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 MOVEMENT,
STORAGE AND HANDLING OF
CABLE
Movement of Reels of Cable
1.
Reels of cable must not be dropped from any height, particularly
from trucks or other transporting equipment.
2.
Lift reels using following methods:
(a)
Crane or boom type equipment—insert shaft (heavy rod or pipe) through
reel hubs and lift with
slings on shaft, prefer-ably utilizing spreader or yoke to reduce
or avoid sling pressure
against reel flange.
(b)
Fork lift type of equipment may be used to move smaller, narrower
width reels. Fork tines
should be placed so that lift pressure is on reel flange not on
cable, and must reach
all the way across reels so lift is against both reel flanges.
3.
Reels may be moved short distances by rolling. Reels should be rolled
in the direction indicated by arrows painted
on reel flanges. Surfaces over which the reels are
to be rolled should be firm, clear of debris, and also clear of
protruding stones, humps, etc. which might
damage the cable if the reel straddled them.
Storage
of Reels of Cable
1.
Cable ends are sealed prior to shipment. If factory seals are removed
or damaged, new tape seals must be applied to
prevent moisture entry into cable. Strip cable finishes
back 2", down to insulation for braided or non-jacketed constructions.
Then apply four layers of an insulating tape,
criss-cross over the cable end and carry back at
least 4" onto cable outer finish. Add a containing cover of two
layers of vinyl electrical tape completely over
the end seal.
2.
Whenever possible, the factory applied lagging (protective cover)
should be left in place. Additional covering
such as tarpaulin, plastic sheeting, etc., may be used if cable
is to be stored for long periods outdoors or in excessively dirty,
dusty areas.
3.
Store reels of cable on a firm surface, paved if possible, or on
planking to prevent settling into soft ground.
4.
The storage areas should have good drainage.
5.
Use fencing or other barriers to protect cables and reels against
damage by vehicles or other equipment moving about
in the storage area.
Handling
During Installation
1.
Cold weather handling and pulling-in of cable can be more difficult,
depending on the cable construction and installation
location. Cold-induced stiffness of cable must be considered
along with radius and number of bends in the proposed installation
run.
In
general most cables can be safely handled without damage if not
subjected to temperature lower than 10°F (-12°C)* in the 24 hour
period proceeding pulling and bending. If it is anticipated that
store temperatures will be below this level during the 24-hour pre-pull
period, arrangements should be made to move the reel, avoiding impact,
to a warmer area. If no indoor warming area is available, a plastic
sheeting-covered shelter may be constructed and heated. The reel
should be held in the warm storage area at a temperature of at least
60°F (16°C) for 24 hours to ensure total warmup. Apply pulling eyes
or grips while cable is in the warming area, prior to movement outdoors
or uncovering. If these instructions cannot be followed, please
consult Kerite regarding the particular situation and cable involved.
2.
Always determine the safe maximum pulling tension of the cable and
compare this to the tension required for the particular
run configuration being considered.
3.
Always determine that ducts and conduits are clear of obstructions
and properly sized. After swabbing or brushing,
a sizing mandrel should be pulled through to ensure
the cables will fit without jamming.
4.
Attachment to the cable can be accomplished with any of the commercially
available devices (Kellems grips, Greenlee wire
grip, etc.) or by field or factory-made pulling
eyes. The choice may depend on the tension requirements, especially
when long runs or runs with several bends are
to be made. If the pull is through wet or damp
locations, the cable ends must be positively sealed to prevent moisture
entry, and resealed after pulling.
5.
Cable end seals may be disrupted during the pulling operations and
therefore should be checked and replaced if the
cables are not going to be spliced or terminated right after
pull-in. This is especially important for underground runs where
cable ends may be left in manholes which are subject
to flooding.
6.
In the case of installing directly buried cables, a layer of approximately
three inches of selected backfill should be placed
at the bottom of the open trench prior to installing
cables. The cables should be laid into the trench being careful
not to twist or kink them. Care should be taken
not to abrade or impact the cable surface as it leaves
the pay-off equipment and enters the trench. Over-bending the cable
to a point less than the recommended minimum bending
radius should also be avoided. Cables can become
easily over-bend at guide points such as small sheaves or rollers
located on the cable laying equipment.
After
laying the cables into the trench, they should be covered with a
layer of selected backfill to a level of approximately three to
four inches above the cable surface(s). "Selected backfill" is defined
as either thermal sand or sand-clay-gravel mixture containing some
small stones no greater in size than one-quarter inch across at
their largest dimension. The remainder of the open trench may then
be filled using ordinary backfill.
7.
When installing cables in the earth using a cable plow, make sure
the bottom of the plow blade has a large enough
bore and radius of curvature to easily accommodate the
cable(s). During the installation, the plow blade should never be
raised suddenly nor the equipment operated in
a reverse direction (even for just a short distance). Either
of these actions can severely damage the cable.
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