Cost Saving Cable Management
Bending Conduit is a Waste of Time
Today’s Electrical Contractor faces two basic challenges to staying profitable. He must bid as much work as possible, while constantly looking for ways to keep material and labor costs as low as possible.
Whether one is designing, estimating or installing a job, there are alternatives that are often overlooked, as contractors struggle to remain profitable.
One sure way to increase profitability is to consider the use of metal clad (MC) cable instead of the pipe and wire used in most electrical distribution systems. Change is difficult for some, but today’s business climate dictates that contractors must find better, more efficient ways to complete jobs on-time, and get on to the next one. Installing MC Cable reduces labor and material costs significantly when compared to traditional practices.
Contractors can specify MC Cable on design-build jobs, or recommend it as an alternative after bidding. Estimators will appreciate the flexibility of MC Cable, since it is packaged “ready to pull” and there are fewer parts to deal with. Pipe and wire cannot be bent more than 360 degrees in a given run, while MC has no bending restrictions. Installation is simplified, since MC Cable is pulled right off the reel. Bends are done “by hand” and not by expensive equipment as in pipe and wire systems. A job can be completed using fewer workers and leftover scrap is minimized. Quite simply, using MC Cable, affords the contractor up to 50% savings on overall installation costs for most jobs.
Although MC Cable has been available for years, the big drawback appears to be the “neat and workmanlike” appearance required by the various standards bodies. The consensus opinion among contractors interviewed is that MC Cable just doesn’t look neat enough when the job is finished. Using a Welded Wire Cable Path to manage your MC Cable distribution system is a great way to achieve a neat, professional installation that adheres to all NEC requirements. This method allows the contractor to finish the job faster and more economically.
If you’d like more information on this revolutionary idea, please contact your 3E representative or visit us at our 3E product seminar on May 11th.
by Mike Woodring, Regional Sales Manager, Cablofil
Last Updated ( Monday, 10 April 2006 )