Use of Calculated Pulling Tensions

Calculations should be made to indicate whether the pull looks easy or impossible,
making the decision to pull an obvious choice. When a marginal situation is
encountered, the entire pull should be reviewed. This review may include more rigorous
calculations or trial pulls. A final decision should be made based on installation factors
known to the end user and installer.

The sizes of the conduit are determined based on the calculations of the clearances,
jamming, and fill. Pulling tensions may then be evaluated by determining the maximum
tension based on the pulling device used and the maximum tension that can be applied
to the conductors. The lesser of these two values is the maximum allowable tension (Tm).
The pulling tension (T) required to pull the cable through the conduit is then calculated
and compared to the maximum allowable tension. If the pulling tension exceeds the
allowable tension or sidewall pressure, then conditions should be changed to ensure a successful pull.
 How to enter a cable pull into the calculator.

First, enter the wires going in the conduit. Next, enter the conduit type and size.

Example: 3/C SIMpull CU THHN Size 350, with a 4/0 SIMpull THHN ground wire: in GRC (Galv Rigid Conduit) size 3''.
It is assumed that it takes approx. 25 lbs of force to pull the wire off the reel. Thus, incoming tension is set at 25 lb and can
be changed if needed.

A cable pull is divided into segments.

A segment is the length of straight section of the pipe and the details of the bend or elbow.

IE. Segment 1 beginning of conduit to the end of the first bend.

Segment 2 start of second straight section to the end of the second bend.
Last segment will always be the straight section info and no bend section info.

A segment has two parts that needs to be captured. The straight section and the bend section.

The straight section consists of three elements:

1. The Angle (Slope) in degrees. Zero degrees is N/A (horizontal).
90 degrees could be straight up or straight down, N/A is horizontal.
2. Wire is being pulled; Up, Down or N/A (horizontal).
3. The segment length; is from the beginning of straight section to the end of bend.

Example of the straight section: 90 degrees up for 14'.

Enter as; Angle (Slope) = 90; Wire is being pulled = UP: Length ft. = 14.

Note A horizontally straight section for 30' would be .

Entered as; Angle (Slope) = N/A; Wire is being pulled = N/A; Length ft. = 30.

The bend section consists of four elements:

1. The bend type; the direction of the bend / elbow is turning?
VCDN = Vertical concave turning down
VCUP = Vertical concave turning up
HZTL = Horizontal

2. Up, Down or N/A : how the wire enters the vertical part of the bend?
Wire is going UP through the bend, Down through the bend, or N/A (horizontally).

3. The angle of the bend or elbow.

90 = 90 degree elbow

4. The radius of the elbow.

STD = standard radius
18 = 18'' sweep radius,

Example of the bend section:

Bend is going down, the wire is going up to the bend, in a 90 degree elbow, with a standard radius.
Enter as: bend type = VCDN; Up, Down, N/A =, UP; Angle = 90, Radius = std.

This first segment will show Tension of 115 lb. and Sidewall Pressure of 74 lb.
Product sheets for:

SIMpull CU THHN THWN-2

CU XHHW-2
CU USE RHH RHW-2

SIMpull Aluminun THHN THWN-2

AL XHHW-2
AL USE RHH RHW-2

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 Wire pull with 6 90's, 2 60's and elevation changes

513' of 3/C 350 and 1/C 4/0 SIMpull CU THHN

In 3" Galvanized Rigid Conduit

Cable Pull Comparison using different Conductors

Total wt./ ft 4.233

Configuration Complex COF 0.14 COF 0.35 COF 0.14 COF 0.35
Wt.correction factor 1.40 Recommended Not Recommended Recommended Not Recommended

COF 0.14 SIMpull CU THHN Regular CU THHN SIMpull AL THHN AL XHHW

Incoming tension 25 No Lube Required Lube Required No Lube Lube Required
Required Colored Black with phase
Colored wires Black with phase tape wires tape
Bend
Bend Section
Straight Section Up, Bend Bend
Wire pull / Section Wire is being Segment Bend Down, Section Section tension sidewall pres. tension sidewall pres. sidewall pres. sidewall pres.
Segment Angle (slope) pulled .. Length Ft. Type NA Angle Radius (in.) (lbs.) (lbs.) (lbs.) (lbs.) (lbs.) (lbs.)
1 90 UP 6 VCDN UP 90 STD 69 44 109 71 33 52

2 N/A N/A 10 HZTL N/A 60 STD 105 68 280 181 49 127

3 N/A N/A 1 HZTL N/A 60 STD 143 93 608 394 67 276
4 N/A N/A 250 HZTL N/A 90 STD 477 309 2,433 1,577 184 951
5 N/A N/A 90 VCUP UP 90 STD 751 487 5,657 3,666 284 2,181
6 90 UP 15 VCDN UP 90 STD 1,039 673 12,280 7,960 391 4,730
7 N/A N/A 106 HZTL N/A 90 18 1,533 783 26,989 13,790 451 8,169
8 N/A N/A 35 VCDN Down 90 24 2,125 795 58,429 21,872 457 12,950
9 90 Down 20 None N/A N/A N/A 2,040 795 58,345 21,872 457 12,950
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
Total Feet 513' Comparison1 Comparison 2 Comparison 3
Desired Ampacity: 1200 amps 1200 amps 1200 amps 1200 amps
Configuration: 4 sets of 3/C 350 & 4/0 GW 4 sets of 3/C 350 & 4/0 GW 4 sets of 500 & 350 GW 4 sets of 500 & 350 GW
Conduit: 3" Galv Rigid (23% fill) 3" Galv Rigid (23% fill) 3" Galv Rigid (30% fill) 3" Galv Rigid (30% fill)
Maximum pulling force: 8074 lb. 8074 lb. 8880 8880
Maximum sidewall pressure: 1000 lb. 500 lb. 1000 lb. 500 lb.
Short Circuit Current @ 8 cycles: 50,712 amps 50,712 amps 47, 384 amps 64,365 amps

Conduit system is assumed to be clean and free of debris.

Southwire Engineering conservative Coefficient Of Friction (COF)

.35 for regular THHN THWN, XHHW and USE that requires lube
.16 for SIMpull XHHW that requires no lube
.14 for SIMpull THHN THWN that requires no lube
 Disclaimer

This spreadsheet enables the user to perform basic calculation for cable tensions when pulled in conduit.
Conduit system should be clean and free of debris. It uses formulas and methods found in the public domain. It
is not intended to be nor should it be used as authority for design, construction, use or installation of cable into
conduit systems. The design, construction, use and installation cable into conduit systems should only be
undertaken by competent professionals in light of currently accepted design and engineering practices.

While great care has been employed to ensure that the applications, tables, standards and references and other
information contained herein are free of errors, absolutely no warranties, either expressed or implied, are made
as to the accuracy or completeness of any such tables and formulas contained herein.

THOSE PREPARING AND/OR CONTRIBUTING TO THE PUBLICATION SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ANY

WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY
AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE HEREBY SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMED BY
SOUTHWIRE AND ALL OTHER PARTIES INVOLVED IN THE CREATION, PRODUCTION, OR DELIVERY OF
THIS PUBLICATION.

Neither Southwire nor anyone else who has been involved in the creation, production or delivery of this
publication shall be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental damages arising out of the use, the
results of the use, or inability to use such publication, even if Southwire has been advised of the possibility of
such damages or claim. Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation for consequential incidental
damages, so the above limitation may not apply to you.
 1 Copyright Southwire Company 2009. Enter Voltage Drop Info SIMpull CU THHN Phase Wire Attributes
1 All rights reserved.
in purple areas Single Phase Three Phase Attributes can change based on wire type, size and Mfg
Amperage @ load 0 0 Acceptable Megger Readings 0
System Voltage 120 480 Dielectric Constant (SIC) 0
Enter wire info in purple areas that will go into the conduit Circuit Length 0 0 Max Oper Temp for Dry Use 0
# of wires Wire Type Wire Size Wire OD Wire Wt/ ft. Voltage Drop % 0.0% 0.0% Max Oper Temp for Wet Use 0
Phase Wires SIMpull CU1 THHN
N/A 1 0.000 0.00 Volts at Load 120.00 480.00 Min Bend Radius (in.) 0
Neutral Wire SIMpull CU1 THHN
N/A 1 0.000 0.00 Voltage Drop Calculator Min Installation Temp 0
Ground Wire N/A
SIMpull CU1 THHN 1 0.000 0.00 http://www.southwire.com/productcatalog/voltdrop.jsp Vertically Support every 0

Total Cables 0 Cable Pull Calculated Values Riser MC Requires No Vertical Supports
Maximum Pulling Force (lb.) 0 Sunlight Resistant 0
Max Sidewall Pres. (lb.) 0 CT Rated 0
CU 3/0 CU Jam Probability 0.00 Very Small UL 0
GW sizing (NEC 250.122) w/o VD 1200 amps
considerations AL 250 AL Phase Wire Ampacity Considerations NEMA 0
Short Circuit Current (amps) 8 cycles
4 0 sec.
/ .1333 RoHS Compliant 0
Enter conduit info in purple areas Adjust for Ambient Temp 26-30C (78-86F)
2 0 75 C Ampacity (310.16) 0
Conduit Type 1 #DIV/0! Adjust for # of Current 1 90 C ampacity (310.16) 0
Conduit Size 1 Min Conduit #N/A Carrying Conductors
1-3 0
Coefficient Of Friction 0
Max Allowable Ampacity for this Scenario
Conduit ID 0.000 (310.16) 0 0
Stranding

% Conduit Fill #DIV/0!

8/30/2009

Cable Pull Calculator

0' of
In N/A" EMT Conduit
Total wt./ ft 0.000
Configuration Complex4 Maximum Pulling Force (lb.) 0
Wt.correction factor 1.40 Max Sidewall Pres. (lb.) 0 COF 0
COF 0.00 Jam Probability Very Small Recommended
Incoming tension 25 SIMpull CU THHN
No Lube Required
Straight Section Bend Section Colored wires
Angle Wire is being Segment Bend Up, Down, tension sidewall presssure
Wire pull / Segment (Slope) pulled Length ft. Type NA Angle Radius (in.) (lbs.) (lbs.)
1 N/A 1 N/A 1 None
1 N/A1 N/A1 N/A 1 0 0
2 N/A 1 N/A 1 None
1 N/A1 N/A1 N/A 1 0 0
3 N/A 1 N/A 1 None
1 N/A1 N/A1 N/A 1 0 0
4 N/A 1 N/A 1 None
1 N/A1 N/A1 N/A 1 0 0
5 N/A 1 N/A 1 None
1 N/A1 N/A1 N/A 1 0 0
6 N/A 1 N/A 1 None
1 N/A1 N/A1 N/A 1 0 0
7 N/A 1 N/A 1 None
1 N/A1 N/A1 N/A 1 0 0
8 N/A 1 N/A 1 None
1 N/A1 N/A1 N/A 1 0 0
9 N/A 1 N/A 1 None
1 N/A1 N/A1 N/A 1 0 0
10 N/A 1 N/A 1 None
1 N/A1 N/A1 N/A 1 0 0
11 N/A 1 N/A 1 None
1 N/A1 N/A1 N/A 1 0 0
12 N/A 1 N/A 1 None
1 N/A1 N/A1 N/A 1 0 0
13 N/A 1 N/A 1 None
1 N/A1 N/A1 N/A 1 0 0
14 N/A 1 N/A 1 None
1 N/A1 N/A1 N/A 1 0 0
15 N/A 1 N/A 1 None
1 N/A1 N/A1 N/A 1 0 0
16 N/A 1 N/A 1 None
1 N/A1 N/A1 N/A 1 0 0
17 N/A 1 N/A 1 None
1 N/A1 N/A1 N/A 1 0 0
18 N/A 1 N/A 1 None
1 N/A1 N/A1 N/A 1 0 0
Total Length 0

Conduit system is assumed to be clean and free of debris.

Southwire Engineering conservative Coefficient Of Friction (COF)
.35 for regular THHN THWN, XHHW and USE that requires lube
.16 for SIMpull XHHW that requires no lube
.14 for SIMpull THHN THWN that requiress no lube

Bend Section Notation: HZTL = Horizontal Bend; VCUP = Verticle Concave Up Bend; VCDN = Verticle Concave Down Bend