With today's wire prices, my brother was asking me if I have ever seen a portable wire meter (like the ones the supply house uses for precut orders) used to measure length. He wants something he can measure #12 or #14 THHN off the spool as he pulls it off the wire caddy. Has anyone seen such a thing?

http://www.globalindustrial.com/gcs/product/productInfo.web?infoParam.itemKey=30013872

Something like this?
Joe

Ask the supplier where he got his. If I get up to the Home Depot or Ace Hardware I will get the name and model off theirs

Joe,

Yes, something like that except small, and would work off a portable caddy with a spool of wire.

gfretwell (greg is it?),
good place to start. Who knows, maybe the full blown version would work too.

I priced out a wire meter at my supplier and it was $500. Instead, my apprentice suggested weighing the wire. I bought a $35 digital bathroom scale, and set up a spreadsheet with conversion factors to meters for each wire size and length of spool. Full spools (or boxes of RG6, Cat 5, & speaker wire) are a pre-determined weight, and then we write on the side of the spool the weight that's left. The difference is converted and then charged to the customer. The weight that's left will also give us a length so we can be sure there's enough left on the spool for a particular run.

Once we got the system set up and got used to working with it, we found it saved us lots of time and is very accurate...way more accurate than pacing the runs off. The best part is it's CHEAP (like me )! If you're interested in this send me an email and I'll forward the conversion factors I've worked out for the common spools we use.

I can't imagine why these are so expensive. It is just a reel counter with a wheel, pinch roller and a gear train that gets you to feet. Maybe you are paying for "legal for trade" accuracy/insurance.
You could probably cobble something up electronically cheaper than the mechanical deal. You just need a slotted disk with an opto detector and the pinch rollers. Getting that down to "feet" is just a choice of "divide by" counters. It could run on AA cells or a 9v.
I can't imagine someone doesn't sell that.
Call Greenlee, We could get rich.

Why not count your sticks of pipe X 10', deduct scrap and multiply times the conductors = pretty accurate. Add some for in the box, or just for fun factor.

The model shown on that link is also for conductors 1"-2" diameter.

They have other smaller versions, may be cheaper. http://www.wemco-usa.com/45.html

I've seen a meter where you look it up to both ends on the reel and it will tell how much is left?? not sure how accurate. You were supposed to be able to use it find a break in a wire also. not sure who made it, a ggogle search might find though

Greenlee sells one it works with 16 AWG to 1000 kcmil.

It's only about $2000.00

I found another one by UEi for about $500.00

I like the $35 scale idea.


[This message has been edited by iwire (edited 07-06-2006).]

I'd be happy, if only the fish tape had foot markings on it!

If you take the readings and then charge the customer per foot for the wire used, wouldn't the device HAVE TO be certified as "legal for trade"? And then inspected by weights/measures people, etc....

reno,
Ideal sells a fishtape with a counter
http://www.idealindustries.com/IDEAL-EZ/products.nsf/ItemMasterLookup/p31-126?OpenDocument

A hint, the reel counters like they use on the wire cutting machines at HD and the wholesalers are not good for measuring while pulling runs.

The pincher system bounces too easily and therefore, begins to skip in the measuring process, if you pull the wire too quickly. Worst part is that it does it more with the larger guages of wire. Which is when you need the accuracy.

The most econimcal system that I have heard of is Sixer's system. Weight before you start, and weight again when you're done and you will know the difference, multi-ply by the factor for that size of wire and you know your length. Its an inexpensive solution.

One question for Sixer. Why would you do this for CAT 5 or any telecomm wire and RG6 when the length is marked on the cable? Otherwise, weighing sounds good, but counting conduit lengths is so nicely low tech I think I'll stick with that.

http://www.nextag.com/fish-scale/search-html

Take your choice. A lot more compact than a bath scale, & will weigh to the ounce.

"I've seen a meter where you look it up to both ends on the reel and it will tell how much is left?? not sure how accurate. You were supposed to be able to use it find a break in a wire also."

That would be a Time Domain Reflectometer . The very cheapest numerical model will also run you $500... However it requires at least 2 conductors in paralel for their length. Not totally acurrate, but serves its purpose in troubleshooting. I have this one, http://www.psiber.com/cabletool.html

I love it, use it too often. (Not much, but any is too often.) Recently found a screw in a cable. I usually get within 3'.... That one I got at 6"! The key is finding the right NVP for the cable.

Graphic models can show you every splice and connection or anolomoly in a run, but warning they are interpetive tools. Some can get even more pricey, like $10K.... Megger makes the Cadilac of these type item IMO. My old shop had one ('bout $2K) that I put to good use several times to justify its cost.... Boss got happier about that purchase over time...

There are also some that soley use resitance measurements to judge distance, but if using on a short you are dependant on the risistance of the short, and not very accurate. But will still run over $500...

"One question for Sixer. Why would you do this for CAT 5 or any telecomm wire and RG6 when the length is marked on the cable?"

I'm trying to keep it simple by using one system of measuring.

I discussed it with my employees and considered a fish scale, but we decided that the bath scale would work better for us. I built a small plywood platform on the floor of the van which is 3" high - the scale slides under it....and the generator sits on top.
"Legal for trade" shouldn't be an issue as it's more accurate than guessing or pacing the runs off. I just set up this system a couple of weeks ago and so far it seems to be working good. I guess time will tell.

When I was working at the crummy little hardware store in the next town, we didn't have a wire counter. We had markings on the floor every ten feet, and someone would stand on an end. They re-did the floors, and I ended up making one using the wheel and counter from one of those rolling measuring things (I forget what it's technically called, but it's a wheel on a stick, about 1' in diameter, you walk with it and it will measure the distance). I used another rubber wheel as a pinch roller, and some sheet metal on the sides where the wire went in. It was cheap, effective, and made mty life easier.

I bought a $35 digital bathroom scale...

Those scales are SO innacurate! They are for fat women who want to think they lost weight.

I also don't think this is a very accurate way to determine length used. Each time you start a new spool you need to weigh it and subtract the weight of the spool, especialy if you have multiple manufacturers. If you think they all weigh the same it's because your scale is crap. A decent (and accurate)digital shipping scale will run you about $200.

-Hal

I was thinking the same thing Hal. The digital scales I have seen are nothing but a regular spring scale with a slotted disk and a counter to make it "digital". For some reason people assume digital means accurate.

How about using the Harris TS-90 or the TS-100. Read how much cable is on the spool at the beginning of the job and read the amount left at the end of the job. Then a simple subtraction tells you how much you used. And...you can use the meters for other things like finding faults!

The wire mills use scales, they are the manufactures, think they know something?

If you are concerned about, legal trade, your weights, and measure department, can certify the scale for a small fee.

[This message has been edited by LK (edited 07-08-2006).]

I don't doubt that they do but a scale accurate enough to get down to a foot of wire is going to cost you.

As for weights and measures certifying a scale they are just going to laugh at you if you bring them a bathroom scale. Even if you are able to adjust it to display the correct weight it will never be repeatable and will change all over the place with temperature and movement.

-Hal

I've checked the weights of the spools at my distributor, and yes their scale is legal for trade. I've done this many times with different sized spools and compared it to the weight on the bathroom scale I bought, and they're exactly the same. That to me is quite accurate.

"As for weights and measures certifying a scale they are just going to laugh at you if you bring them a bathroom scale. Even if you are able to adjust it to display the correct weight it will never be repeatable and will change all over the place with temperature and movement."

Who says I'm planning to take this to weights and measures? Are you saying movement won't affect the more expensive scales? How about temperature or how level it is? Even if I bought an expensive legal for trade scale it would mean calibrating and leveling at each jobsite, otherwise the readings would be inaccurate.

My point is it's accurate enough for my purposes, and I don't think that one would benefit by purchasing a more expensive scale when you take into account movement, temperature, elevation and levelling.

One more note, the $500 wire meter that I chose not to purchase was also not legal for trade, probably because it's not 100% accurate.

Interesting,

In New zealand all TPS wire has meterage stamped on the outside sheeth every meter as well as the max voltage rating.

It might be a case to put forward to the manufacturers in the USA to follow a similar practise of marking cable.

Hal,

What would you suggest as a good way to do this, then?