Contractors from Coast-to-Coast Share 10 Best Wire-Pulling Practices

As electrical contractors face increasing pressure to elevate both productivity and profitability on construction projects, field-tested cable pulling techniques are taking center stage nationwide. For example, crews are discovering new ways to optimize cable installation, minimize splices, and avoid surprises in the field.

Plan Ahead to Prevent Costly Cable Pulling Mistakes  

Case in point: if a crew does not have enough pull points on a cable pull, they may have to cut-in additional boxes after pulling has commenced, said Patricia Mohiuddin, Vice President and Division Manager for E-J Electric Installation Co. in Long Island City, New York. By focusing on proper planning during the cable pulling process, however, crews can expedite the pulls and minimize change-orders and project delays.

“The more we plan and the more planning tools we use, the better success we have,” said Mohiuddin, whose company has completed cable pulls for projects such as Amtrak East River Tunnels, JFK airport, and a New York Transit Authority signal project.

On the West Coast, Redtop Electric in Livermore, Calif., is employing best practices to ensure more predicable underground cable pulls and avoid unexpected challenges during excavation. For example, even with surveys and USA (Underground Service Alert) markings, unplanned utilities can surface, potentially forcing changes to conduit routes, increasing bends, which causes more tension.

“To mitigate this, we conduct our own detailed surveys or potholing before work begins, because the less surprise in your day, the better,” General Foreman Owen Young said.

He said not planning for a cable pull is like showing up to a job site without your tools — you may get somewhere, but you will not get far.

“Copper isn’t cheap, and for us construction people, not planning a wire pull could be likened to loading a truck without knowing if the load will fit,” he said. “But with proper planning, there’s no holding your breath. We know it will work, so the crew can focus on speed and precision instead of crossing their fingers.”

This is especially important when working on projects in the healthcare industry. For example, Redtop Electric recently completed a successful wire pull on a new John Muir cancer wing in Walnut Creek, California, which houses two MRIs, three CT scanners, and three Varian linear accelerators for radiation oncology along with 58 infusion bays for chemotherapy. Young has noticed that more projects — especially hospitals — are requiring no splices.

“While some electricians think it’s overkill, I’m all for it,” he said. “A one-piece pull is like a VIP cable — it gets installed once and stays put for decades. Planning ahead is the only way to make that possible, and it’s how we keep our standards higher than the spec. Nothing beats the feeling of getting it right the first time and walking away knowing it’s built to last.”

As other electrical contractors search for ways to elevate the efficiency of their crews in the field and their engineering teams in the office, here are a few best practices for cable pulling.

1. Plan ahead. When Young first started almost 30 years ago, the golden rule was simple: keep conduit bends under 360 degrees, and you were “good to go.” “It took 15 years to learn that ‘good to go’ doesn’t always mean “guaranteed to work,” he said. “Now, we map every run in detail, mark pull point locations and calculate tensions before we even roll the reel into place.”

Mapping the Project: Winning the Wire Pull Before It Starts 

2. Map-out the project from start to finish. The success of a wire pull is won before the first inch of cable leaves the reel, Young said. “It starts with the design of the raceway, the placement of pull points, and calculating pull tension,” he said. “After that, it’s about eliminating surprises and confirming bends along with the radius.”

Perform Quality Control Checks Before Every Cable Pull 

Next, a contractor must perform quality control. For example, the team often experiences a time gap between the design, conduit install, and wire pulls. When the crew finally is ready to pull the wire, they will walk the conduit run to ensure it was installed and designed as expected. They then ask themselves the following questions: “Does the number of bends exceed what was planned?” and “Do we have junction boxes placed as designed and will they work for the wire pull team?”

“It’s not always the same crew who installs the conduit and installs the wire,” Young said. “Quality control bridges the gap to make sure everyone is on the same page.”

The crew also checks the run if it is above ground for loose supports or anything else looks unfinished. That way, the issue can be addressed before the crew sets up the wire and the wire pull team.

“If the conduit run is underground, it gets a mandrel ran through it to ensure there are no blockages, and many times, we pre-lubricate the run with Polywater® and a swab or Polywater front-end packs, which are made specifically for the pre-lubrication of the conduit,” Young said.

Engage Engineering and Field Teams Early for Better Results 

3. Engage the field workforce and engineering team early in the cable pulling process. By establishing a thorough cable pulling program, workers can be more efficient with less mistakes. On the engineering side, it minimizes splices and ensures the cable gets installed correctly and maintains its integrity. These best practices lead to better performance and cable test results, Mohiuddin said.

Owen added that when the field crew and engineering team start working together early, everyone gets on the same page about the plan.

“That means fewer surprises, the right material and tools on site, and less time fixing mistakes,” he said. “It also helps with accurate cable lengths, which can be used for ordering material ahead of time for cost savings, along with necessary arc flash calculations.”

For example, many of Redtop’s clients in the Bay Area, such as the University of Berkeley-California, are requiring arc-flash equipment/coordination studies to be completed before releasing any switchgear and panel equipment to be made.

“This makes planning, along with wire lengths, extremely necessary,” Young said. “Through planning and early collaboration, unnecessary splices are avoided, preserving the integrity of the cable. This results in a high-performing cable and ultimately leads to better test results, ensuring the installation meets the highest standards.”

Incorporate Cable Pulling Strategy into Shop Drawings 

4. Focus on cable pulling processes during the production of the shop drawings. At E-J Electric, the engineers design conduit and raceway runs to minimize pull tensions and indicate bend radius. They also perform pull calculations to determine necessary pull and splice points.

Calculate Pull Tension to Prevent Cable Damage 

5. Calculate pull tension on all major pulls. Redtop Electric calculates tension so that it is within the cable’s limits. On critical pulls, Young also performs hand calculations just to verify. “It’s not about second guessing — it’s about making sure everything goes exactly as planned,” he said.

Sheri Dahlke, vice president of research and development for American Polywater Corporation, said the company urges its customers to do back calculations, especially as they are tasked with pulling bigger cable longer distances (see  Planning Underground Cable-in-Conduit Pulls).

“We have done a ton of friction measurement and used the physics of the raceway or the cabling design to better predict the expected tension,” she said. “And as part of this is, we are looking at whether you can you pull longer distances or eliminate some splices.”

Use Polywater Pull-Planner for Accurate Pulling Calculations 

6. Use the Polywater® Pull-Planner® cable planning software to perform tension, sidewall, and pulling calculations. The team at E-J Electric uses the software to generate pull calculations once drawings are produced.

“The Pull-Planner program is easy to use and will guide the engineer to plan for the proper splice locations,” she said. “It also helps to assist the decision on which direction to pull,” said Dahlke.

Young agreed, mentioning that he had a crash course on the cable pull tension software a few years ago, and it has saved him more than a few headaches. “Pull-Planner keeps projects moving at full speed,” he said.

Inspect and Protect Cable and Ductwork Before Pulling

7. Inspect the cable and duct for signs of damage prior to pulling. When E-J’s electricians install underground cable pulls, they sometimes encounter a damaged duct. For that reason, it’s important to camera scope, ball, brush, mandrel, and pull rags through ducts prior to pulling, Mohiuddin said.

Owen said it’s critical to make sure the wire is always protected. “If it looks wrong, we stop and inspect it,” he said. To keep the wire pristine, the crews avoid dragging it across gravel or asphalt like with a garden hose. They should use tarps and plenty of Polywater lubricant like Front End Packs.

“Our philosophy is the cable should go into the conduit looking as good as it did in the factory — maybe better,” he said.

Ensure Clear Communication and Organized Cable Pulling Processes 

8. Focus on communication. Organize pre-pull safety meetings so everyone knows their role, Owen advised. Also, workers should use radios for crystal-clear communication.

“Yelling across a job site isn’t best practice,” Owen said.

9. Distribute pull cards to the crews with the necessary ID tags. E-J Electric implements a pull program by giving out pull cards to each of the crew members so they have all the information they need to perform the pull(s) on the shift. For example, at a glance, the workers can review the source, designation, length, wire type/size, and calculated pull tension. Following the pull, they fill out the form with additional information like the date the cable was pulled, by which crew, and the actual pull tension.

“This planning process ensures that each pull goes smoothly, that the proper cable is installed in the right raceway and did not exceed the max pull tension, and also helps with production,” Mohiuddin said.

Set Up the Crew for Success: Planning, Reels, and Pull Cards 

10. Set up the crew for a successful shift. Know when each pull will take place and have everything together to supply the site, including the right cable reels, pull cards, and tags, she added. Also, it’s important to focus on cable reel management. For example, E-J Electric strives to maximize the use of master reels and has cable paralleled to make cable pulling more efficient.

Conclusion: How Proper Planning Improves Performance and Profitability  

By employing these best practices, electrical contractors can maximize cable pulling distances, streamline installations, and protect cable during installation. If a contractor doesn’t plan for cable pulls, it can face longer installs, failed pulls, wasted labor and material, and a cranky crew.

“Planning can save money and stress and keep clients happy,” Young said.

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