Cut Sheet

Support Grip Safety Information
Kellems Support Grips are used to hold the weight of electrical cable as it hangs in a vertical, sloping or horizontal position. Electrical
cable must be supported, or its dead weight can cause excessive strain or pullout at the connections resulting in power failure.
Support grips also absorb additional strain from flexure, vibration, expansion and contraction. Standard Support and Conduit Riser
Grips are made of high grade, non-magnetic tin-coated bronze strands. Stainless steel grips, used for severe service or unusual
environmental conditions are made of alloy 302–304 SST.
CAUTION
It is very important to comply with all of the following precautions. Failure to do so may result
in property damage, personal injury or death.
1. Support grips are to be installed by a qualified individual in accordance with all applicable national and local safety, electrical and
rigging codes.
2. Ensure that the correct grip is selected for your specific needs.
3. Do not use a support grip for any application other than supporting cable.
4. Thoroughly examine the grip for damage. Do not use a damaged grip.
5. Ensure that the recommended work load of the grip is suitable for the application. Never use grips at their approximated rated
breaking strength. A safety factor of 10 is recommended for support grips.
6. Do not alter grips in any way. For example, do not flatten, straighten, bend or otherwise modify eye tubes, hooks, and strand
equalizers.
7. Do not attach any type of hook, clamp or other hardware directly to the stranded bale of a “U” eye support grip. The formed eye tube
is the only acceptable means of attachment to external hardware.
8. Always apply 2 bands at 1" and 2" respectively, from the tail end of the mesh to guard against accidental release of the grip. Accidental
release can occur if an object contracts and pushes against the tail end of the mesh, thereby expanding and releasing it’s hold.
Select The Correct Support Grip
Each Kellems Grip is designed to work on a specific range of cable diameters.
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
Step 6
To determine the style of grip best suited for your application.
Determine your cable outside diameter.
Find the grip size that encompasses your cable diameter.
Whenever possible, use a closed mesh that assembles over the cable end. If the cable end is not available, use a split mesh. Where
available, select an eye style that suits your needs.
Select the proper material—tinned bronze or stainless steel.
Estimate the tension to be put on the grip, establish the working load you require and compare this to the listed approximate breaking
strength of the grip to insure that the grip will be strong enough. Refer to product installation instructions for safety and working load factors.
Safety And Working Load Factors For Support Grips
The broad application of Kellems grips on a wide variety of objects
requires that adequate safety factors be used to establish working loads.
The approximate breaking strength of a Kellems grip represents an
average calculation based on data established from actual direct tension
testing done in our engineering laboratories.
It is impossible to catalog or guarantee a safety factor suitable for all
applications as operating conditions are never the same. The tension,
diameter, movement, number of objects gripped, gripping surface, and
the attachments used are just some of the factors which vary with each
application. These factors, together with the effects of abrasion, corrosion,
prior use or abuse and any other variables of a specific application, must
be considered by the user and the grip replaced as
appropriate. Where the conditions of the application are not well
defined or known, or where risk of injury to persons or property is
involved, a greater safety factor should be utilized.
Under normal conditions, Kellems’ recommended factor of safety
is ten for catalog listed support grips.
Any warranty as to quality, performance or fitness for use of grips is
always premised on the condition that the published breaking
strengths apply only to new, unused grips, and that such products
are properly stored, handled, used, maintained and inspected by
the user at a frequency appropriate for the use and condition of the
grip.
Example
Grip Style
Approx. Breaking Strength Lbs. (N)
Safety Factor
Max. Recommended Load Lbs. (N)
Catalog Number
Support Grips
1,610 (7,161)
10
161 (716)
02202019
The maximum recommended working load is the tension to be exerted on the grip in application with a margin of safety to take care
of unforeseen and unusual circumstances.
It is the end-user’s decision to determine how much of a safety factor is acceptable for the application.
The metric unit of measure (force) for breaking strength and load is newtons (N). To convert from newtons to the metric unit of
weight (kilograms) the conversion factor is 9.808 newtons/kilogram.