Handbook for Sound Engineers

Transmission Techniques: Wire and Cable 401

14.2.7 Pulling Tension

Pulling tension must be adhered to so the cable will not

be permanently elongated. The pulling tension for

annealed copper conductors is shown in Table 14-5.

Multiconductor cable pulling tension can be deter-

mined by multiplying the total number of conductors by

the appropriate value. For twisted pair cables, there are

two wires per pair. For shielded twisted pair cables,

with foil shields, there is a drain wire that must be

included in the calculations. Be cautious: the drain wire

can sometimes be smaller gage than the conductors in

the pair. The pulling tension of coaxial cables or other

cables that are not multiple conductors is much harder

to calculate. Consult the manufacturer for the required

pulling tension.

Table 14-4. Suggested Conductor Strandings for Various Degrees of Flexing Severity

Typical Applications AWG mm AWG mm

12 AWG 14 AWG

Fixed Service (Hook-Up Wire Cable in Raceway)

19 × 25 19 × 0.455

Solid

19 × 27 19 × 0.361

Moderate Flexing (Frequency Disturbed for Maintenance) 65 × 30 65 × 0.254 19 × 27

41 × 30

19 × 0.361

41 × 0.254

Severe Flexing (Microphones and Test Prods) 165 × 34 165 × 0.160 104 × 34 104 × 0.160

16 AWG 18 AWG

Fixed Service (Hook-Up Wire Cable in Raceway) Solid

19 × 29 19 × 0.287

Solid

7 × 26

16 × 30

7 × 0.404

16 × 0.254

Moderate Flexing (Frequently Disturbed for Maintenance) 19 × 29

26 × 30

19 × 0.287

26 × 0.254

16 × 30

41 × 34

16 × 0.254

41 × 0.160

Severe Flexing (Microphones, Test Prods) 65 × 34

104 × 36

65 × 0.160

104 × 0.127

41 × 34

65 × 36

41 × 0.160

65 × 0.127

20 AWG 22 AWG

Fixed Service (Hook-Up Wire Cable in Raceway) Solid

7 × 28

10 × 30

7 × 0.320

10 × 0.254

Solid

7 × 30 7 × 0.254

Moderate Flexing (Frequency Distributed for Mainte-

nance)

7 × 28

10 × 30

19 × 32

26 × 34

7 × 0.320

10 × 0.254

19 × 0.203

26 × 0.160

7 × 30

19 × 34

7 × 0.254

19 × 0.160

Severe Flexing (Microphones, Test Prods) 26 × 34

42 × 36

26 × 0.160

42 × 0.127

19 × 34

26 × 36

19 × 0.160

26 × 0.127

24 AWG 26 AWG

Fixed Service (Hook-Up Wire Cable in Raceway) Solid

7 × 32 7 × 0.203

Solid

7 × 34 7 × 0.160

Moderate Flexing (Frequently Disturbed for Maintenance) 7 × 32

10 × 34

7 × 0.203

10 × 0.160

7 × 34 7 × 0.160

Severe Flexing (Microphones, Test Prods) 19 × 36

45 × 40

19 × 0.127

45 × 0.079

7 × 34

10 × 36

7 × 0.160

10 × 0.127

Courtesy Belden

Table 14-5. Pulling Tension for Annealed Copper

Conductors

24 AWG 5.0 lbs

22 AWG 7.5 lbs

20 AWG 12.0 lbs

18 AWG 19.5 lbs

16 AWG 31.0 lbs

14 AWG 49.0 lbs

12 AWG 79.0 lbs