Pulling 17 wires through 230ft of conduit?

[timselectric]

Personally I would just dig it up and run two new oversized conduits (one for future).
And chalk it up to a lesson learned.
But I understand why you are trying to save what you have.

 

[Hedges]

Its a 14.4kW array.. need 3 strings

What are inverter/SCC inputs?

I'm aware of inverters that can take 14.4kW as one pair of wires (by paralleling two MPPT inputs.)
Another I already have is 10kW.

 

[rhino]

What are inverter/SCC inputs?

I'm aware of inverters that can take 14.4kW as one pair of wires (by paralleling two MPPT inputs.)
Another I already have is 10kW.

This was going to go on a EG4 18kPV and is 30 Q.PEAK DUO XL-G10 panels. Two 9 panel strings on PV1 input and a 6 panel string on P2 and 6 panel string on PV3.

 

[Hedges]

So 3/5ths can be carried by existing pair of wires.

Can PV1 handle more watts? Volts? Amps?

If you have flexibility in orientation and all had been planned single orientation, two orientations of PV strings paralleled would put more watts of panels in PV1 with a lower peak wattage, more hours. Something like 9s3p would use 90% of your panels.

 

[rhino]

So 3/5ths can be carried by existing pair of wires.

Can PV1 handle more watts? Volts? Amps?

If you have flexibility in orientation and all had been planned single orientation, two orientations of PV strings paralleled would put more watts of panels in PV1 with a lower peak wattage, more hours. Something like 9s3p would use 90% of your panels.

Already maxed out.. I started digging.

 

[Hedges]

"maxed out", but you could boost it about 40% in PV panel wattage without any boost in peak wattage. Assuming two paralleled strings with 90 degree angle between them. For 3 strings, not sure the presented area but something like two with summer morning and afternoon orientation plus one with winter Noon orientation.

Hope your digging can be done without damaging existing run, which could be useful.

 

[rhino]

"maxed out", but you could boost it about 40% in PV panel wattage without any boost in peak wattage. Assuming two paralleled strings with 90 degree angle between them. For 3 strings, not sure the presented area but something like two with summer morning and afternoon orientation plus one with winter Noon orientation.

Hope your digging can be done without damaging existing run, which could be useful.

The array is already in place so can't be changing any arrangement of panels:

 

[Hedges]

OK, maybe use the existing wire run for future expansion. Meanwhile, to feed a subpanel at the array for yard equipment?

 

[glandpuck]

Pulling through existing buried conduit is a challenge.
As a general rule of thumb, conduit runs should be 100 feet, poke out into a grey capped electrical can, spliced and then the next segment. No segment over 100 feet long. This makes maintenance and revision far easier than the challenge facing you. On new burials, cement together 100 foot section of conduit and put the wires through, drop the conduit into the trench and splice together in the grey electric can box. Easy peezy.

 

[Hedges]

Ever do a pull with multiple junction boxes, wrapping wires themselves around cable tugger to pull through enough for the following lengths?
I want to do 200' of 2 awg that way, with 3 junction boxes. Rigid conduit.

 

[timselectric]

I have , but wouldn't wrap up the conductors on the tugger.
200' should only need one pull box in the center.
Pull the conductors in both directions, from the middle.

 

[Hedges]

Good idea on middle, never thought of that.
(trying to pull off reels.)

Conduit already in place, with 6 awg run part of the length. At least number of bends per pull is minimized, within spec limits.
I have two conduit bodies where the run does a 90 degree sharp bend. One of them, the swept bend is a different branch; would have been better I guess if I swapped those. I did it to follow a concrete foundation so it made sense to be surface mounted.

One end, I'm going to try to power through a short overstuffed conduit fill. If not possible either have to run out another direction and back, or put a 2" fitting on the metal lid of a conduit body to make it an "X"

Wrapping and pulling a measured length is the best I've come up with. Lube becomes counterproductive at that point.

 

[timselectric]

If 3 pull locations. Split it into 2 and 1. The longest being the 1.
Keep in mind that conduit bodies have a pulling direction sequence. Long side first, then short side.

 

[Doug864]

Okay.. now tried a come along attached to a T post I drove into ground and started pulling... the T post started coming out ?

Is it possible to try and pull in the opposite direction just to see if they move at all.

 

[Skypower]

Man, this would be great if you don’t have too many rocks in the ground and if the inspector accepts video proof or depth.

 

[timselectric]

My inspectors accept pictures and videos.

 

[EastTexCowboy]

The pull boxes and pulling from the middle works very well. A few years ago I pulled 2 fiber cables and a 25 pair phone cable 800' with only two pull boxes. It wasn't an easy pull but it really wasn't terrible. Another little thing that helps is to keep the conduit as straight as possible in the trench when you have a wide trench. I've seen some where they just throw the conduit in and cover it up, snaking back and forth a little the whole distance. It wouldn't seem like it would matter much but every wiggle is more friction. When you get a couple hundred feet of it that adds up.

 

[rhino]

I'm not sure I'm understanding how to use one like this https://www.platt.com/p/0512934/oldcastle-precast/round-pull-box-9-black/800246027683/old09101017 when it only goes 10" deep?

 

[timselectric]

I'm not sure I'm understanding how to use one like this https://www.platt.com/p/0512934/oldcastle-precast/round-pull-box-9-black/800246027683/old09101017 when it only goes 10" deep?

Turn the conduits up into the box.

 

[rhino]

What do you put on the conduit ends to prevent dirt and water from potentially going back down it? or is there a pic of one of these installed? when searching just keep find heavy duty ones installed.