Is there a device that helps you keep ethernet cable untangled while doing new runs?

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Nocturnal

Gawd
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Jul 20, 2006
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Out of curiosity is there a device that helps keep cables untangled when doing new runs? As you bring a bunch say 5 cables across a drop ceiling or even above something that is going to be completely closed off, is there something that helps to not get the cables tangled? What's your method of allowing things to run smoothly when running cable thorughout a building? I'm talking about 250+' runs.
 
Nocturnal said:
Out of curiosity is there a device that helps keep cables untangled when doing new runs? As you bring a bunch say 5 cables across a drop ceiling or even above something that is going to be completely closed off, is there something that helps to not get the cables tangled? What's your method of allowing things to run smoothly when running cable thorughout a building? I'm talking about 250+' runs.
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i usually pull each line down a long hall, and then make one big *snake* as what i call them.

Or you can use j-hooks above the drop sealing..
 
the building does have "Cable ladders" or "Trofs" in it?

How many are you pulling at a time? typically I only pull one line at a time, cut it with about 2 foot of extra for service loop/etc. then i go back to my start point and pull another line if needed.

(Never had to do too much, most places I worked already had all cables in the walls/ceilings installed.
 
Yeah crap it's a ton of cables, we usually try to do 5 per run. That's where it eneds up getting all the slack and then tangled as we try to straighten it out before going into its drop.
 
I normally only have one or two at a time to do. I did 6 once, I did one at a time say 10 feet, got them all there, and then did one more at a time another ten feet, and so on. This was in a drop ceiling with no cable management in there whatsover. It was a "get it down the hallway as short as a distance as you can."
 
I use two or three or four boxes of cable. I pull one snake but am pulling from the boxes all at once. No chance of getting a tangle.
 
As tangoseal said, use multiple boxes of cable. Pull each cable out a bit and label it (and the box it came out of). Tape the cables together in a staggered pattern so that they slip through holes easily. Pull the entire run and all cables at the same time. When you cut the cable, label it to match the box. Easy.
 
tangoseal said:
I use two or three or four boxes of cable. I pull one snake but am pulling from the boxes all at once. No chance of getting a tangle.
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^^^This
And when staging the boxes together...set them up so the spools inside are all rolled the same direction..meaning like..all clockwise or all counter clockwise. That way the tendency of the cable to coil will all be the same. If you have a box going against the others in the mix...you'll get worse snags.

When pulling through difficult holes...like if you impact hammered a hole through concrete cinder block walls...take something to make a "funnel" at the entrance...sheet of plastic for example, or at the least...roll some cardboard into a funnel shape.

When doing a long run across multiple rooms with obstacles between...just do one room or at least one obstacle at a time. Someone up manually assisting at the obstacles..someone else at the target end providing a nice even steady speed pull.Steady pulls are key. Pulling,.and letting up..and pulling again..and letting up..gives more potential for snags. Nice steady speed pulling is key.
 
We did the above too when wiring our new office. 1 snake, 4 boxes. It really want that bad.
 
dashpuppy said:
i usually pull each line down a long hall, and then make one big *snake* as what i call them.

Or you can use j-hooks above the drop sealing..
Click to expand...

This is what I wind up doing too. Run one to length, pull it back and then make one long snake. Some black electrical tape to keep it clean for now and run it. Works rather well
 
I usually have 4 boxes of cable with me because I don't like to have more than 4 jacks on a single plate. Marking the cables is good, I usually just terminate the consumer end and tone back to get the correct cable for termination at the patch panel. If you use patch-thru panels, you can use the cable ID dongles to ID the cables. If you are running cable in non-empty raceways/trays/hooks/conduit, it comes down to technique or over-the-top equipment like cable guides and pulleys. As soon as you take the cable around a bend, it will try and embed itself in the existing bundle.
 
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