Cable Grippers: Different Types of Cable Grips Are Manufactured Differently

Yes, you read it right! All cable grips are not manufactured equally and as a leading cable gripper manufacturer we can assure you that this statement is absolutely true. 

Cable grippers are available in a variety of choices and options. However, most contractors get used to working with one type. So, as manufacturers we would like to throw light on a few more options and discuss their pros individually. 

• One of the most commonly used cable grippers would be one with no ‘grip’ at all. It is a simplified version of the half-hitch method which is attached to the last couple of feet of the cable. This should be workable provided the pull is not too much or too difficult. However, this half-hitching method can be a problem if the cable head happens to bow under a large amount of tension causing a drag to the head of the cable. In this case, all the force gets accumulated on the last hitch which can actually lead to a cable to snap at the last hitch. This problem arises particularly while installing a cable or just a simple and bare duct. 

• The second type of cable gripper is a grip which comes with a metal wire mesh. It is primarily a braided wire sleeving grip that comes with a pulling eye. And, this wire sleeving functions on the “Chinese Finger” principle where it is locked down on the cable while the force is spread out longitudinally. Although these grips are great to work with, however this type has a few drawbacks as well. For instance, the head of the cable takes up around 3 mm of additional space due to the entire profile of the grip. 

• The third type of cable gripper would be the fabric mesh grip. This variety comes with a braided circular fabric sleeving and functions on the same principle as the second type, that is, the one which comes with the metal wire mesh. However, the principle works on this cable gripper at a much lower profile. This type of cable gripper with a fabric grip has optimal size of ducts under 50 mm where every little mm of space is critical. Fabric cable grippers are usually available in two types, one made with polyester and the other made with synthetic, high tensile strength material. A polyester grip which is also known as a PET, is one of the most economical types of cable grippers, although the ones made with synthetic are much more durable and much stronger. For example, a PET with a 12 mm grip, can pull a breaking strength of 320 kgs, while its synthetic counterpart can be rated to roughly 1135kgs. The loops at the end of these cable grippers, however, require a knot which may weaken the strength by 40-50%.