Topic: Cable protectors / DiscountRamps (Read 4240 times)

Bob Faulkner · « **on:** October 16, 2019, 12:53:35 PM »

Over the past few years, people have posted questions/comments about cable covers, where to get them, price, quality, etc... I'm looking at getting a few from DiscountRamps. Will be used mostly for areas where vehicular traffic is present. I'm considering ramps with the tray doors (no lay overs).

Question - the ends of the ramps that allow for interlocking with other ramps... Anyone have issues with the interlocking part(s) breaking, bending, or becoming of no use?

Question - looks like there's ramps made of rubber and ramps (perhaps) made from a polyurethane/plastic composite. Is one better than the other? Are they the same?

Tim McCulloch · « **Reply #1 on:** October 16, 2019, 02:00:14 PM »

The original Yellow Jacket cable protector was made from 100% polyurethane by a company called Peterson Systems (their other main product was roller coaster and material handling wheels, IIRC). I think Peterson sold the name and IP to someone else a few years ago but not absolutely sure about that...

The other brands - I'm not sure what the materials are.

We have Yellow Jackets in our inventory and have never had a connector failure. In fact I'm not sure we've had any kind of failure... I attribute some of that to the polyurethane. We've got some smaller cable protectors of a different brand, that are made of an unknown plastic and have had 2 coupler of breaks in 100 pieces.

Tim Hite · « **Reply #2 on:** October 16, 2019, 02:48:56 PM »

I think Checkers Safety or LEX are the places to go for the good stuff. It's expensive.

The cheap ramps don't really lock together in the first place, so you tend to end up with displaced ramps rather than broken connectors.

The cheap ramps made from "rubber" off-gas something noxious. Mine required a scrubbing with Purple Power degreaser and a bake in the desert sun to get the smell out most of the way.

Dave Garoutte · « **Reply #3 on:** October 16, 2019, 07:45:48 PM »

I have a bunch of the smelly cheap ramps.
They are perfect for the small shows I do.
I just left them outside for two weeks to outgas before I put them in the truck, where they live.

Mike Pyle · « **Reply #4 on:** October 16, 2019, 09:15:49 PM »

Checkers 5 channel Guard Dogs with the "dogbone" connector are the ones I own, and the most common that I see in use elswhere. That is important if you need to rent a few (or a few hundred) extras that will mate up.

https://www.amazon.com/GD5X125-Polyurethane-Channel-Protector-Connector/dp/B004UMT88E

I was a dealer for a while, then Checkers decided that California should have just ONE distributor. Since then I can buy them online cheaper than the so-called distributor offers them. I know that Checkers used to offer direct sales though to some venues and soundcos, so you might try calling them.

Bob Faulkner · « **Reply #5 on:** October 16, 2019, 10:40:47 PM »

Thanks for the responses and suggestions!

Appears the cheaper ones don't connect well? I may only need 30-40ft, to cover entry ways where vehicles drive; they wouldn't be used all the time.

Bob Faulkner · « **Reply #6 on:** October 17, 2019, 08:25:39 AM »

Any experiences with these people:

https://www.electriduct.com/cable-protectors.html

Looks like they carry rubber and polyurethane ramps as well as ADA compliant ones. They had few Yellow Jacket models. Prices appear to be good. I searched for "polyurethane" on the discountramps website, nothing returned. If polyurethane is better (take more abuse, won't break under normal usage), I'm willing to pay for it.

Dan Mortensen · « **Reply #7 on:** October 17, 2019, 09:41:20 AM »

I bought a dozen from Discount Ramps, and the interconnects have been fine for the dozen or so times I've used them.

The smell was overpowering, though, and no amount of scrubbing (not using Purple Power or whatever, alas) did not abate to tolerable until they sat outside in the PNW for 3 years, and now it's only noticeable when you are in their direct vicinity and not anywhere in a large ballroom.

Wouldn't buy again.

Doug Johnson · « **Reply #8 on:** October 17, 2019, 10:46:51 AM »

I bought about 75 ft of cheap Chinese cable ramp off of ebay about two years ago. They did smell right out of the box but, I just left them outside of a while and it went away. On one piece the female connector had plastic from the molding process I had to cut and the wires for the hinges tends to want to fall out on a few. Other than that they have worked well for me.

Bob Faulkner · « **Reply #9 on:** October 17, 2019, 02:25:33 PM »

Thanks again for the responses.

Tim Hite · « **Reply #10 on:** October 17, 2019, 11:20:53 PM »

Quote from: Doug Johnson on October 17, 2019, 10:46:51 AM

I bought about 75 ft of cheap Chinese cable ramp off of ebay about two years ago. They did smell right out of the box but, I just left them outside of a while and it went away. On one piece the female connector had plastic from the molding process I had to cut and the wires for the hinges tends to want to fall out on a few. Other than that they have worked well for me.

Give the ramp a couple whacks with a hammer on the wire while it's running through the cover and ramp. It will bend the wire a bit and will stay together better.

Kemper Watson · « **Reply #11 on:** October 18, 2019, 07:57:19 PM »

Quote from: Tim Hite on October 17, 2019, 11:20:53 PM

Give the ramp a couple whacks with a hammer on the wire while it's running through the cover and ramp. It will bend the wire a bit and will stay together better.

Reminds me of my Grandfather's quote. If it don't fit don't force it. Just get a bigger man with a bigger hammer

Dave Garoutte · « **Reply #12 on:** October 19, 2019, 03:23:04 PM »

Quote from: Kemper Watson on October 18, 2019, 07:57:19 PM

Reminds me of my Grandfather's quote. If it don't fit don't force it. Just get a bigger man with a bigger hammer

The idea is to bend the pin slightly so it doesn't slip.

Tim Hite · « **Reply #13 on:** November 04, 2019, 03:22:37 PM »

I just bought 100 ft of ramps off eBay and they are much much nicer than the first batch I got. The tabs lock together and they don't smell of sin and the tears of child laborers.

Dan Mortensen · « **Reply #14 on:** November 04, 2019, 03:52:31 PM »

Quote from: Tim Hite on November 04, 2019, 03:22:37 PM

The tabs lock together and they don't smell of sin and the tears of child laborers.

Poetic!

Dave Garoutte · « **Reply #15 on:** November 04, 2019, 04:39:45 PM »

Quote from: Tim Hite on November 04, 2019, 03:22:37 PM

I just bought 100 ft of ramps off eBay and they are much much nicer than the first batch I got. The tabs lock together and they don't smell of sin and the tears of child laborers.

That's just because they have the right cleaner to remove that smell.

Bob Faulkner · « **Reply #16 on:** November 06, 2019, 07:15:35 PM »

What brand did you get? Also, how many channels do the ramps support?

Tim Hite · « **Reply #17 on:** November 07, 2019, 06:10:36 PM »

Quote from: Bob Faulkner on November 06, 2019, 07:15:35 PM

What brand did you get? Also, how many channels do the ramps support?

Brand? Don't see one here but these are what I ordered.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Channel-Rubber-Electrical-Wire-Cable-Cover-Ramp-Guard-Warehouse-Cord-Protector/253703819118?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

Bob Faulkner · « **Reply #18 on:** November 08, 2019, 01:09:03 PM »

Quote from: Tim Hite on November 07, 2019, 06:10:36 PM

Brand? Don't see one here but these are what I ordered.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Channel-Rubber-Electrical-Wire-Cable-Cover-Ramp-Guard-Warehouse-Cord-Protector/253703819118?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

Nice.

Thanks.

Mal Brown · « **Reply #19 on:** November 08, 2019, 08:40:00 PM »

Are those really a 3 pack for $41 ? When i bought a couple of years back they were a little under $40 a unit...

Dave Garoutte · « **Reply #20 on:** November 08, 2019, 09:15:38 PM »

Quote from: Mal Brown on November 08, 2019, 08:40:00 PM

Are those really a 3 pack for $41 ? When i bought a couple of years back they were a little under $40 a unit...

Each.

Tim Hite · « **Reply #21 on:** November 09, 2019, 11:52:37 AM »

Quote from: Mal Brown on November 08, 2019, 08:40:00 PM

Are those really a 3 pack for $41 ? When i bought a couple of years back they were a little under $40 a unit...

Yes Mal, they are indeed a 3 pack for $41. Get some while you can. I'll be buying more.

You can fit 80' of it in a half-caddy 22x45.

ProSoundWeb Community · « **Reply #21 on:** November 09, 2019, 11:52:37 AM »

ProSoundWeb Community

Author Topic: Cable protectors / DiscountRamps (Read 4240 times)

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