atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Cabling Telephones Systems Wiring Cable Tuggers

We've never used one, but are considering it. Always thought they were for sissies. If you are strong enough to pull on a rope or tape and get it to move, why bother? Watched some YouTube videos and tuggers don't seem to difficult to set up.

The inertia thing makes sense for less stress on the cable vs yank, yank, yank. The stopping and starting must really be the hardest part on most cable pulls.

There is a local rental shop here that rents out the Porta Systems units and Greenlee. Which one is the easiest idiot-proof unit? I like my fingers.

Can tuggers use Neptco mule tape - like 1800lb 1/2 tape instead of nylon rope?

You are only doing less than 1000' .... don't bother with a tugger. You'll do more damage than good if you don't know what you are doing.


My opinion.

Yeah, but I have that 'tool time' addiction! You are probably correct and with two people pulling the force can be kept pretty constant.

Tuggers are for sparkies, you can pull the hell out of THHN and not bother it. No way can you do that with our stuff. There are actually tuggers for our work but they incorporate tension meters which are absolutely necessary for fiber.

What it comes down to is that it is extremely important to design your conduit run to minimize pulling tension. That means large diameters, minimal bends that are of as large a radius as possible and plenty of lube.

The cable and fiber manufacturers have pulling tension tables. Use more pulling tension and you risk cable damage.

-Hal

Thanks.

I learned today about those 'heat ovens' that you can lay sections of 4" PVC into that heat the plastic and let you make large, sweeping turns vs the usual 90s. Sort of the PVC version of a pipe bender.

Haven't seen anywhere that you can actually purchase wide-turn 90 joints for PVC yet that are pre-made.

yep, any real electrical supply house has or can get them....ask for a "sweep". The laugh around here is the regular 90s are for plumbers.....

I learned today about those 'heat ovens' that you can lay sections of 4" PVC into that heat the plastic and let you make large, sweeping turns vs the usual 90s. Sort of the PVC version of a pipe bender.

They ain't cheap and for a sweep you are going to need two because one isn't long enough, depending on the size of the pipe. Also, probably something that you won't realize is that you have to pressurize the pipe with compressed air otherwise it will collapse when you heat and bend it.

-Hal

Oh thanks for that heads up on that Hal. Pressurize with compressed air; hot plastic ... that has disaster written all over it.

Ken - I asked Graybar if they heard of a PVC 'wide' corner and they said no. Oh wait, you said a .....

-Vance

Ya see, NC, that is the problem, you "asked" ... I have trained so many supply house guys over the last 4+ decades....you tell them what you want ... a good counter man / account rep will call a manufacturer if he / she doesn't know. Why? They learn, they sell, they make money!


And you may need to talk to a electrical dude rather than a data order taker....they use 'em, the data dudes wouldn't know a sweep if it fell on them.

I've used Greenlee Super Tuggers for years in our business. On copper when we were pulling in high count telephone cable (600-3600 pair) and on fiber on 216s, 432s and 864s.

Use it on big stuff, don't bother with it on the small stuff. As Hal said you can do more harm then good.

Sam