[Lowfer] TX Loop insulation

[Bill Ashlock]

Hi Laurence,
 
The PEX tubing appeared to offer very low sliding resistance when the CU tubing was pushed inside a length of 15 feet. Seems to have a 'self lubricating' characteristic like teflon. I'll try the same thing with 1/2" PEX on the next trip north (which I didn't think of trying in yesterday's experiment). From my experience pulling up various loop conductors over the tops of trees I'm predicting this tubing will work very well - probably better than the soft CU tubing, alone. In addition to it's low friction it has a certain amount of stiffness that should help support the three joints (each 50ft of length) in that loop in high-wind situations. 
 
Now I'm even re-thinking the Litz conductor experiment from a few years back when I used a garden hose to protect four #12 equivalent Litz cables taped together. Eventually enough of the strands broke at the two upper corners to render the Rac too high. The PEX may have enough stiffness to keep the bend raius large and have low enough interior friction to prevent this from happening. 
 
(OK JA you should have enough off-color material from the above to last all year :)
 
Bill
 
PS: Have seen only one set of moose tracks this year. Big ones, though!> Subject: RE: [Lowfer] TX Loop insulation> Date: Wed, 14 May 2008 15:02:28 +0800> From: L.Howell at conocophillips.com> To: lowfer at mailman.qth.net> > Ill be interested on how you pull it around the trees Bill - I need some> magic something to make my trees grow a bit more vertically as I only> seem to have 40-50 footers.> > My Moose are bigger than your Moose :-))> > My part 5 is still pending....> > Laurence KL1 X > 9V1 LF wishing he was in KL7 land...> > Snip> EX is a type of cross-linked polyethylene tubing that has special> properties for plumbing and heating applications. > > _______________________________________________> >From the Lowfer mailing list> Send messages to: Lowfer at mailman.qth.net> To sub/unsub visit: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/lowfer