When maintaining breakers, you must take care not to use too much lubricant. With cable pulls, it's almost axiomatic that more is better.
You may have noticed that cable lubricants come in many varieties. Obviously, these aren't to make one "taste" better than another. The differences have to do with factors such as:
- Suitability to the application. For high tension or long-distance pulls, a more viscous lubricant is better than a runny one. Generally, you will choose between a liquid and a gel.
- Weather formulation. If you are pulling in extreme cold, select a winter-grade lubricant.
- Useful additives. Silicone is extremely slippery, so if it's in a pulling lube friction will be reduced. However, you can't use silicone in some places. For example, you can't use it in a building that has painting operations because silicone prevents paint from adhering.
- Additive absence. An example is low-smoke, halogen-free pulling lube.
- Ease of cleanup. Water-based lubricants are easy to clean up but can't be used in every application.
- Cost. The lowest cost lubricant could turn out to be a costly mistake for the project. Or, it could be a money-saver.
