Failing to plan is planning to fail when it comes to pulling wire. Preventing damaged cable, injuries, deadline delays and unexpected labor costs often starts before wire leaves the reel. What steps are necessary before pulling wire?
Before your next project, ask yourself these five questions:
1. Do You Have the Wire You Need?
You can’t pull wire if material isn’t ready. Before installation day, ask yourself these questions:
- Is the correct wire on order?
- Will it arrive in time to meet project deadlines?
- Is the wire being labeled or cut to simplify installation?
- Is it staged where you can access it quickly?
- Are there opportunities to reduce material handling before the pull begins?
The most successful projects treat material planning as part of the pull plan. That means coordinating procurement, delivery, processing and staging early enough to keep installation moving when crews arrive onsite.
2. Can this Wire Pull be Completed as Designed?
Finding out a wire pull isn’t going to work after you arrive on site is costly. To prevent damaged cable, failed pulls and re-work, contractors should evaluate factors like these before installation:
- Pulling tension
- Sidewall bearing pressure
- Conduit fill
- Potential jam risk
- Voltage drop on longer runs
3. Has Anyone Walked the Wire Pull Route?
Like a football team studying X’s and O’s, project drawings tell part of the story, but they can’t replace a pregame walkthrough. A jobsite walkthrough often reveals factors that aren’t as obvious on a blueprint:
- Tight bends
- Elevation changes
- Congested work areas
- Pull box locations
- Unexpected obstacles
Never let pull day be the first walkthrough. Van Meter has contractor services specialists who can walk through the jobsite with you and identify potential challenges before they cause delays.
Real World Success Story
Go On the Job with Knobelsdorff Electric to see how they were able to execute a more efficient wire pull by partnering with Van Meter.
4. Do You Know Exactly Where the Reels, Equipment and Crew Will Be?
Some wire pulls are difficult because of the jobsite. Others are difficult because nobody thought through the setup.
Before the wire pull begins, go through this checklist:
- Best wire payoff option
- Reel placement
- Pull direction
- Equipment positioning
- Pull points
- Crew responsibilities
The same pull can require significantly different levels of effort depending on how the jobsite is staged. Optimizing the placement of reels, wire tuggers, pull points and crew members can make a difficult pull feel routine.
5. What Wire Pulling Risks and Safety Concerns are Present?
Every wire pull contains some level of risk. By planning ahead, you can prevent jobsite injuries and other delays before you get to the jobsite.
For example:
- Stripping cable to create pulling heads in the field can lead to hand injuries. Plus, it takes a lot of extra time. Ordering wire with pre-installed wire pulling heads removes knives from the process. If you have to make pulling heads in the field, battery-operated cable strippers eliminate blades, prevent cuts and strip wire to a concise measurement. They’re faster, more consistent and safer for crews.
- Transporting and setting up heavy reel stands puts strain on workers that can build up over time. With Southwire’s SIMpull Reel or SIMpull Flange, one person can safely maneuver a 5,000-pound reel by themselves, and it takes less effort to pull wire. Plus, it’s a much faster way to set up wire pulls.
Planning ahead to remove knives and reduce strain on your crew keeps them healthy, productive and efficient for the duration of the project.
How Much Time Can Pre-Installed Pulling Heads Save?
See how much faster it is to pull wire using pre-installed pulling heads vs. creating pulling heads in the field.
Get Hands-On Wire Pull Pre-Planning Instruction
Want to get first-hand experience pre-planning wire pulls in a controlled environment before you do it for real? Talk to your Van Meter account manager about visiting one of our wire innovation centers to get personalized instruction using wire pulling calculators, SIMpull Reels, wire puller tools and more. You’ll leave with a wire pulling strategy you can use to pull wire more efficiently and safely.