I’ve run heavy duty 6-3 w G UF electric cable between my main panel and two subs in a detached addition and wonder if there’s an easy way to strip the HEAVY DUTY outer plastic protective (Underground) covering so as to expose and be able to work with the wires in the boxes. Not so easy as 12-2 romex! Any suggestions?
Thanks
aaron
Replies
Utility Knife is all I ever needed.
I use a utility knife to score a slit as far down as I want to strip the sheathing and then use line man's pliers to twist the sheathing off around the circumference of the cable. It basically shears off that way.
Thanks everyone.
I just thought there may be a simple tool or some approach that I hadn't thought of. I'll just play with it more with the utility knife and pliers as noted here.
Mahalo -
1) Dig trench.
2) Insert conduit, PVC preferred. They will go through 1-1/4", but I would use 1-1/2".
3) Pull wires through conduit. Keep in mind that the ground wire needs to be insulated.
4) Strip wires and connect at both ends.
I know that is not what you asked, but it is what I would do.
I haven't got any great ideas or techniques for stripping that stuff. Except to start with a brand new utility knife blade and plenty of time, maintain your cool throughout -- this is no time for being in a hurry.
Good luck,
Jim
There is actually a tool made specifically for stripping the outer sheath off Romex-type house wire, and I've even got one. But it doesn't work worth a teaspoon of piss.
Utility knife and caution. Cut that longitudinal slit, then circumcise the thing and yank off the sheath with a pair of linesman's pliers. Keep yer fingers upstream of the blade; blades tend to stick then slip in that plastic. Don't ask me how I know this....
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not brought
low by this? For thine evil pales before that which
foolish men call Justice....
He is talking about UF, underground feeder.I believe that the Canadian listing it might be called NM-U or something like that implying that it is similar to Romex.But this stuff does not have the paper wrapped around the wires and they a thin plastic coating.It is essential on solid piece of plastic formed around.I have not done any larger than 12-2 and that was a royal PITA..
William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe
That's right. This isn't the round romex that is so easily stripped with four neat plastic-coated wires in it that separate once they're freed from their sheath . . . it is the FLAT romex for underground use .. like an inch and an eighth wide, flat STRAP full of four woven wires that are totally embedded in the same uniform plastic. It is going to be a weird challenge, but I'll play with it and figure something out. Thought someone here mighta figured something out on it already.
:]
Bill, you're right. I hadn't read his OP carefully enough.
We label it NMU ('non-metallic underground') and it is a major bear to strip. I've never had to deal with anything heavier than 12-2 (mostly installing pumps in septic pumping stations); I imagine that 6-3 would be a PITA-squared.
Whittling the plastic off the copper sort of like a bored kid whittling a stick down to nothing with his jacknife....
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....
As it turns out it's not that difficult.
Cutting down the length between the four embedded lines and then peeling the plactic back aint that big a deal. If you can cut all around at the point that you want them to emerge from the solid covering you can pull HARD and the plastic will slide off leaving three nicely covered wires and a bare ground. So .. all in all not that difficult after all! Turned out very nice and I've got my electrical inspection today. For the first time in my building history my inspector's name is . . . . . . "Mary".
:)
1. Glad to hear it worked out.
2. Was she 'electrifying' or just 'well framed'?
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....
2. Was she 'electrifying' or just 'well framed'?
For the first half of her onsite visit I actually did find her pretty electrifying. But then, as it turned out, she had given me some completely incorrect information over the phone last week which ended up directly costing me a weeks worth of careful work and a few hundred dollars in materials (wire at 3.76 a ft.). So ... that pretty quickly neutralized her for me . . . totally grounded my excitement, actually.
Usually what works best is to slit over the bare grounding wire with a razor knife ( only a few inches at most ) and then grab the end of the wire with lineman pliers and pull it down the cable as far as you want. This slits the cable.
Do the same thing with the other wires. It's not easy, but that's the fastest way to do it. The outer coating doesn't actually stick to the inner wires. With wire that size, you may have to stand on the end of the sheathing to hold it down while you are pulling on the individual wires.
thanks!
I got it done!
aaron
"Any suggestions?"
Make sure the power is turned off. :)
"Preach the Gospel at all times; if necessary, use words." - St. Francis of Assisi
No, I didn't vote for him; but he IS my president. I pray for the his safety, and the safety of his family every day. And I pray that he makes wise decisions.