Running Overhead triplex wire

[laketime]

I am looking at a project that involves removing and relocating some existing overhead triplex wire (3-#2's & #8) to a new location. I have never done this and and I looking for ideas on how to relieve the strain on the wire and move it. Also new 2" conduit up has to be secured enough above the roof to support the strain of the wire, I could use some suggestions on this as well. Thanks

 

[Cow]

How far is the span? Triplex isn't terribly heavy when you go to swing it over. It's when you stretch it that it gets tough. We use a fence stretcher with a rope and two pulleys. Run your rigid up securely, intall a johnny ball with wedge clamp on it. Hook the fence stretcher with pulley to the messenger wire, hook the other pulley on the rigid and pull the rope until you take up the slack. Tie the rope off to hold it, install your wedge clamp, and then unhook your rope.

Make sense?

 

[fireryan]

How long are the runs? If there is lots of strain on the cable you could use a come a long to remove the strain

 

[laketime]

The run is about 80'. I am guessing

 

[shepelec]

Don't forget to leave a slight sag in the cable for expantion/contraction.

 

[laketime]

What is a johnny ball?

 

[danickstr]

its the black or glass "egg" that is wrapped by a guy wire (or strap)going to the attachment point, and the guy wire supporting the triplex bundle.

 

[Cow]

What is a johnny ball?

A ceramic insulator attached to a U-bolt that clamps onto the mast.

 

[kwired]

If you have a helper I always use a (5/16 - 3/8) rope tie the cable with a blood knot (I think you could find in a boy scout manual) a couple feet on the span side of where your wedge clamp or other type of hanger will end up located. Pass the rope through the insulator (johnny ball) and have your help pull on rope to hoist the cable into position. They can be standing on ground, this is really handy if working on a pole. Make up your hanger and have them release tension.

If cable is larger than #2 quad and longer than 50-75 feet it will most likely be too heavy to do with this method

 

[480sparky]

Johnny Ball:

Git yourself a Klein block & tackle:

Makes for drawing up the cables a snap!

 

[480sparky]

Git yourself a Klein block & tackle:

Makes for drawing up the cables a snap!

Took me a while to dig up the pix I had of mine in action:

 

[al hildenbrand]

I am looking at a project that involves removing and relocating some existing overhead triplex wire (3-#2's & #8) to a new location. . .

I keep a couple different sizes of wedge clamps on the truck, along with rope and a fence stretcher, just for this occasion (I work without a helper).

To relieve the strain on the existing drop, I'll work one of my wedge clamps onto the re-enforced conductor, some feet out on the ACSR, and use a rope or fence stretcher, depending upon what's readily available to "hang" off of, to pull up the ACSR so I can detach the original strain connection.

That's the basic idea. Reverse the order to hang the ACSR in the new location.

 

[al hildenbrand]

Nice pics, Ken.

You were hunting while I was typing.

The key is having a spare wedge clamp.

 

[480sparky]

.........The key is having a spare wedge clamp.

Absoloopy! One wedge stays on the johhny ball, the other two leap-frog each other as you draw the drop tighter.

My block & tackle is a custom-made set. Both ends have the small hook for catching the rope, and the large hook for attaching to the wedge clamps.

 

[JacksonburgFarmer]

Normally when I string triplex/quadplex cable, I set up a Pulley on top of pole or riser, and half hitch my bull rope to the wire, then hook rope to service truck....pull tight...hook up wedge clamp, back truck up and remove rope...

It works pretty slick....

 

[LarryFine]

Absoloopy!

Where have I seen that before?

 

[PetrosA]

I'm going to agree with the half hitching method. Most of the aerial lines I've worked on were only accessible from an extension ladder (none of those grand flat roof stages around here ), so leapfrogging clamps is not going to work well. The biggest challenge is finding a good place to attach the pulley to the insulator or star hook (an alloy hook with a triangular base for three lags) without blocking access to the clamp or jamming the pulley in once tension's on the clamp.

 

[ty]

Took me a while to dig up the pix I had of mine in action:

You're missing the 'Dog'.

The 'Hook' should be attached to the insulator or mast, and the 'Dog' gets attached to the messenger cable.
That way, when pulled up, you can easily open the wedge clamp and attach it to the insulator.
I'll try to post some pics of a 'Dog', but Klien makes them too.

 

[ty]

Also, that service drop would not pass inspection here. It is not high enough when crossing the roof.

 

[JacksonburgFarmer]

When attaching the pulley to the riser pipe, I use a "axel strap" around the pipe. A 14" axel strap works well, and if you use a longer one sometimes it works better, you can wrap the pipe twice and overlap it, so the strap doesent fall down.....