Managing long heavy cable

[Walkers]

I am a welding contractor. I am somewhat unique in that I generally build doors and railings. Most of my work is done in the shop and usually only final tie in welds onsite. I generally carry 200' of 1/0 leads in 50' lengths on my truck. I have been on a job on the side of a mountain that requires 500' (2 runs of 250' each) of 1/0 cable to build a handrail onsite, and it is taxing just rolling out/up the cable every day. I am looking for a method of dealing with this cable everyday that is less labor intensive than splitting it all up and individually rolling up each 50' length. This much cable is heavy, and you cannot drag it or daisy chain it. I have been thinking of bringing the end back to the truck, then the middle and so forth, but haven't hit on a method that leaves it ready to deploy, and not get knotted up.

Any ideas are appreciated

 

[PCustoms]

Stick?

What amperage?

Power on site?

Access?

I used to volunteer at a ski area with a buddy who held all the weld certs. Wed drag around a compact setup in the back of a Polaris ranger. Parking close the hole and then dragging a shorter cable was always easier. I think once they got things a little more in order the rig got pared down to a suitcase welder and a Honda genset

 

[Joemctag]

If the ground is such that you can drag it, do so. Disconnect each two pieces. Five 100’ lengths and drag. Grabbing midway also and dragging like you say is wghat I also discovered works. Feed each 100’ section into the back of your truck. Don’t other rolling it up. Just make it so you can grab the last section put in and start dragging it out, I routinely dragged out 150’ ground and 200’ stinger leads over 100 days. Learn. It to waste trips or energy.
Will an inverter machine work for you. I’ve used one extensively in the field on big jobs. Don’t need much lead. You could get it wired into the 240 if there’s a building. Get a suitable extension cord. SO cable, I think and a plug and receptacle or get the electrician to wire the cord straight into the panel. What I did a few times:

 

[readhead]

I’ve been in similar situations at our ski area. We used a small generator and an inverter welder with 3/32 or 1/16 rod. Two trips and much easier than rolling up all that lead.

 

[The Cobbler]

what about some sort of a cart with a roll on it to wind up the cable?
man I used to fret over coiling up 100' & 150 ' air hoses on the job, I can't imagine 1/0 welding cable

 

[Walkers]

Stick?

What amperage?

Power on site?

Access?

I used to volunteer at a ski area with a buddy who held all the weld certs. Wed drag around a compact setup in the back of a Polaris ranger. Parking close the hole and then dragging a shorter cable was always easier. I think once they got things a little more in order the rig got pared down to a suitcase welder and a Honda genset

No, I use an LN-25 feeder with Lincoln M71 gas shielded flux core wire at about 160 amps. Plenty of power onsite, as it is a completed residence, but no power available without having to rewire something. Access is to hand carry everything from the front of the house to the back then out on the side of the mountain. I am not really asking for this job in particular, but more and more I am having to load up every foot of cable I own to reach. I should finish this one up tomorrow, but then I am going back up to a winery up north to add some additional handrails, and will need the same setup.

 

[Walkers]

Had to switch devices to post a picture, but this is where I am currently working. The second picture is a big hawk that alit close by.

 

[Walkers]

If the ground is such that you can drag it, do so. Disconnect each two pieces. Five 100’ lengths and drag. Grabbing midway also and dragging like you say is wghat I also discovered works. Feed each 100’ section into the back of your truck. Don’t other rolling it up. Just make it so you can grab the last section put in and start dragging it out, I routinely dragged out 150’ ground and 200’ stinger leads over 100 days. Learn. It to waste trips or energy.
Will an inverter machine work for you. I’ve used one extensively in the field on big jobs. Don’t need much lead. You could get it wired into the 240 if there’s a building. Get a suitable extension cord. SO cable, I think and a plug and receptacle or get the electrician to wire the cord straight into the panel. What I did a few times:

I have played around with inverter machines, but on jobsites the temp power setups are usually less than ideal, and you fight with bad power. My engine drive was one of the last few models before they came out with lots (10kw) of aux power, and I only have 4kw, and that is divided between outlets, as a result it just trips breakers frequently. Plenty of weld power though.
I am getting close enough to retirement that, if I take care of my welder, it should last me the rest of my career.
Usually I am just rolling out/up for one day for install, but with a lack of welders that can do high quality finish work I am being asked to do more of it. This job is about 4 days total.

 

[readhead]

I can understand wanting to use your feeder but is there AC power available where you are working? A 120 machine running flux core will do what you need and that will run off a small generator. How was the construction accomplished? Is there no vehicle access? Obviously not. Do you have to paint it before the cables are installed?

 

[Snapped-off]

Sounds like a good task for a battery powered welder if you could use stick.

Epeq 140