the ceiling?

What about the penetration in the wall on the left? Do the proposed offsets require new penetrations?
 
synchro said:
Do the cables on either side of this conduit section terminate in a panel or other box that is close enough to consider pulling some new longer cables on that side to eliminate one splice box? In other words, to pull new cables long enough to go from an existing panel/box to a single splice box on the other side of the elevator.
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I would definitely check into this first ^^^^
 
synchro said:
Do the cables on either side of this conduit section terminate in a panel or other box that is close enough to consider pulling some new longer cables on that side to eliminate one splice box? In other words, to pull new cables long enough to go from an existing panel/box to a single splice box on the other side of the elevator.
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Yes switchboard is on the other side of that wall about 10' in that room. Good idea.
 
horsegoer said:
If we get all our new conduits/wire in place during straight time
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That is a BIG "if", until I hear the details of how this is to be completed, I'm dubious.
do you thinkg cutting, installing box and splices can be done iver a weekend?
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NO!

Edit: A friend of mine built a Sam's gas station from breaking ground to pumping gas in 30 days. THAT is a lot of work (canopy footings, tank and piping install, pouring concrete drives, etc), so if he can do that i guess you may be able to do this, but it's going to take a lot of excellent planning and a bulldog supervisor. Better have night crews ready to go.
 
horsegoer said:
We'll would'nt you remove the conduit at a coupling to allow extra wire? What would be the right way to remove the conduit with ability to have enough slack to splice?
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Think about it. How do you 'remove the conduit at a coupling'? You can't move it one direction 'cuz there's the conduit and conductors, you can't move it the other direction 'cuz there's the conduit and conductors. You can't just 'remove' a coupler unless you start at a pull point and disassemble the raceway back to that coupler you're referring to.

Unless you're planning on installing a grossly oversized box and splice each conductor twice in it.
 
From the theory peanut gallery, it would also seem that doing the cut-over in such a limited time window would also require getting as much of the work done as possible during 'normal time'. Horsegoer mentions running conduit and having wire in place, and based on synchro's question mentioned the switchboard 10' away.

So what does the job look like if you start a completely new run from that switchboard, going to the second splice location. New conductors already cut to length and ready for termination, or possibly already terminated on your splicing connectors. Pull tape already in the new conduit ready to go. Splice box already made up with openings cut, possibly some sort of box that can take up tolerances should your holes be slightly off. And a spare box on site so that if you screw up the openings you aren't out of luck and time.

-Jon
 
480sparky said:
Think about it. How do you 'remove the conduit at a coupling'? You can't move it one direction 'cuz there's the conduit and conductors, you can't move it the other direction 'cuz there's the conduit and conductors. You can't just 'remove' a coupler unless you start at a pull point and disassemble the raceway back to that coupler you're referring to.
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I don't believe this is an insurmountable problem, but as 480sparky notes it has to be considered carefully. You can't unscrew a conduit in the middle of a run without some way to let the other end of the conduit section move freely, and some slack in the conductors.

Imagine that your goal is to preserve all conduit and conductors to the left of point X, plus enough conductor for splicing, and you don't care what happens to the right of point X. So say 5' to the right of point X you saw through everything. Then you unscrew the conduit to the left of point X?

-Jon
 
Following most of the rest of the posts:
Two honking j-boxes with Polaris connectors or power distribution blocks - unless, as said, you can pull one end back.
Not sure we are going to have room for big box.
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If the customer wants it put in you will find the room. Keep moving back until there is room

How does one remove a coupling without having the other end free? Right angle grinder, split the coupling opposite sides.
How do you put it back without having the other end free? Two piece, split, bolted coupling.

Time schedule:
Plan on spending cubic money
6 crews - one at each splice point, three shifts
Make up and mount all available hardware/equipment
Make sure everything needed is on-site - including spares
Have a plan for when everything goes in the toilet - cause sometimes, even with cubic money available, things do not go as per plan. I know that is a surprise.
 
iceworm said:
How does one remove a coupling without having the other end free? Right angle grinder, split the coupling opposite sides.
How do you put it back without having the other end free? Two piece, split, bolted coupling.
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You figure out how many feet of conductors you need beyond the coupling and cut the conduit and wire at that point. Next you can disassemble the conduit by loosening the couplings and sliding the conduit over the cut ends of the conductors. The best scenario is to install the box right there where the couplings were because if you need to extend the conduit you will have to slide it over the conductors.
 
Also contact your supply house and inquire about the possibility of having one of their staff on-call for that one item you absolutely need over the weekend. Won't be the cheapest option, but may be well worth the price in the end.
 
I don't have a good feel for where the conduits are going to be moved to. Looking at the picture up above, will they move up towards the ceiling, or towards the back or front of the picture (off to one side)?
 
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