If the pathway is open and the cables will be supported by j-hooks or their equivalent, spacing must support no more than ______ of cable weight.

If the pathway is open and the cables will be supported by j-hooks or their equivalent, spacing must support no more than ______ of cable weight.

• A. 25 ft pounds
• B. 10 ft pounds
• C. 40 ft pounds
• D. 60 ft pounds

Answer: (A)

When cables are run in an open pathway and supported by j-hooks or similar fittings, the weight of the cables between supports creates a load that the hook must carry. Because the hooks act like a simple support with a lever arm, the critical factor is the moment—how much turning effect the weight between adjacent supports produces on the hook. The guideline uses a maximum moment of 25 ft-lbs for this open-pathway, j-hook scenario. That means the spacing between supports must be set so that the weight of the cables between two hooks does not generate more than 25 ft-lbs of moment on the support. In practice, as you increase spacing, the moment grows, so you keep spacing small enough (or add more hooks) to stay at or below 25 ft-lbs. This ensures the hardware and the cables aren’t overstressed and that the run remains neat and safe.

When cables are run in an open pathway and supported by j-hooks or similar fittings, the weight of the cables between supports creates a load that the hook must carry. Because the hooks act like a simple support with a lever arm, the critical factor is the moment—how much turning effect the weight between adjacent supports produces on the hook. The guideline uses a maximum moment of 25 ft-lbs for this open-pathway, j-hook scenario. That means the spacing between supports must be set so that the weight of the cables between two hooks does not generate more than 25 ft-lbs of moment on the support. In practice, as you increase spacing, the moment grows, so you keep spacing small enough (or add more hooks) to stay at or below 25 ft-lbs. This ensures the hardware and the cables aren’t overstressed and that the run remains neat and safe.