I have been an Industrial Electrician for more than three decades. I have taken time off to bring you, my fellow Electricians, a new tool, the A90. I am under claiming the ability of the A90, intentionally, when I state that the A90 will increase your ability to push through degrees in conduit and electrical piping, by a minimum of 200%.
That's right, in the past, we have only been able to push a fish tape 360 degrees. That's an extreme, usually the conduit or pipe installer will set pull points at 270 degrees to ensure ease of pulling wire.
The New A90: A Fish Tape's Best Friend!
The A90 eliminates almost 100% of the resistance encountered when your Fish Tape enters a pipe bend. If you are an Electrician, you know what I am talking about. When you push a Fish Tape there's no resistance until the lead end encounters a bend. The tape enters the bend, proceeds to the opposite side of the bend and immediately encounters resistance. This resistance ceases when the Fish Tape is past the bend, and it's easy pushing until your tape reaches the next bend. The same scenario occurs, except this time, the resistance is compounded from previous bends that have been pushed through.
Normally, the resistance overcomes the amount of push pressure that can be applied at 360 degrees. If you are extremely lucky, in some situations, you might be able to push a little further. The first A90 prototype pushed through 12 each 90 degree bends. The bends were spaced approx. 2 1/2' apart. For the second test, 50' of conduit was added before pushing into the bank of 90 degree bends.
This time the A90 pushed through 10 each 90 degree bends. But, I am not claiming these bends. I suggest you keep the degrees between pull points within the NEC Code.
However, I am claiming a 200% efficiency increase in your 1/8" metal Fish Tape. Attaching to other Fish Tapes, such as Fiber, will soon follow.
The A90 is designed to rigid mount onto your Fish Tape using a unique side entry design. This makes the attachment extremely Electrician Friendly. With two different bends on the lead end of the Fish Tape, which can be easily mastered be any Electrical worker with a pair of lineman's pliers, the A90 can be easily attached and removed. The only other key to the attaching design is, once the A90 is mounted onto the fish tape, a few wraps of 33 electrical tape locks the A90 into place. The 33 electrical tape totally ensures that the A90 will not come loose from the fish tape inside the conduit or pipe.
The New A90: A Fish Tape's Best Friend!
The A90 will be available approx. November 1, 2004