Receiving, Handling and Storage of electrical cables
The following guidelines are recommended to prevent possible deterioration or damage of cable during handling or storage prior to installation.
Receiving
Before accepting any shipment, all reels should be visually inspected for both hidden and obvious damage. Be especially alert if:
- Reels are wrong stacked
- Protective covering (packaging material) is removed or damaged
- Cable end seals are removed or damaged
- Reel flanges are broken
- Cable ties are loose
- Nails or staples have been driven into the reel flange
Handling
The cables, during unwinding and winding onto another reel, must be wrapped in the same direction, with the coils to the same axis
The coils should be raised from the sides only by forklifts and only if the forks are long enough to lift both flanges.
Steel lifting bars with adequate diameter and length should be used when lifting by crane or other overhead lifting devices. With heavy reels or reels that may be unbalanced, the use of a lifting yoke is recommended to prevent reels from slipping or tipping during lifting.
When the cable’s internal end is accessible (via reel spiral, hole in the flange, drum stretched), before the unwinding / handling, make sure that it is free and not bound to the reel, to avoid the possible presence of twists
Storage
Where possible, reels should be stored indoors on a hard, dry surface. If reels must be stored outside they should be supported off the ground and covered with a suitable weatherproof material.
Each reel should be aligned flange to flange.
Reels should be stored to allow easy access for lifting and moving.
When cable lengths are cut from a master cable reel, all exposed cable ends should be resealed with plastic weatherproof caps or tape to prevent the entrance of moisture.
Installation
For a right cable installation must comply with the following procedures:
To prevent the cable from being harmful stress is good to treat the initial unwinding of the reel or coil.
After cutting the cable is good practice to leave it lying on the ground or better still in a vertical position, to erase any twisting received in the winding phase.
Insert the cable in the chain or in handling systems taking care to leave sufficient space to the movement of the same to the ends.
Avoid along the way, fixing cables chain with clamps or ‘other devices.
Depending on the performance of the system it is possible to fix the cable at one end (the driving force), or by both taking care that the fastening must take place at a certain distance from the chain