How do I spool 350' of 3 x 6 AWG Direct Burial Cable into a Trench?

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How do I spool 350' of 3 x 6 AWG Direct Burial Cable into a Trench? So we have a backhoe coming to make the trench. My concern is that 350' 0f 3 x 6 AWG Direct Bury is going to be pretty heavy.
Do we just stick the Reel on a Pipe with a support on each side in the back of a Truck and pull it 350'. Has anyone out there done something similar to this before?
 
Installer said:
How do I spool 350' of 3 x 6 AWG Direct Burial Cable into a Trench? So we have a backhoe coming to make the trench. My concern is that 350' 0f 3 x 6 AWG Direct Bury is going to be pretty heavy.
Do we just stick the Reel on a Pipe with a support on each side in the back of a Truck and pull it 350'. Has anyone out there done something similar to this before?
Click to expand...
That should work.
you might need one guy managing the spool while one or two of you drag it through the trench. I will get heavier as you go.
 
You will have the backhoe on site. Hang the reels from the bucket and have the operator drive along the trench. Pull the wire off the reels and into the trench. Easy job.
 
Installer said:
How do I spool 350' of 3 x 6 AWG Direct Burial Cable into a Trench? So we have a backhoe coming to make the trench. My concern is that 350' 0f 3 x 6 AWG Direct Bury is going to be pretty heavy.
Do we just stick the Reel on a Pipe with a support on each side in the back of a Truck and pull it 350'. Has anyone out there done something similar to this before?
Click to expand...

If the truck can get close, that would work. If it's easier you can hang the pipe from the front bucket of the backhoe and drive backwards, or hang it off the back bucket and drive forward.
 
We don't direct bury wire.

But if we did, I sure wouldn't leave the spool stationary and literally drag the wire off through 350' of trench. Sounds like a good way to get scrapes and nicks. And future repairs.

This is one of those problems you don't have when you just run conduit. Or cable-in-conduit.
 
:D Brings back memories. I used to have a cable reel trailer back in my cable company days. Would take probably a 5' diameter reel. 350 ft into an open trench? Would take me by myself maybe 15 minutes.:thumbsup: (ETA: I always specified that the trench have 6" sand on the bottom to prevent damage.)

Then I remember working for an EC that had no reel handling equipment. We had to pull about 200ft of 4 500's through 4"buried PVC. This guy had the reels dropped off at the site then used a length of 2" RGS as an axle through two reels supported by car jack stands and concrete blocks. Not only did the setup fall over constantly but the RGS bent. Those reels were heavy and wouldn't turn! I think he begged every guy working on that job to come out and help.

So the moral of the story is to have the right equipment.

Do we just stick the Reel on a Pipe with a support on each side in the back of a Truck and pull it 350'.
Click to expand...

I actually saw somebody who had an "A" frame made up with a solid bar for an axle that sat in the back of his pickup.

-Hal
 
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(3)#6 total~1000' have the girl next door pull it in on the way to the bus stop.
Drive a stake in the ground tie one end to it and walk it in, use a two wheel dolly, wheelbarrow, wire cart, backhoe, truck, two guys and a pipe. 100lbs.
 
Wire puller

Wire puller

Installer said:
How do I spool 350' of 3 x 6 AWG Direct Burial Cable into a Trench? So we have a backhoe coming to make the trench. My concern is that 350' 0f 3 x 6 AWG Direct Bury is going to be pretty heavy.
Do we just stick the Reel on a Pipe with a support on each side in the back of a Truck and pull it 350'. Has anyone out there done something similar to this before?
Click to expand...
Rig a sheave(pulley) at the other end, and use a mule tape or rope, then pull the wire with your pickup at a 90 degree angle of the ditch
 
441-6_vert.jpg

651.jpg

4036%20Conveyor%20Sheave.jpg

~RJ~
 
Wireman340 said:
Rig a sheave(pulley) at the other end, and use a mule tape or rope, then pull the wire with your pickup at a 90 degree angle of the ditch
Click to expand...

romex jockey said:
441-6_vert.jpg

651.jpg

4036%20Conveyor%20Sheave.jpg

~RJ~
Click to expand...
You guys realize OP was to be direct burying conductors in a open trench?

3 x #6 at 350' will be a little heavy to carry the reel, won't be that hard to drag compared to some things that are still commonly done "by hand"

Installer said:
Are we okay with #6?
Click to expand...
depends on the load to be served and how much VD is acceptable. 3% mentioned in NEC is only a suggestion in an informational note and not a requirement.
 
Knuckle Dragger said:
That should work.
you might need one guy managing the spool while one or two of you drag it through the trench. I will get heavier as you go.
Click to expand...

charlie k. said:
You will have the backhoe on site. Hang the reels from the bucket and have the operator drive along the trench. Pull the wire off the reels and into the trench. Easy job.
Click to expand...

Why do you guys want to pull the wire through the trench ?

The trench may not be all that straight.

I would normally spool all the cable off beside the trench (straight line) and then come back and put the cable in the trench. Then manually (with a shovel) put some soft dirt over the cable to hold it in place and protect the cable as the trench is being back filled.
 
kwired said:
3 x #6 at 350' will be a little heavy to carry the reel, won't be that hard to drag compared to some things that are still commonly done "by hand"
Click to expand...

Even the reel will be a little heavy to carry around. They make those things round for a reason, they roll real easy. If the area is level they can fix the end of the cable and just roll the reel beside the trench and just let the cable spool off nice and straight and then throw it over into the trench.
 
growler said:
... If the area is level they can fix the end of the cable and just roll the reel beside the trench and just let the cable spool off nice and straight ...
Click to expand...

Depends on the reel and cable and other conditions. The reel's circumference/diameter is fixed, and longer than that of the wire spooling off of it, which gets smaller and smaller as more cable comes off. It will want to drag the cable with it partially, or need to slip while rolling.
 
growler said:
Even the reel will be a little heavy to carry around. They make those things round for a reason, they roll real easy. If the area is level they can fix the end of the cable and just roll the reel beside the trench and just let the cable spool off nice and straight and then throw it over into the trench.
Click to expand...

Since the diameter of the reel is larger than the diameter of the coil of wire, when the reel is rolled, the wire comes off put also pulls towards the reel. I've never got this method to work very well.
 
growler said:
Why do you guys want to pull the wire through the trench ?

The trench may not be all that straight.

I would normally spool all the cable off beside the trench (straight line) and then come back and put the cable in the trench. Then manually (with a shovel) put some soft dirt over the cable to hold it in place and protect the cable as the trench is being back filled.
Click to expand...

I don't think you understood what the posts you are responding to are saying. They were not going to pull the wire through the trench.
 
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