Cables wont fit in pipes

I have to shove THREE service entrance wire cables thru a 3/4 inch metal pipe. The cables measure 6.5 millimeters each. (1/4) inch = 6.35 millimeters, so they are slightly bigger than 1/4 inch in diameter.

I thought by applying a lot of pressure and using a lubricant I could force them thru this pipe, but I cant seem to get them in more than an inch or two.

The pipe is exactly measured at 3/4 inch on the inside. The wires have to go thru about 20 feet of pipe. I determined that I need to remove about 10% of the insulation from each cable. I can do this with my belt sander, but I'm trying to figure out how to get the sander to sand evenly around the entire diameter of these cables. I cant seem to find anything made to sand round objects. My father suggested putting the cables in my wood lathe and just taking off a thin layer off the insulation, but I cant find a way to mount the cable securely in the lathe, because it flexes too much.

Does anyone know a better way to remove some of that insulation without removing too much?

Ed

Reply to
Edward.Handy
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Lord, this has to be a troll.....

Reply to
trader_4

Troll or moron, obviously a larger pipe is required.

Reply to
FrozenNorth

I agree, gotta be a troll.

Still it's an interesting problem.

I wouldn't take the extra off the insulation though. You already have to derate them putting that many in.

Instead, make the pipe bigger. Any pipe with 3/4 ID must have thick walls. So grind away from the inside.

Get a length of aircraft cable and a hand winch. Pull lead slugs through with lots of grinding compound. It will take you a long time with increasingly big objects.

Reply to
TimR

Push a smaller wire thru the pipe, and then use that wire to pull the three wires. The act of pulling the wires will tend to shrink them a little and you just might be able to get the three wires pulled rather than pushed.

Reply to
hrhofmann

If you compress the pipe it will get wider. I did the math for you.

Compress the pipe down to 19.324' and it should get wide enough to pull the cables through. Release the compression and it will expand back to it's original length.

As always, let us know if our suggestions helped.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

Three densely packed circles (cross section) of 6.5mm dia should require a circumscribed circle of ~15mm in diameter. (I'd have to do the math for a more detailed answer) I.e., you shouldn't be having a problem unless your cables aren't *actually* 6.5mm AS YOU ARE PUSHING THEM.

Never push; pull!

You don't want to remove insulation.

Reply to
Don Y

Just use uninsulated (bare) wire

sheesh

Reply to
philo

It isn't as difficult as you might think. The three cables you're going to be using, I presume will be 120V, 120V and ground, respectively, right? So why not just completely remove all the insulation from the cable that will be used as ground? That would be a lot easier than trying to remove just a little insulation from all of them.

When you turn on the power your friends will really be impressed how you solved your problem.

Reply to
Gordon Shumway

Sure, needs a self feeding lathe with micrometer adjustable cutter. Any rental store has one you can get, very reasonably, for a day.

- . Christopher A. Young learn more about Jesus .

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Reply to
Stormin Mormon

I wouldn't try this, but I wonder if you heated the entire length of pipe to 500 degrees , the pipe would expand leaving plenty of room for the wires?

Reply to
Steve Stone

"philo" <

Just use uninsulated (bare) wire sheesh

Or use the pipe for ground to eliminate one wire.... ;>)

Reply to
Phil Kangas

Put the cables in the freezer to shrink them.

Reply to
cable_shill

Definitely - he should have said conduit instead of pipe. John T.

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Reply to
hubops

The problem is they tend to spread out. Tightly wrap the three with some strong thin cord, lubricate, and pull through.

Greg

Reply to
gregz

The third wire is the netural, which is a current carrying conductor, not ground.

Reply to
trader_4

so you are going to send him a picture of your wife?

Reply to
Malcom Mal Reynolds

to everyone else's benefit

Reply to
Malcom Mal Reynolds

The crazy ones are more fun. The sane ones let you get into the same routine day after day.

Reply to
Dean Hoffman

Bear or fox? Two choices. I chose fox. Bear drives me nuts.

Reply to
Tony Hwang

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