The folllowing tables and formulas are provided to help determine how many cables can be safely carried by each size wire mesh cable tray tray and to determine the appropriate distance between supports for the load, based on number of cables, cable tray size, and bracket type.
Wire Mesh Cable Tray Fill Ratio Use the following formula to calculate the number of cables that will result in a particular fill ratio, where:
Fill ratio = Cross section of cable
Cross section of tray A = Inside tray area, in in.2 D = Cable diameter, in inches According to NEC 392.9 (B), when using ventilated tray F = Fill ratio in % with multiconductor control cable, the sum of the cross- N = Number of cables sectional areas shall not exceed 50 percent of the interior cross section of the tray. The formula is The Quick Tray Wire Mesh Cable Tray Fill Table below N= F shows the number of cables and the load in lbf/lineal foot ( 100 ) * ( [(D/2)A2 * ]) developed by typical 4 pair and 6 pair cable weighing 20 lb/kft and 40 lb/kft, respectively.While this table is a useful guide, actual loads must be calculated using the cable specified. EXAMPLE: The installation will use CAT cable at .19 in. diameter, 20 lb per 1000 ft2.The desired fill ratio is 40%.The wire mesh cable tray tray is 2 in. (51mm) high by 2 in. (51mm) wide. A = 3.5 in.2 D = .19 in. F = 40% N= 40 3.5 = 49 cables ( 100 ) * ( [(.19/2)2 * ])
16 Data subject to change without notice 763 422 2211 FAX 763 422 2600 www.hoffmanonline.com 2005 Hoffman Enclosures Inc. Quick Tray Fill and Load Calculations Supporting Quick Tray Wire Mesh anchor must be evaluated separately. Supports should be Cable Tray placed within 24 in. (610mm) of a splice on straight sections, and the span between supports should not exceed The Quick Tray Wire Mesh Cable Tray is sized based on the length of tray. Additional supports will be required the number and type of cables required for the current around bends and when the cable tray level changes. and future need. A 50% fill ratio should equal the maximum number of cables pulled in a given cross section. Straight The load ratings of the hardware that supports the Quick section supports installed at 5-foot (1.5m) centers are Tray Wire Mesh Cable Tray must also be considered. Load typical. For support spans greater than 5 feet (1.5m), cable ratings for some commonly used supports are shown in the loads must be evaluated to ensure that the span between Support Maximum Load table below. the supports is suitable for the load.The support and Once the load/foot has been determined, the weight on each support can be determined by multiplying the Cable Tray Maximum Load in lb/ft According to Span load/foot by the number of feet between supports. Catalog Number 5 ft 6 ft 7 ft 8 ft 9 ft 10 ft QT2X2 17.17 12.54 7.51 6.04 4.77 3.86 QT2X4 18.10 14.00 11.30 9.30 7.40 5.10 EXAMPLE: QT2X6 25.10 19.80 16.00 13.40 11.00 9.00 QT2X8 25.10 19.80 16.00 13.40 11.00 9.00 Weight of span = Load/foot * No. ft between supports QT2X12 36.00 27.70 22.10 18.10 14.60 10.50 QT2X18 65.00 45.50 33.80 26.10 19.40 15.00 Load/foot figure from the 2 x 2 in. cable tray with 40% fill QT2X20 65.00 45.50 33.80 26.10 19.40 15.00 ratio example: .98 lb/ft QT2X24 67.00 48.70 37.80 30.30 23.70 17.00 Weight of span = .98 * 5 = 4.9 lb QT4X8 43.80 35.90 30.10 25.40 21.20 17.00 QT4X12 57.95 43.77 27.77 22.94 18.12 14.68 Weight on support = weight of span / 2 QT4X20 89.80 71.00 57.70 47.60 38.50 22.00 QT4X24 89.80 71.00 57.70 47.60 38.50 22.00
Cross section- load versus span
100 90 80 QT2 x 2 QT2 x 4 70 QT2 x 6(8) Load in pounds
60 QT2 x 12 50 QT2 x 18(20) QT2 x 24 40 QT4 x 8 30 QT4 x 12 20 QT4 x 20(24)
10 0 5 ft 6 ft 7 ft 8 ft 9 ft 10 ft Distance betw een supports Support Maximum Load
Catalog Bracket Width Max. Load
Number Description in. mm lbs QTCB4 C Bracket 4 102 259 QTCB8 C Bracket 8 203 216 QTCB12 C Bracket 12 305 108 QTLB4 L Bracket 4 102 259 QTLB8 L Bracket 8 203 216 QTLB12 L Bracket 12 305 108 QTTH Trapeze Hanging Clips 216
Data subject to change without notice 763 422 2211 FAX 763 422 2600 www.hoffmanonline.com 2005 Hoffman Enclosures Inc 17
