Powering a sub-panel in an outbuilding 150 feet from the main house power. Running three #2 Cu and one #8 Cu ground wires through a buried 2" dia. PVC conduit with a large radius 90 degree curve at each end. Question: Is it possible to gang all the wires together, attach to fish tape end and pull them all through at once, or is it easier to do it one , or maybe two at a time?
wire pulling question
1 - 13 of 13 Posts
Do them all together.
If you try to do one at a time, usually what happens is that when you get to the 3rd and 4th one, they get tangled or twisted around each other and try to bring the 1st/2nd one with them.
Are you sure a #8 is ok?
I was told 2-2-2-6. (I am running 100 amp service 190') to my barn this week.
If you try to do one at a time, usually what happens is that when you get to the 3rd and 4th one, they get tangled or twisted around each other and try to bring the 1st/2nd one with them.
Are you sure a #8 is ok?
I was told 2-2-2-6. (I am running 100 amp service 190') to my barn this week.
I was told #8 would be OK. Will double check with electrician friend before pulling. Thanks.
#8 copper is a codebook-legal ground for any circuit up to and including 100 amps. The only time you'd need to go bigger is if you increased the size of the hot wires to compensate for voltage drop. 3 - #2s and 1 - #8 is very common.
Pull all the wires in at the same time. This will be a fairly easy pull. You'll need one person pulling, and another feeding.
It can probably be done with a fishtape, but you might need to use pliers when it gets close to the end. Vise-grips work well.
The person feeding needs to be careful that the wire goes in smoothly, no kinks, bends, etc. They'll need to push the wire in, as you pull. After a while, you develop sort of a rhythm, and it's easier.
Lube will make it easier, but this isn't all that long of a pull, and only two 90s.
Rob
Pull all the wires in at the same time. This will be a fairly easy pull. You'll need one person pulling, and another feeding.
It can probably be done with a fishtape, but you might need to use pliers when it gets close to the end. Vise-grips work well.
The person feeding needs to be careful that the wire goes in smoothly, no kinks, bends, etc. They'll need to push the wire in, as you pull. After a while, you develop sort of a rhythm, and it's easier.
Lube will make it easier, but this isn't all that long of a pull, and only two 90s.
Rob
I'll take your word for it, but when I cut the 500' spool into thirds, each segment was pretty heavy. I guess you are really lifting the wire when you pull it though, huh? Hoping the job goes as smoothly as you say! Thanks for the reply
Joined
·
5,369 Posts
For #2's (35mm²'s) if that is AL that is not too bad but copper it may be little more hevier but not what we the Electricians done much larger conductor size.
The last large one I did pull was the 500's (240mm²s) copper verison now that is pretty good weight there { it was 150 feet pull }
For med to large conductor size what I do rig a pully or roller so it will roll over and let the gravity drop down and push on the conductor while I pull it with tugger aka wire puller.
Merci,Marc
Joined
·
3,370 Posts
The argument could be made that using a #2 copper wire for a 100 Amp feeder is an upsizing to compensate for things like voltage drop.
#3 is all that is legally required for such a feeder. :whistling2:
Section 250.122(B) of the NEC requires that where ungrounded conductors are increased in size, equipment grounding conductors ... shall be increased in size proportionately according to the circular mil area of the ungrounded conductors.
Bottom line means you may be compelled to use a #6 EGC since the hot wires have been increased from a #3 to a #2. :huh:
#3 is all that is legally required for such a feeder. :whistling2:
Section 250.122(B) of the NEC requires that where ungrounded conductors are increased in size, equipment grounding conductors ... shall be increased in size proportionately according to the circular mil area of the ungrounded conductors.
Bottom line means you may be compelled to use a #6 EGC since the hot wires have been increased from a #3 to a #2. :huh:
The wire is not on spools (it came on a 500' spool, but I had to cut it in thirds), so I cannot let gravity feed it, but I did come up with the pulley solution previously. You guys make it sound like it isn't a heavy pull, but I thought if it was, I would attach a pulley to the wood siding above the conduit stub up, attach one end to the wires and one end to a winch, and pull it that way. The conduit end is maybe 20 feet from the road, and I thought if it was really going to give me trouble, I would attach the wires to my Jeep and SLOWLY pull it up through the pulley, with one other person guiding the wires on the feeding end (and walkie talkie contact for good communication). LOL SOunds like my imagination might have been getting the best of me on this one. ;-)
Thanks for all the input, guys!
Already bought the #8 ground wire. Does your compelling argument hold true if I put a 65 amp circuit breaker on the main service for this sub-panel? Just curious. Thanks.
Joined
·
3,370 Posts
Even more so, the smaller the breaker, the more "upsizing" you have done. :huh:
It all depends on your inspector-critter, and whether he wants something to nit-pick you on. :whistling2:
1 - 13 of 13 Posts
