# Installing Vertical feeders



## kbsparky (Sep 20, 2007)

I have a project where we have a long, vertical feeder conduit which will contain a significant amount of copper wire in it.

Specifically, we need to install (4)x250 mcm cables into a vertical conduit that rises over 100 feet from the basement to the top floor of a building.

We have determined to install two of those wire support fittings in the conduit run, and a third one at the junction/pull box on the top floor.

The middle supports will be made using the OZ-Gedney bubble-type units, instead of the usual pull boxes.

Have you ever needed to install more than one of these in the same run of wire, and did you install the clamps/stoppers starting with the bottom one going up, or starting at the top, and then go down?


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## knowledge29 (Nov 6, 2010)

If I remember correctly, I think you have to have strain reliefs every sixty feet. Don't remember at the moment. it has been a few years since I last did this install.


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## kbsparky (Sep 20, 2007)

You are correct, in the 60 foot maximum spacing. 

We will be closer to 40 feet, since we are using 3 of `em instead of the 2 minimum.

But my question remains: Should I start securing the cables at the bottom one, or the top one? Or does it even matter?

FWIW, we are using OZ part #QA12 for the middle ones....


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## knowledge29 (Nov 6, 2010)

starting at the bottom will help, in case the cables slip.The way I did it was, we just pulled the cables all the way up then had another guy go back and place the reliefs while we were holding the cables. it can get quite heavy.


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## eejack (Jul 14, 2012)

We did one a while back ( 24 runs of 4 x 600mcm 300' ).

We set up our reels on the top of the pull on a braking system we devised and secured from the top down. We had a man at each pull box so it wasn't a slow process and no one had to hold anything for very long.


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## kbsparky (Sep 20, 2007)

It's logistically impossible to haul those heavy reels up to the top, since we will be one level _above_ where the elevators top out.

So, we will most likely have the wire reels in the basement, and pull the wire _up_, using a winch/puller.

We will then lock the winch, and put in the stops before detaching the rope.

Have any of you used something like Kellams grips instead of those cork-type stoppers to support vertical cable runs?


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## Awg-Dawg (Jan 23, 2007)

kbsparky said:


> Have any of you used something like Kellams grips instead of those cork-type stoppers to support vertical cable runs?


 
I helped a guy do a feeder just like the one you are doing.


Used kellams on the conductors.

500 mcm. 

5 floors.

They are still there, altho, when I go by that building I always think the Kellams are gonna cut thru the insulation one day.

They were installed 25 years ago.


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## Control Freak (Mar 8, 2008)

Always chick from the bottom up. You are dealing with less weight that way


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## 360max (Jun 10, 2011)

We pulled 600's in and discovered no one had ordered the wire supports. We devised a plan in where we cut 3/4" rigid conduit 8" long, laid it across the vertical riser conduit, and used tie raps to temporarily support wire for a week or so. We also used rope and half hitched it in switchgear- worked great if you ever need a quick, temporary, workable solution.


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## noarcflash (Sep 14, 2011)

360max said:


> We pulled 600's in and discovered no one had ordered the wire supports. We devised a plan in where we cut 3/4" rigid conduit 8" long, laid it across the vertical riser conduit, and used tie raps to temporarily support wire for a week or so. We also used rope and half hitched it in switchgear- worked great if you ever need a quick, temporary, workable solution.


Pictures would be nice !


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