So I got my SA200 home and it had some old leads with it, one of the pair being in useable shape but with some signs of age. As I was straightening it out and coiling it back up neatly to store in my garage, I noticed some kind of black soot/grease like dust all over my gloves and getting on whatever was touching or nearby. Insulation is still very thick and holding together but tells me it wants attention. Is there something like Armor All or another conditioner I should put on it to keep it good as long as possible? I didn't measure it but this at least 60 feet I'd rather not have to buy again soon. What do you guys do?
I don't coil, for the same reason I don't coil garden hose or climbing rope: Because I don't feel like spending an hour untwisting and then retwisting the stuff every time I use it.
Flake, don't coil. Same thing, only difference is that you can pull your rope/cable/hose out of the pile without twists, kinks and hockles and then put it back without having to send 200 twists down the line.
I don't coil, for the same reason I don't coil garden hose or climbing rope: Because I don't feel like spending an hour untwisting and then retwisting the stuff every time I use it.
Flake, don't coil. Same thing, only difference is that you can pull your rope/cable/hose out of the pile without twists, kinks and hockles and then put it back without having to send 200 twists down the line.
I don't have to worry about such long leads, but if I had to, I would do as I do with my climbing ropes (as Kelvin already stated). Flake them!. Or make/buy a reel of some kind.
The "Black soot" is carbon coming from natural deterioration of the rubber jacket.
Carbon & Sulphur are added to uncured rubber in a mixing operation as blocks of gray natural rubber get mixed to be extruded onto the copper cable and then baked to cure the rubber and adhere it to the copper wire.
When cables get old enough to begin shedding giving them a rub with Armor All or even D&L hand cleaner will keep them together a while longer. Cured rubber contains a percentage of oil.
It's also fairly smart to hang the cable on a long radius like a chunk of car wheel. Hanging them over a spike will get the rubber to crack sooner and drop chunks off.
Even the old school 2" pipe hanger a lot of rig guys used caused cracking of rubber cable riding down the road.
Current generation cable insulation is more plastic than rubber.
I have 500' in 50-100' coils. I have been coiling them for 20 years and have never had the slightest issue. I just wear gloves to keep the black at bay, as well as not getting steel splinters that are attracted to the cables magnetism. I will occasionally use a rag with wd40 to wipe them down. It doesnt seem to attract dirt or leave them oily.
Occasionally, I have a helper pull my leads through a rag soaked with silicone lubricant saturating the jacket. My longest leads nowadays are 115' and they well over 35 years old and are still sound. they are carried on the welder wrapped on 3/4" diameter rod and kept organized. Never have had a problem with them but the welder if not being used is inside the shop and never left outside unless I can see it.
Lost my leads once and that isn't going to happen again.
Slob
Purveyor of intimate unparalleled knowledge of nothing about everything.
Oh yeah, also an unabashed internet "Troll" too.....
...It's also fairly smart to hang the cable on a long radius like a chunk of car wheel. Hanging them over a spike will get the rubber to crack sooner and drop chunks off.
Even the old school 2" pipe hanger a lot of rig guys used caused cracking of rubber cable riding down the road.
Current generation cable insulation is more plastic than rubber.
Well I can say leads get hot get drug up stairs across iron through the mud and snow oil and grease crude oil salt water and they deteriate and the coating starts falling apart. If you check the inside you will probably find out that they are not in like new condition either. Wires break they get hot and cold when you cut the ends off to put new ends on you will find a lot of black dust so the inside of the rubber and the copper wire don’t last forever. I think it is great that you have time and energy to armor all your leads but lot of fine dust sticks to armor all and when you wipe it off it just wears out the outside of your leads
It takes about a minute for me to coil my 100'.
Of course I grew up roping cattle so the flip twist is automatic muscle memory for me!
That's probably not 100' of 4/0.
Not that I do it but figure 8s are often considered the "right" way for cord and cable, a rope bag for rope.
Thunderbolt AC/DC
330AB/P + Bernard cooler
Syncrowave 250
Oxy/Ace torch
Dayton 160 MIG
6CF pot with 185 compressor
Too much big equipment
Even more small tools
My long leads are 1/0 and when they are stretched out fully I usually grab them about the 1/2 way point and drag them into two lengths to recoil onto their holders. Too heavy to drag standing at the machine and pulling towards you dragging the full length along the ground.
Of course if I were a "real man" I'd just coil them up at my feet and throw one coil over each shoulder.
Slob
Purveyor of intimate unparalleled knowledge of nothing about everything.
Oh yeah, also an unabashed internet "Troll" too.....
No need for concern over your age induced loss of manhood Slob.
Once yer granddaughter gets that skid up & running she'll teach you how to throw a Prussick loop onto the cable and haul it in with the boom.
If only you hadn't attacked PeeAir and pissed Irma off you might have been able to get parts to make up a capstain to pull them in.
No need for concern over your age induced loss of manhood Slob.
Once yer granddaughter gets that skid up & running she'll teach you how to throw a Prussick loop onto the cable and haul it in with the boom.
If only you hadn't attacked PeeAir and pissed Irma off you might have been able to get parts to make up a capstain to pull them in.
Capstan winches I have quite a few of but the smallest is 20K line pull so a bit heavy in it's own right. You done got me to thinking though. I'll bet I could modify that contraption Irma uses to walk that useless SOB into a harness I could attach a rope to and tie off the other end to a load I needed pulled. Then just show ole "PEEAIR" a 400A ground clamp and get the load moved effortlessly on my part.
Slob
Purveyor of intimate unparalleled knowledge of nothing about everything.
Oh yeah, also an unabashed internet "Troll" too.....
Reply
WeldingWeb Journeyman
nickel_city_fab liked this post
Originally Posted by yellowfin
