Messenger cable

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jksmith82

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Location
PA
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Electrical Contractor
Hi All,
I need to use a messenger cable for two separate branch circuits from a building to 1 pole. It unfortunatel can’t use a shared neutral. (2) 12-2 UF wires. I’m looking for input as to what cable ring or saddle to use. As usual, any input is appreciated. I hope everyone has a good weekend.

Jim
 
jksmith82 said:
I need to use a messenger cable for two separate branch circuits from a building to 1 pole. It unfortunatel can’t use a shared neutral. (2) 12-2 UF wires. I’m looking for input as to what cable ring or saddle to use. As usual, any input is appreciated. I hope everyone has a good weekend.
Click to expand...
Are you certain there's no way to share a neutral? You could use #6 al quadplex like this:

https://www.wireandcableyourway.com...druplex-acsr-overhead-service-drop-cable.html
 
Hi Larry,
Thanks for the reply. I have one circuit powering an area light. The other wire is for strobe lights. The system pulls in relays for a siren and stobe lights on top of a pole. It’s a firehouse. There dumpster company was nice enough to take down the wires for them. LoL. The siren wire was undamaged but the strobe lights are coming from the same control box.

Thanks,
Jim
 
Are they both powered by the same circuit, or could be, with just two switches? If so, they can just be two switched hots that share the same return conductor, and it won't be overloaded.

I don't know your voltages, etc.

Added: What's holding up the intact wire? Can a new one be added to it?

I'm lazy and tend to look for the easiest solution.
 
Unfortunately 2 separate circuits, from opposite sides of the building. The stobe circuit is going through a relay. The area light is a home run. I’ve uploaded a pic. The three conductors are to the siren. The 1 single wire is a 10-2 UF and was used as a messenger cable. Obviously I can’t use that. I was thinking of running the steel cable in place of the 10-2 and using messenger cable rings or saddles. But I never used them outside before. Only inside for networking. The

Jim
 
Use Tray Cable with the appropriate number of conductors, supported from a 1/8" aircraft cable messenger wire. Attach the tray cable to the messenger with UV-resistant, UL-listed zip ties.



SceneryDriver
 
Thank you for that input. I will definitely look into that this morning.

Jim


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to expand on what SceneryDriver said, you could use these for your ties:

https://www.discount-low-voltage.com/Cable/OSP_Cable_Accessories/aerial-cable-ties-111-01671

And there are other cable options too: coated MC, and they make 3 phase SER cable.

Another option would be to use the Quad plex Larry mentioned and twist or lash another single conductor to it.

Edit: Just wanted to add that you dont necessarily need a cable assembly. You could use single conductors as long they are wet and sun res rated.
 
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SceneryDriver said:
Use Tray Cable with the appropriate number of conductors, supported from a 1/8" aircraft cable messenger wire. Attach the tray cable to the messenger with UV-resistant, UL-listed zip ties.
Click to expand...

Along that same line, there is what is called IMSA traffic signal cable that can be had in multi-conductor messengered (fig 8). Google IMSA messengered cable. I'm seeing #12/5 (black, white, red, green, orange) that would work for you. Supply houses like Anixter should be able to sell you the length you need as well as the attachment hardware (Strandvice) that you should use at each end.

Oops, I just remembered that you have to have separate neutrals. There is a 12/7 that has a white with a black stripe.

-Hal
 
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Hi everybody, thanks for all the useful information. I’m thinking about maybe a 12-5 tray cable. That would give me two hots, 2 neutrals and a shared ground. I have never used a tray cable. What’s your thoughts? I also really like those tyewraps in the previous post.

Jim


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To me Ty-Raps in that application is amateur. You should be able to get that messengered IMSA cable on the cut from the same supplier as that tray cable.

-Hal
 
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