Cable rod kits

[600rob]

Need to get one of these kits to do a wiring job where I've got limited access to a floor space.

When buying one of these kits is it better to go for a kit with longer rod lengths or shorter ones?

Just thinking of the trade off between using multiple shorter rods screwed together with more joints vs fewer longer rods.

Would be interested to hear from people who have used both types

 

[Sureitsoff?]

I find the shorter ones more flexible and easier to use as you have less sticking back out into the room you are working from.

 

[SUNRAY]

I find the longer rods flow/run smoother with less joins to catch on and less joins to come undone/fail.

 

[Murdochcat]

Got a set of small and a set of long ones

Horses for courses

 

[pete01]

I've got a long and short set, I've never used the short ones.

 

[ebee]

It depends what kind of job you using them and how often.
If you’ve a lot of use then the longer ones yes and some short ones if you find you need them.
Of course you can always use the time honoured MT2 type mini trunking lid we all used for years, you could work wonders with them

 

[sparkwright]

Long ones (about a metre).
It will drive you insane screwing together twice as many rods.

 

[SUNRAY]

I've been using them for 20+ years and started with the thicker stuff (Joints were M6? threads) getting more for longer runs and multiple people using them the fashion had changed to thinner rods (M4? thread) and found they work better, especially in conduit and trunking. I was given a set of 330mm and they lived in 3's with the 1m rods and quite honestly were rarely, if ever, used any shorter than in sets of 3.
I have about 3 sets worth of rods, in 2 of the tubes but doubt I still have any short rods.
Do I miss them? No.
Do I think they have been more useful than long rods? No.
Do I think they have created more effort or problem? Possibly yes.
Bear in mind a 3.3m set of rods generally costs about half a 10m set.

 

[SUNRAY]

It depends what kind of job you using them and how often.
If you’ve a lot of use then the longer ones yes and some short ones if you find you need them.
Of course you can always use the time honoured MT2 type mini trunking lid we all used for years, you could work wonders with them

That certainly still has it's place in voids with obstructions.

 

[crystal ball]

It depends what kind of job you using them and how often.
If you’ve a lot of use then the longer ones yes and some short ones if you find you need them.
Of course you can always use the time honoured MT2 type mini trunking lid we all used for years, you could work wonders with them

During the 80s I worked for the local leccy board, mini trunking was quite expensive then and our boss used to go bananas if we used the lid for fishing, the smallest size oval conduit is ok but can kink easily

 

[pete01]

Am I the only one that used to use yt2 lid as a rod? Still do sometimes...

 

[sparkwright]

Am I the only one that used to use yt2 lid as a rod? Still do sometimes...

No, I used/use it.
And oval conduit under floors - you don't even have tape or tie the cable to that.

 

[sparkymarka]

Have had super rods , cheap thin rods and c&k rods …..the c&k ones are the best they don’t snap at the treads and the spiral flexi rod is fantastic for feeding up into lofts …

 

[333rocky333]

Am I the only one that used to use yt2 lid as a rod? Still do sometimes...

I remember that, think YT2 was made by EGA well before marshall tufflex MT2 or even sticky back

 

[FrodoOne]

During the 80s I worked for the local leccy board, mini trunking was quite expensive then and our boss used to go bananas if we used the lid for fishing, the smallest size oval conduit is ok but can kink easily

Am I the only one that used to use yt2 lid as a rod? Still do sometimes...

.

No, I used/use it.
And oval conduit under floors - you don't even have tape or tie the cable to that.

As a sideline to these comments,
"Particle Board" or "Chipboard" flooring used in Australia differs from similar products in the UK
in that each "long" edge of each 3600 mm long sheet has a groove which,
on one side, comes with a strip of plastic "Yellow Tongue",
This "Tongue" locks one sheet to the adjacent sheet - across a floor.
(https://www.bunnings.com.au/structa...ooring-general-purpose-particleboard_p0148884)

Of course, when building floors using these sheets,
on any building site there will always be at least one strip of "Yellow Tongue" left over.

Electricians in Australia just "scavenge" these strips, to use as "Cable Feeders" in place of "Cable Rods".

These "Yellow Tongue" strips are even sold separately
(https://www.bunnings.com.au/poly-ei...UEO_gA5uui4Jz57KYj0xSQJvUKCKaANLCu_0y-uTl5bJv )
although I doubt that any electrician actually ever buys one !