POLYWATER® J LUBRICANT

DESCRIPTION
Polywater® J Lubricant is a high-performance
cable pulling lubricant proven in the
installation of millions of feet (meters) of cable
over the last 30 years. Polywater J provides
excellent tension reduction in underground
and industrial cable pulls. It is recommended
for both communications and electrical cable.
Polywater J has excellent shear resistance for
effective lubrication under high cable sidewall
pressure in conduit bends.
The residue from Polywater J does not
propagate flame when used with fire-
retardant cable systems. Polywater J is slow
drying. The residue is a thin, slippery film that
Polywater J is recommended for multiple-bend pulls.
retains its lubricity for months after use. Its
dried residue is nonconductive and
noncombustible. PRODUCT FEATURES
Polywater J is a stringy gel. It can be applied by • Maximum Friction Reduction: Lower cable
hand or by using Polywater’s LP-D5 Pump. It is pulling tension.
also available in the unique Front End Pack • Clean and Nonstaining: Minimize clean-up
prelubrication bags. time.
• Noncombustible Residue: Suitable for fire-
FRICTION TESTING critical cables and installations.
Lubricity: Polywater J Lubricant shows superior • Field-Friendly Application: Pump, hand-apply,
friction reduction on a variety of jacket types. or distribute by Front End Pack.
Typical friction coefficients at 200 lbs/ft (2.91 • Temperature Stable: No ruined lubricant from
kN/m) normal pressure are shown. Test results freeze/thaw or high-temperature exposure.
are based on the method described in the white
paper, “Coefficient of Friction Measurement on • High Cling Factor: Stays on cable jacket during
Polywater’s Friction Table, 2019”. application.

Values are averages based on cable jacket and END USE

conduit materials from multiple manufacturers.
Suitable for many types of cable installations,
CABLE CONDUIT TYPE including:
JACKET HDPE PVC STEEL FRP EMT • Heavy, underground installations
XLPE .14 .11 .13 .16 .21 • Multiple-bend pulls; long pulls
LLDPE .10 .11 .16 .13 .13
• High conduit fill situations
PVC .11 .11 .13 .16 .11
HDPE .05 .09 .13 .13 .13 OFFICIAL APPROVALS
UL Listed
Coefficient of friction data on additional or specific CSA Listed
cable jackets or conduits can be obtained from
American Polywater Corporation.
CABLE COMPATIBILITY PERFORMANCE PROPERTIES
Polyethylene Stress Cracking: Cling Factor:
Polywater J shows no stress cracking on LDPE, Cling factor is a measure of the ability to apply the
LLDPE, MDPE, or HDPE cable jacket when lubricant and have it stay on the jacket while the
tested per IEEE Standard 1210.1 cable enters the conduit.
Tensile and Elongation Effects: A 6-inch length (152 mm) of a 1-inch (25 mm)
LLDPE, XLPE, and PVC cable jacket materials diameter cable will hold at least 50 grams of
aged in Polywater J per IEEE Standard 12101 Polywater J for one minute when held vertically at
meet the tensile and elongation retention 70°F (21°C).
requirements of that standard.
Coatability:
Volume Resistivity: Coatability is a measure of the lubricant’s ability to
There are no significant changes in the conductive coat the cable jacket as a thin film for continued
properties of XLPE and EPR semi-conducting lubricity on longer pulls.
compounds when volume resistivity is tested
Polywater J will wet out evenly on cable jacket
according to IEEE Standard 1210.1
surfaces. It will not bead up or rub off the jacket
Building Wire Testing: sample. A 1-inch (25 mm) diameter XLPE cable
THHN and XHHW building wire meet UL tensile, dipped 6 inches (152 mm) into Polywater J, then
elongation, and voltage withstand requirements withdrawn and held vertically, will retain at least 30
after exposure to Polywater J as tested by UL grams of Polywater Lubricant J for one minute at
requirements.2 70°F (21°C).
Nuclear Approval: Combustibility:
Polywater J does not contain halogenated Combustibility is a measure of combustion
compounds, sulfur compounds, or low melting properties of the lubricant residue in a fire situation
point metals.3 (with an impinging heat flux).
Cable Approvals: Polywater J has no flash point and its dried residue
Polywater J is approved by most cable will not support combustion and spread flame. A
manufacturers. Contact American Polywater for 200-gram sample of the J Lubricant, when placed
details. in a 1-foot, split metal conduit and fully dried for 24
hours at 105°C, will not ignite and spread a flame
1
IEEE Std 1210-2004; IEEE Standard Tests for Determining more than 3 inches beyond a point of ignition when
Compatibility of Cable Pulling Lubricants with Wire and Cable.
2
subjected to a continuous heat flux of 40 kW/m2.
UL Subject 267, Investigation for Wire-Pulling Compounds.
The total test time was one-half hour.
3
Nuclear Test Methodology: Leachable Chlorides (ASTM D 512-88),
Water Leachable Bromides (ASTM D 1246-88) Halogenated Test method described in “Fire Parameters and Combustion Properties
Compounds (ASTM D 808-87) Water Leachable Iodides (ASTM D of Cable Pulling Compound Residues,” presented to the International
1246-88) Sulfur (ASTM D 129-78) Water Leachable Fluorides (ASTM Wire & Cable Symposium, 1987.
D 1179-88)

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PROPERTY RESULT
Appearance Cream-colored, stringy gel
Wax, grease, and None
silicone content
Percent nonvolatile 4.3
solids
VOC content 10 gms/liter
200 gms/liter (Winter Grade)
Viscosity 25,000-40,000 cps @10rpm
pH 7.5-9.0
APPLICATION PROPERTIES DIRECTIONS FOR USE
Application Systems: Polywater J Lubricant can be hand-applied or
Polywater J has a stringy gel consistency that pumped onto the cable as it enters the conduit.
makes it easy to lift, carry, and hand-apply. Polywater PJ is a thinner gel and can be poured.
Polywater J can also be pumped directly into the For long pulls, place approximately two-thirds of the
conduit or onto a cable using the drill-powered recommended quantity of lubricant into the conduit
Polywater LP-D5 pump. Polywater’s low-shear using the Front End Packs or by pumping.
pump will not change the gel character of
For Front End Pack use, attach the packs of
Polywater J. The LP-D5 allows hands-free
Polywater J to the winch line or pulling rope in front
transfer and consistent application of lubricant. It
of the cable, using tape or cable ties. Start the pull
supports a lubricant application rate of 1-2 gallons
and slit open the entire length of the pack(s) with a
(4-8 liters) per minute.
sharp knife as it enters the conduit.
Polywater J Front End Packs are bag packages
Supplement with direct jacket lubrication as the
that “prelubricate” the head end of the cable
cable enters the conduit.
during the pull. The Front End Pack attaches to
the winch line and prelubricates as it goes through Clean up by wiping off any excess lubricant with a
the conduit. Two sizes are available to fit 2” and rag.
larger conduits. Recommended Lubricant Quantity:
Pull-Planner™ Tension Calculation Software is Q=kxLxD
available from Polywater. Pulling tension
estimations can ensure the use of appropriate Where:
pulling equipment and that the cable is installed Q = quantity in gallons (liters)
within safe limits. L = length of conduit run in feet (meters)
D = ID of the conduit in inches (mm)
Polywater J is also available in a pourable version k = 0.0015 (0.0008 if metric units)
(lower viscosity) called Polywater PJ. Polywater
PJ is primarily for use in underground work where The quantity that is appropriate for any given pull
pouring the lubricant into a cable feeder tube is a can vary from this recommendation by 50%,
convenience. depending on the complexity of the pull. Consider
the following factors:
Temperature Use Range:
Polywater J: Cable weight and stiffness
20°F to 120°F (-5°C to 50°C). (Increase quantity for stiff, heavy cable)
Polywater WJ (Winter Grade version): Conduit condition
-20°F to 120°F (-30°C to 50°C). (Increase quantity for old, dirty, or rough
Temperature Stability: conduits)
Polywater J will not phase out or separate after Conduit fill
five freeze/thaw cycles or 5-day exposure at (Increase quantity for high-percent conduit fill)
120°F (50°C).
Number of bends
Clean-up: (Increase quantity for pulls with several bends)
Polywater J is nonstaining. Complete clean-up is
possible with water. Pulling environment
(Increase quantity for high temperatures)
Storage and Shelf Life:
Store Polywater J in a tightly sealed container
away from direct sunlight. Lubricant shelf life is 18
months.
MODEL SPECIFICATION ORDER INFORMATION
The statement below may be inserted into a
specific job specification to help maintain CAT # PACKAGE DESCRIPTION
engineering standards and ensure project Regular
integrity. J-35 1-qt. squeeze bottle (0.95 liter)
12/case
The cable pulling lubricant shall be Polywater® J J-128 1-gal. pail (3.78 liter) 4/case
Lubricant. The lubricant shall be UL (or CSA) J-640 5-gal. pail (18.9 liter)
listed. The lubricant shall contain no waxes,
greases, silicones, or polyalkylene glycol oils. J-27 1-qt. bag (0.95 liter) 12/case
Lubricant manufacturer must provide cable J-99 1-qt. bag (0.95 liter) in a pail 16/pail
manufacturer approvals upon request.
J-55 ½-gal. bag (1.9 liter) 6/case
Cable jacket compatibility shall be tested by the
J-110 ½-gal. bag (1.9 liter) in a pail 10/pail
IEEE 1210, Standard Tests for Determining
Compatibility of Cable-Pulling Lubricants with J-DRUM 55-gal. drum (208 liter)
Wire and Cable. It shall pass physical Pourable
compatibility tests on LLDPE, XLPE, and PVC
cable jacket or sheath materials. It shall not PJ-128 1-gal. jug (3.78 liter) 4/case
stress-crack polyethylene per ASTM Standard PJ-320 2½-gal. jug (9.6 liter) 2/case
1693. There shall be no significant changes in the
PJ-640 5-gal. pail (18.9 liter)
conductive properties of XLPE and EPR semi-
conducting compounds when the lubricant’s effect PJ-DRUM 55-gal. drum (208 liter)
on volume resistivity is tested according to IEEE **Winter Grade version Polywater PJ available (WPJ)
Standard 1210.
A 200-gram sample of the lubricant, when placed Winter Grade
in a 1-foot, split metal conduit and fully dried for WJ-35 1-qt. squeeze bottle (0.95 liter)
24 hours at 105 degrees C, shall not spread a 12/case
flame more than three inches beyond a point of WJ-128 1-gal. pail (3.78 liter) 4/case
ignition at a continued heat flux of 40 kW/meter2.
WJ-640 5-gal. pail (18.9 liter)
Total time of test shall be one-half hour.
WJ-55 ½-gal. bag (1.9 liter) 6/case
WJ-110 ½-gal. bag (1.9 liter) in a pail 10/pail
WJ-DRUM 55-gal. drum (208 liter)

CONTACT US
+1-651-430-2270 Main | Europe, Middle East, North Africa +31 10 233 0578 | email: support@polywater.com
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The statements here are made in good faith based on tests and observations we believe to be reliable. However, the completeness and accuracy of the information is not
guaranteed. Before using, the end- user should conduct whatever evaluations are necessary to determine that the product is suitable for the intended use.
American Polywater expressly disclaims any implied warranties and conditions of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. American Polywater’s only obligation shall be to
replace such quantity of the product proven to be defective. Except for the replacement remedy, American Polywater shall not be liable for any loss, injury, or direct, indirect,
or consequential damages resulting from product’s use, regardless of the legal theory asserted.

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