Protecting Electrical Wire Pulling Racks for Longer Service Life

It goes without saying, but cable and wire wholesalers pull a lot of cable. Every day, the electrical wire pulling racks that line these facilities’ wire walls — bulk storage systems for all the varieties of cable and wire that customers may need — take a beating. And when it comes to high-rise wire racking, failure is not an option.

Luckily, there are a few low-cost options that can protect wire walls at even the busiest electrical distribution centers. Here are three simple interventions that improve function, extend service life, and prevent damage to electrical wire pulling racks in wholesale applications:

1. Protect points of contact between racks and reel axles. If the soundtrack to your workday is the shriek of metal axles turning against steel restraints, it’s time to inspect your racking. The friction generated by the turning axle will eventually wear away at the rack, the axle ends, or both. In either case, it’s only a matter of time before your choice becomes limited to replacement or equipment failure.

   Axle Holding Kits are the answer. These bolt-on rack attachments cradle reel-axle ends in a steel, powder-coated restraint with a dense UHMW plastic lining. This is the same material used in slide strips, a popular alternative to rollers in material handling equipment, thanks to its strength and low coefficient of friction. That means steel slides over the Axle Holding Kit’s UHMW lining, creating a safer — and much quieter — payout experience at the wire wall. This is an inexpensive way to extend the service life of reel axles and racks at once.

2. Pay out cable with steady, even pressure. Aggressive hand-feeding or cable winders that jerk cables can damage product as well as electrical wire pulling racks. Choose a cable-winding machine that provides smooth payouts with a low, consistent level of pressure.

   The BHS Spool Winding Trolley is an ideal option, thanks to an innovative overhead rim-drive engagement system. Users position the Spool Winding Trolley over a Parallel Reel Payout or Jack Stand; the overhead rollers push against the reel’s rim to rotate it, filling the reel with a steady pull. There’s even a model that uses the Industrial Internet of Things to track jobs and report usage data.

3. Use physical barriers to protect electrical wire pulling racks on the wire wall. Electrical material distribution centers are full of material handling equipment, including forklifts. An accidental strike on the wire wall can be disastrous. At the same time, staff needs access to the reels to fill orders. The solution is a set of Structural Barrier Rails or a row of Structural Bollards spaced at intervals that allow pedestrian access, but discourage vehicles and machines from getting close enough to cause damage.

Well-maintained electrical wire pulling racks create a safer, more profitable business by reducing the chance of racking failure and avoiding replacement costs. Electrical material handling solutions from Solus Group can help — but don’t stop at racking maintenance.

Solus Group offers a complete line of material handling equipment for electrical wholesalers and their customers. Browse these products here, or call Solus Group at 314-696-0200 to find out more about how our selection of electrical material handling equipment can help your business grow.