Amount of Cable needed?

[mark1346]

I am fairly new to bidding on "big" projects. I am looking for some insight on some area's to help improve my bidding. I can't seem to find an accurate way of totaling the amount of boxes of cable that I need. For example:

If I figure I need 22,000 feet of cable ( the average pull is 150ft.), what kind of method would you use to figure out how many boxes of cable you would use?

 

[ignatkarobkin2]

If you figure you need 22000 feet of cable, purchase 22000 feet of cable. You can always purchase another box or two or three when you run out.

http://www.aaa-avad.com

http://www.ivdsonline.com

 

[wires]

I would get 24 1000' boxes. Unless there was a discount at 25 boxes.

If you need 22k installed you will ALWAYS need to buy more than 22k. Save a time wasting trip!

 

[oldtimerbob]

It looks like you have around 147 drops to pull in.
You should have more than enough cable if you pull the longest runs first,since you say 150 feet is the average.

Good Luck,

Has been in the cabling business for about twenty years and is now the Sr PM for a cabling company located in the Los Angeles area.

http://www.globusinc.net

Also a General Class Amatuer Radio Operator.

 

[skip555]

check into 3000' spools , less waste that way

 

[buitenhek]

- 22,000' total/150' average=146.67 or 147 drops
- 1000'box/150'per drop=6.67 or 6 drops per box
(fractional pulls don't count)
- 147 drops/6drops per box = 25 boxes of 1,000' cable

Regards
Peter Buitenhek
ProfitDeveloper.com

"Never settle for a job well done...always look for cost cutting measures

 

[LkEErie]

Spools? When it takes a man and a boy to handle it, I wouldn't be concerned about waste, plus it's hard to work from 7 spools when i can open up 12 1000' boxes and work from that.

Needless to say, you start from the farthest point first, then if a box runs out, you have a home for the short.

LkEErie

 

[wires]

work from 7 spools when i can open up 12 1000' boxes and work from that."

What kind of math is that?

7 x 3,000' = 21,000'
12 x 1,000' = 12,000'

I thought the job was 22,000'!

 

[LkEErie]

It wasn't about the math, it was about the number of runs.
If I'm working a 3 story motel, I'll put 4 boxes on each floor and work 2 rooms per floor. When those 12 boxes run out, I can grab another 10 or 12 boxes and finish up.
Surely ordering an extra 2K feet of cable would be easy, since the surplus won't go to waste, unless you ordered pink cable It's also a good chance that your first floor will have fewer rooms, just in case somebody wants a pool, excercise room, lobby and conference room. Although, the desk usually requires more short runs than any 3 rooms.

Using the simple math above, your 147 cables would take 21 runs on 7 spools, and mine would take 13. Which would be more economical?


LkEErie

 

[mark1346]

I appreciate everybody's insight. Any and all information is useful.

Thanks again.

 

[AWGoodson]

I would buy only 22 if that is what you are bidding! Make sure that you tech's pull in the longest runs first working to the shortest runs and you will be fine!

Allan Goodson
Estimator
3D Datacom, Inc.

http://www.3ddatacom.com