Supporting Conductors in Vertical Raceways

[joe tedesco]

300.19 covers Supporting Conductors in Vertical Raceways.

I am interested in finding out if there are any reported cases where the conductors in a raceway that were fed from the top floor down to the equipment in the basement, have slipped because of the lack of the necessary support at proper intervals.

Imagine 4 - 500 kcmil conductors in a raceway where the weight of one could be considered at about 2 pounds for every foot!

Lots of "Uncle" to take to the junkyard!

PS: How much do they give per pound of copper, skinned, or unskinned?

 

[iwire]

Re: Supporting Conductors in Vertical Raceways

Hi Joe, last trip I got about $2400 $0.80 for large bare, about $0.60 for large covered.

The place I go grinds it all and uses air blowers to separate the copper from plastic and rubber.

I have never seen an existing installation fall, but I will admit to losing a set of feeders form the 11th floor down to the basement while installing them.

It was a long time ago and I think it was about 350kcmil, we were feeding from the top and the Boss had chosen 4" EMT for the run.

I will never oversize a vertical run again.

It took four of us almost a day to untangle the pile in the basement, no conductor damage luckily (or personal injury)

I was at the top end, two co workers where in the basement to handle the slack, when the wire started going one guy stepped aside, but one tried to stop it, I am told it pushed him down the hall quite rapidly.

It was much longer than 11 stories as the plan was to run about 150' through the basement up 11 stories and about 75' across the 11th floor.

The main cause of this was trying to do the job without the proper pulling equipment (beyond my control at the time) This will not happen to me again!

Bob

 

[joe tedesco]

Re: Supporting Conductors in Vertical Raceways

Bob:

That must have been a real scary situation! Did you say that the conductors were being pulled up into the thinwall?

It seems like that would be difficult for sure, the reel on the top floor, with a brake and someone who is alert, would be the safest way, in my opinion.

Are there any textbook training experiences available?

The price of copper is impressive.

Early on when I worked with the tools in NYC we pulled out the old and pulled in the new feeder's in some of the hotels around Times Square.

I usually cut a piece for me, and for my helper and the rest was for the Boss so that when the barrel was full at home it could be turned into cash!

I'll bet you bought a new computer with that cash you got!

Was is a new WiFi or centrino? I am almost ready to buy a new one, but have to sell this laptop first.

Hint: Comes loaded with the NECH and other stuff, just a hint ....

 

[iwire]

Re: Supporting Conductors in Vertical Raceways

Joe we did feed from the top, the brake was a rope around a building column.

The rope broke after we got quite of bit of the cable hanging in the pipe.

Scary Yes probably the most I have ever been on the job, my first thought was for the two guys at the bottom of the pipe run.

I pictured them with broken bones tangled up in the cable.

Myself and the other worker with me on the 11th floor made it down the stairway to the basement without touching many steps, mostly jumps from landing to landing.

No on the PC, the money went into a fence and landscaping the yard.(Good fences make good neighbors )

Bob

 

[jrdsg]

Re: Supporting Conductors in Vertical Raceways

had a similar experience lowering 200 pair telco cable down a 25 storey building in my early days in the business. not as heavy, but much more prone to damage from stretching and compression at the pull point. cable didn't let go, but it was a damned close run thing, as they say. would not want to repeat the experience.