Minimum distance between sweeps in pvc conduit?

[J.P.]

Maxxis tuggers are really handy. We have both styles the slip into the pipe and and C shaped end.

The only drawback to the slip in one is when your tape head comes up. Mark your rope about 10 ft from the head that way you can try and make sure the tape head doesn't bind on the sleeve.

The C shaped one will bend your panel a bit if the pull is hard.

Its also best to put rigid 90s or bends in long runs or heavy pulling wire. You can cut the pvc just pulling the string and rope in too fast.

 

[kwired]

Any suggestions on a good tugger for use in the dirt? Normally I use human power or maybe a quad if it is a long pull with heavy wire. Other than that I was taught that if you need to hook a backhoe to your pull you didn't set it up properly and could overstress the wire or break the conduit. One time we used a truck on a 400 ft pull of 3@ 500mcm in a 3 inch conduit and the friction of the mule tape sawed through a sweep! I would like to hear what guys are using as I am getting older and don't have the endurance anymore for heavy pulls like I used to. I am a mostly 2 man operation with additional help when necessary so $50,000 machines aren't practical for me (assuming I could get them into where I need them).

Usually it isn't that you need a backhoe to pull with, it is just that it pulls too hard for most people to pull by hand and the backhoe is what is next easiest and available item to pull with - but when you use such machine to pull you often have no idea just how much pull tension you are applying.

Burning through elbows can happen even when pulling by hand - that is just the nature of PVC and the reason RMC elbows are often used for underground PVC runs - and is permitted without additional bonding if burial depths are met. Fiberglass elbows also are resistant to burn through.

400 feet of 500mcm is going to pull hard just because of the weight of the conductors - then you still need to add extra force to overcome friction in the raceway

 

[10fords]

Thanks for the advice all. I have to admit that in my 20 years as an electrical contractor I have never used, or needed, a cable tugger. In my early years all of my work was in the city where a 100 foot pull was rare. Since moving to the boonies 15 years ago I have changed from primarily high end residential to mostly large property infrastructure and wells. At first I welcomed the challenge of getting large amounts of wire through long runs of conduit. Now I am getting older and wiser (meaning weaker!) and need to catch up with technology. I am going to start a different thread on tuggers and see which might be best for my situations. With the vast knowledge on this site I'm sure I'll learn something more than what I thought I knew! Thanks- Scott