How to pull cables over 1,200 feet when pull ropes aren't available in longer lengths?

[Rick 0920]

A pull box IMO would be the best solution. If you don't want to buy the 3M cold shrink splice kits, then braiding two ropes creating the "eye" is the 2nd best option. I agree with using the shortest piece possible at the beginning of the pull.

 

[zbang]

AKA the "long splice", which for the CC ropes is over 100'.

 

[Jraef]

Buy ropes that have eyes spliced on both ends. Just add a short length of rope with an eye splice to the pulling end. Pull out the first 30' or so and then you'll be into the 1200' rope.

Rope splicing is a dying art…
I was required to learn it as an apprentice a looong time ago, precisely for this reason. I doubt I could do it again now because of lack of practice, but right after I learned, I repaired breaks and put eyes in a lot of my ropes with splicing. Now I don’t know anyone under 50 years old who knows how to splice a rope though.

 

[Dzboyce]

I agree with you Jraef. Rope splicing is one of those dying arts. I learned in Boy Scouts in the 1960's. Even learned how to make rope. As an adult I learned to splice wire rope out of necessity. I still spice and put eyes on cat head ropes. Or make endless spinning ropes.

Every couple of years I have to do a long splice on 3/4" 6x19 fiber core wire rope. That's a 20 ft long splice. It takes me almost a full day to get all those ends tucked in replacing the fiber core. Then my arms ache for another couple of days. If I did it more often I could probably do it in 3-4 hours.

 

[Phil Timmons]

Back to the OP . . . This 1200 foot pull is an underground duct bank? Asking because above ground conduit of most any kind (RGS, PVC, Alum) is going to have expansion problems itself

 

[Phil Timmons]

Back to the OP . . . This 1200 foot pull is an underground duct bank? Asking because above ground conduit of most any kind (RGS, PVC, Alum) is going to have expansion problems itself

sorry wandered off . . . .

Back to the OP . . . This 1200 foot pull is an underground duct bank? PVC in Concrete?

Asking because above ground conduit of most any kind (RGS, PVC, Alum) is going to have expansion problems itself. Even RGS stretches/shrinks an inch or so per 100 feet. It can crush steel - J-boxes with just a couple 100 feet. This is very real.

Next look out is stressing the wire, itself. MV has some limits on how much pulling load you are putting on it. Does your tugger have some gauge or limits?

If you are pulling manhole to manhole, would recommend to keep the guys out of the hole while doing so. The pulley systems are worth it to folks out the way.