Unpopular opinion: I think 1000 feet of cable is way too much for a standard house run

I hit 150 feet on a job last Tuesday in a three-story house and everyone said I should have just rolled out a full 1000-foot spool. But I actually prefer using a 500-foot spool for residential jobs, even if it means swapping out mid-run. The smaller spool is lighter on my shoulder and way easier to handle in tight attics, no joke. Am I missing something here or do other installers feel the same about oversized spools?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_anthony20d ago

Last Tuesday I ran 800 feet through a four-story commercial building and never thought twice about dragging the 1000-foot spool. You're trading a few minutes of swapping spools for a lot of extra time bending and pulling the cable out of a smaller box. The weight difference is maybe 10 pounds, and if you're not using a shoulder dolly or a bucket for the spool, you're making it harder on yourself anyway. Tight attics don't matter if you just drop the spool at the access point and feed as you go. I'll take the extra couple pounds to avoid the headache of running out of wire halfway through a long pull.

michael66920d ago

Is it just me or does hauling a 1000-foot spool through a building make you feel like the world's sweatiest superhero? lol I swear, every time I drag one up three flights of stairs, I start questioning my life choices and whether I really need that extra 10 bucks on the job. But you're right, nothing sucks more than being 10 feet short of a pull and having to splice in a new roll, especially when you're in some hot, cramped attic. I've definitely learned the hard way that a few extra minutes of grunting upfront saves you from a lot of extra cursing later on.

lilyp3720d ago

Actually, the weight difference between a 1000-foot spool and a smaller one is usually way more than 10 pounds (more like 30-40, depending on the cable gauge). I learned that the hard way hauling up a ladder once, almost threw my back out. But your point about using a shoulder dolly is solid, that thing is a lifesaver for keeping the spool manageable.