Splices When

[mstrlucky74]

Is there a general rule when a spice is needed for large feedersizes? I have a 600’ run of #500. I think the reels only come in 500’ but I believeI would be able to have a reel made for a 600’ run, correct? Would you splice arun for #500 at 600’ or just install pull boxes? Thanks.

 

[Strathead]

Is there a general rule when a spice is needed for large feedersizes? I have a 600’ run of #500. I think the reels only come in 500’ but I believeI would be able to have a reel made for a 600’ run, correct? Would you splice arun for #500 at 600’ or just install pull boxes? Thanks.

Are you asking as an estimator or an installer. Also, is this an underground run or an overhead run. How many 90's?

 

[growler]

Is there a general rule when a spice is needed for large feedersizes? I have a 600’ run of #500. I think the reels only come in 500’ but I believeI would be able to have a reel made for a 600’ run, correct? Would you splice arun for #500 at 600’ or just install pull boxes? Thanks.

First off you need to make sure the cable is long enough to reach to where ever it's to be terminated. Don't try to figure it down to the last foot, there will need to be a little extra. Then inside of a 90 degree bend is shorter than the outside.

You should be able to order the cable in the length required.

The general rule is that you don't splice unless you have to.

As strathead mentions, if there are not to many bends in the conduit you may not even need pull boxes. If this is underground and nothing but a couple of 90s and a few degrees of bend in the middle a 600 ft pull shouldn't be that hard. Long sweeps are easier to deal with than short 90s when it comes to bigger cable.

 

[just the cowboy]

No splice

No splice

If you can, do not splice anywhere. You can get a supply house to reel out whatever you need.

 

[mstrlucky74]

Are you asking as an estimator or an installer. Also, is this an underground run or an overhead run. How many 90's?

As installer. This is an underground run with about 5 90's but they show 2 in ground pull boxes in the run.

How about overhead?

 

[mstrlucky74]

First off you need to make sure the cable is long enough to reach to where ever it's to be terminated. Don't try to figure it down to the last foot, there will need to be a little extra. Then inside of a 90 degree bend is shorter than the outside.

You should be able to order the cable in the length required.

The general rule is that you don't splice unless you have to.

As strathead mentions, if there are not to many bends in the conduit you may not even need pull boxes. If this is underground and nothing but a couple of 90s and a few degrees of bend in the middle a 600 ft pull shouldn't be that hard. Long sweeps are easier to deal with than short 90s when it comes to bigger cable.

Got it I was just curious. I know you can't exceed 360 degree bends with pull point. So you could have 500' run overhead with several 90's and pull point and not have to splice?

 

[Strathead]

As installer. This is an underground run with about 5 90's but they show 2 in ground pull boxes in the run.

How about overhead?

As an estimator I would put in splices in both boxes. As an installer there is no one answer to this question. It depends on so many things. The desirable method is to always install with no splices. As stated earlier you can get the wire in much longer runs than this. You would only splice if the pull REQUIRED it. Confined space where you couldn't stage the wire. Or in your case, if you don't have the equipment or the building makes it too difficult to pull one of the three runs through one of the other runs, then a splice is warranted. Above or below ground this is true, but the challenges are different and each pull is different. For example one pull I did years ago, the ground was basically 12" deep mud. I set up a LuLL (boom forklift) with a sheeve. We set the tugger on the far end of one conduit coming in to the ground box, and the wire at the far end of the other conduit. We lowered the boom, tightened the rope with the tugger and tied it off. Then raised the boom, pulling the wire in. Lowered the boom taking up slack (rope at first, wire when it was through) and the raising the boom again. So the first conduit was pulled by the Lull raising. The second conduit was pulled by the tugger. My boss was rather impressed. The reason I tell you this is merely to show that every pull is different, planning is crucial, and creativity is rewarded.

 

[ActionDave]

Got it I was just curious. I know you can't exceed 360 degree bends with pull point. So you could have 500' run overhead with several 90's and pull point and not have to splice?

Absolutely.