ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Pulling out old feeder wires underground

The school was built in 1963, part the conduit run goes under the building, and all of it goes under concrete foundation. Being a California K12 school they are trying to go cheap. I am not the contractor doing the new modernization. I'm the one who has to go from school to school and fix what the contractors have screwed up. I have tried the 2 ton chain pull come-a-long, I have forced water and soap mixture down the condiut. All the (six) other conduits cleared easy.Looks like im going to tell them to go overhead.

How bout a Jeep?

Been a few liquifaction quakes the 60's - maybe the building settled on it?

Give a tugger a shot one conductor at a time yet? Sometimes it works if you can get one to go, you can get the rest out.

I once had to remove 4-750MCM Al that had burned a termination and welded themselves to the inside of a PVC oonduit. The run was about 375', and 20'or so was welded.
We had 2 service trucks and a Ford tractor hooked up, and couldn't break it loose.

A young guy came by leading an elephant. He saw our dilemna and offered to help. "She loves to pull, and will work for peanuts".
She showed almost no strain whatsoever as she just walked away with the feeder in tow.

In the absence of an elephant, you might try the truck and a chain.

Use a good sized digger on heavy tracks.

If no luck you may have to dig the trench out.
It is very likely that the conduit is broken somewhere and filled up with debris hence the cables are stuck.

or ?

a hidden junction or repair was done in the past in open soil and backfilled which makes it almost impossible to get the cable out.

Please let us know what the outcome is.

Thanks

I've used Line Trucks, Trac Hoes, Wreckers, and Cranes in pulling out old feeders.

Roger

I am with Roger and RODALCO I would not give up until I actually broke the conductors.

I would cut each end of the raceway back as close to where it goes underground (without cutting the conductors) than I would prefer a large (5 ton) at least chain fall to start the pulling.

But heavy equipment if available is always helpful.

The last all terrain folk lift I rented had a draw bar rating of just under 20,000 Lbs.

If you want to know if this has happened, do what Don said, and go grab a firehose. If the conduit's broken, you'll see a geyser. If there's a box underground, you'll probably see water bubbling up as it exits the box and creeps up.

Ian A.

[This message has been edited by Theelectrikid (edited 09-03-2006).]

put a sign out front, the copper thieves will have it out before sunrise!!!

LOL