Telecom Power Cable Installation
Best practice from PRG Sweden
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“Quite simply, NKT cables are easier to work with when you are installing them. They’re more flexible than other brands. They are faster to strip and handle. And not least, they’re simpler to prepare for cabling when you unroll them.”
— Henrik Nyström of PRG Sweden
PRG Sweden – a telecom installer company and NKT customer – show how they enjoy the benefits of the light, flexible NKT power cables – from preparation and hoisting to connecting the cables. Watch the film above and follow these steps for faster, better rollout with NKT!
Step 1: Secure your surroundings
- Check that there are no sharp edges that can damage the rope or cable.
- Make sure people or machines don’t walk or drive over the cables.
- Check the mast or tower. Are there cable trays in the shelter? Are there safety rings?
Step 2: Find a safe cable entry point
- Enter the mast with the rope at a strategic place where you minimize the risk of damaging the cable, winch or rope while hoisting. Check for sharp edges in the mast, cable trays, clamps or other metal parts that can make the cable get stuck or damaged.
- Make sure there’s room to roll out the cable in a straight line outward to the entry point. The cable entry point should be close to the cable tray going in to the shelter for easier routing after hoisting.
Step 3: Roll out the cable before hoisting
“We always roll out the cable first. If it is as straight as possible before hoisting, it doesn’t get stuck in the mast or on the ground,” says Henrik. “It takes a few extra minutes, but you get them back during the hoisting of the cable.”
PRG Sweden prefers the NKT telecom cable because it is “very easy to unroll and lie straight. It doesn’t twirl,” Henrik says. “That minimizes the risk of damage.”
Do not just pull the cable directly from the package while hoisting! “It can seriously damage the cable,” he warns.
If you are using a cable drum, there are two options:
- Roll out the cable from the drum before hoisting, or
- Attach the drum to the mast or tower, hoisting directly from the drum. In this case, it’s important to turn the drum continuously while hoisting.
How to hoist properly
Preparing the NKT cable for connection
PRG Sweden’s Michal Spacek offers two good ways to prepare the NKT cable – and one way to NOT use.
Option 1: Use a plier tool
- Use a sharp plier tool to snip a line down the cable’s jacket.
- Grab and pull down the shield wires like a rip cord to open the jacket as far as you need. Then peel the jacket back and cut it off. Trim the jacket edges if needed, and it is ready for connection.
Option 2: Use a knife – gently
This is Michal’s preferred method:
- Use a sharp knife and cut around the jacket – just gently.
- Then bend the cable at the cut, and the jacket will snap open.
- Pull off the jacket and the cable is prepared for connection.
CAUTION: CUT LIGHTLY!
The NKT telecom cable jacket is HFFR (Halogen-Free, Flame Retardant) and easier to cut compared to PVC or other tougher materials. If you use a knife to cut through the jacket with too much force, you may damage the insulation of the conductors inside. Then you must cut the cable and start over. Just remember to cut gently!
Legal notice: PRG Sweden is an authorized telecom service provider in Sweden, installing for major telecom carriers and OEM. Installation practice in this video and imagery is in accordance with their practises. This video, text and imagery is for informal purposes only and is not intended to provide specific construction, installation, legal or other types of advice for you and should not be relied upon is this regard. Please always apply local laws and regulations when using NKT products.
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