Triplex spreader

[rob8210]

Hey fellas, a while back I saw something in a thread but danged if I can find it. I am looking for something to spread triplex especially 266 triplex. I had my hands on one that looked like a spiral cone that twisted into the triplex and would open it up nicely to install a spacer. Does anyone know where I can buy one? Thanks

[Orgnizdlbr]

Heres one type....

http://www.jharlen.com/birtss75g.html

I know the screw type your'e talking about, still looking.......

[Orgnizdlbr]

http://stores.uswindenergysupply.com/-strse-137/triplex-spreader-VP-dsh-1500-dsh-04/Detail.bok?category=Tools%3AHand+Tools%3ACable+Spr eaders+%26+Benders

[loodvig]

The one we used was made by Hendrix. We called it 'the dairy queen' because it looked like their ice cream.

http://www.hendrix-wc.com/hendrix/pdf/A9_1.pdf

After you clik on the link scroll down.

[Orgnizdlbr]

Thats the one Lood, I couldnt find it 4 him......!!!

[topgroove]

The one we used was made by Hendrix. We called it 'the dairy queen' because it looked like their ice cream.

http://www.hendrix-wc.com/hendrix/pdf/A9_1.pdf

After you clik on the link scroll down.Yep, thats the one we use, The ST-2. around here we call it a bull dick. Guess today that term would be considered socialy un-acceptable. Not to mention the publics miss-conception of the phrase "Hey, I need a bull dick".

[Highplains Drifter]

Hey fellas, a while back I saw something in a thread but danged if I can find it. I am looking for something to spread triplex especially 266 triplex. I had my hands on one that looked like a spiral cone that twisted into the triplex and would open it up nicely to install a spacer. Does anyone know where I can buy one? Thanks




Dang, that is some big triplex to be spreading and installing mid spans. You don’t worry about how the heat can dissipate with that size triplex? I think when one needs that size wire you’d want to install open wire. But then at my age I only work with duplex anymore…….:D

[Liledgy]

Never really saw a need for one. We had a couple of homemade ones that never were carried on the truck. Of course, Some company's have the phases ran tight along the neutral. Others kinda have the phases roll back and then over the neutral, when u cut the banding, the phases drop a little more, you have more room to shoot impacts, sec. Boxes, etc., more user friendly.

[lewy]

Dang, that is some big triplex to be spreading and installing mid spans. You don’t worry about how the heat can dissipate with that size triplex? I think when one needs that size wire you’d want to install open wire. But then at my age I only work with duplex anymore…….:D

That is also pretty much all we run as well & we install it (lash it) on a tensioned neutral, either 3/0 AA or 336 acsr.

[PSE Lineman]

Whatever happened to grabbin it and pullin it apart and makin a hole in it? Never heard of a tpx spreader, just an open wire spreader to dead end mid span for a bridal svc. Normally 2/0 neut, a foot below that 2/0 120 leg and another foot below that the other 120 leg pole to pole to pole sometimes banked in, but cutting them open these days and hanging more bugs. During storms it all gets tossed in a heap and they bring out a reel of 1/0 tpx and run that...

[rob8210]

Thanks fellas, just what I am looking for . The Hendrix one I have had a chance to try out in the past, it works very well. The utility I do contract work prefers 266 prespun buss now, and it is wound so dang tight that it is very hard to spread. I would far rather put up lashed in secondary but I have to follow the specs. Not very long ago we had a fella take a flash off prespun, he was working on a pole change out , same hole single phase primary dead end. They had killed the primary, he was installing a conductor grip in the prespun to the right side of the pole to hold the primary temporarily when the prespun faulted to his left. He got a good sun burn on his left side. Near as we can figure the insulated conductors must of been damaged, possibly from the factory, and when he started opening it up to install the grip he disturbed the damage enough to fault. I just plain hate the shit and the finished job doesn't look nearly as neat as spun buss. Thanks again

[lewy]

I hear ya that pre spun stuff does not look anywhere as neat as field spun buss & mid span taps also look a lot better off of field spun.

[hotwiretamer]

Dang, that is some big triplex to be spreading and installing mid spans. You don’t worry about how the heat can dissipate with that size triplex? I think when one needs that size wire you’d want to install open wire. But then at my age I only work with duplex anymore…….:D

I thought 4/0 triplex was a pain. 266 must be a nightmare. I always try to get the "Stars" or midspans installed before coming up to final sag. It's an extra step, but a lot easier to get the conductor spread. I've used both the DQ style and hatchet type spreader, it all depends on what type of midspan star you are using. I prefer the small porcelain ones, but unfortunately the co. buys the new plastic type which are junk. Anytime we are removing the old porcelain type, I put it in my private "stash", using it on my next midspan.

[Highplains Drifter]

I can personally tell you when it is really fun…..when you are on a ladder mid span you have that triplex so tight and then try to spread it with out losing your religion! :D

[Pootnaigle]

Ummmmmm I recon I have a question bout all this spreading stuff. If we had a home that fell out of the boundries where a pole mounted service wouldnt be acceptable we installed an aerial tap. I am assuming thats what all this spreading is about. The way we did it however was totally different. We walked off the distance where we wanted the service to turn, pulled out enough cable to make it all the way to the house and installed a span guy from the point of the turn to the next pole. hang the service wire at the house and sagged the hole shooting match from the point where we wanted to make it hot. If the service was too slack we would then pull the slack out at the weatherhead. In The event of a storm and the wire or poles or whatever came down it was all reusable with no issues. But our services were kept to about a 75 ft max. No need for a ladder in mid span( thats not very safe). It is definately more labor intensive but there were no connections mid span.and no need for spreading secondary triplex.And if a connector went south it was either at the weatherhead or the pole, and could be replaced easily.

[Highplains Drifter]

Ummmmmm I recon I have a question bout all this spreading stuff. If we had a home that fell out of the boundries where a pole mounted service wouldnt be acceptable we installed an aerial tap. I am assuming thats what all this spreading is about. The way we did it however was totally different. We walked off the distance where we wanted the service to turn, pulled out enough cable to make it all the way to the house and installed a span guy from the point of the turn to the next pole. hang the service wire at the house and sagged the hole shooting match from the point where we wanted to make it hot. If the service was too slack we would then pull the slack out at the weatherhead. In The event of a storm and the wire or poles or whatever came down it was all reusable with no issues. But our services were kept to about a 75 ft max. No need for a ladder in mid span( thats not very safe). It is definately more labor intensive but there were no connections mid span.and no need for spreading secondary triplex.And if a connector went south it was either at the weatherhead or the pole, and could be replaced easily.



I have called your mid span a wizard. Now installing new in the back yards we would roll the service tri-plex out in the street and then mark it were every mid span should be. Then we rerolled it and took it to the back yards and hung the three or four spans loosely enough so one could install the spreaders and connect the services from the ground . We then sagged our secondary and then pulled each house service up at the periscope. But yes if one has to install a new mid-span on existing secondary a ladder is used.

[Pootnaigle]

I spoze that is where we differed. If we had to install one where the secondary already existed we would get a second man and do it just the way I described, Insuring that a single troubleshooter could easily get to every connection, and that there would be no issues with a poor tape job in mid span. We simply dropped a few inches under the existing secondary to hang our new stuff.

[lewy]

Ummmmmm I recon I have a question bout all this spreading stuff. If we had a home that fell out of the boundries where a pole mounted service wouldnt be acceptable we installed an aerial tap. I am assuming thats what all this spreading is about. The way we did it however was totally different. We walked off the distance where we wanted the service to turn, pulled out enough cable to make it all the way to the house and installed a span guy from the point of the turn to the next pole. hang the service wire at the house and sagged the hole shooting match from the point where we wanted to make it hot. If the service was too slack we would then pull the slack out at the weatherhead. In The event of a storm and the wire or poles or whatever came down it was all reusable with no issues. But our services were kept to about a 75 ft max. No need for a ladder in mid span( thats not very safe). It is definately more labor intensive but there were no connections mid span.and no need for spreading secondary triplex.And if a connector went south it was either at the weatherhead or the pole, and could be replaced easily.
We will do the same thing on all of our older stuff, but anything new we install spun bus which is zinging tight around 2000lbs on the dyno & then the 266 is lashed to the neutral so we need the spreader for mid span taps. I personally prefer going to the pole, but sometimes we have no choice because we are not allowed to cross property lines to feed a customer.

[hotwiretamer]

We will do the same thing on all of our older stuff, but anything new we install spun bus which is zinging tight around 2000lbs on the dyno & then the 266 is lashed to the neutral so we need the spreader for mid span taps. I personally prefer going to the pole, but sometimes we have no choice because we are not allowed to cross property lines to feed a customer.

We have the same problem with staggered lot lines, having to midspan sometimes ten to twenty feet off an existing pole. We use only triplex, so midspan stars are the only option.

[Trojan]

I spoze that is where we differed. If we had to install one where the secondary already existed we would get a second man and do it just the way I described, Insuring that a single troubleshooter could easily get to every connection, and that there would be no issues with a poor tape job in mid span. We simply dropped a few inches under the existing secondary to hang our new stuff.

That's the way I liked to do it. For the reasons Poot stated. Balancing a ladder midspan is unsafe. No connections swinging around mid span with the wires was more reliable. Easier to check trouble at the pole and house.