Maxis XD1 Extreme Duty Circuit Puller

Anyone who works with wire, cable, and cords knows Southwire Manufacturing.  Most of those same people, when installing those products, know Southwire’s Tools and Equipment division.  Southwire Tools and Equipment provides a comprehensive line of not only hand tools, but also meters, testers, and (my favorite category) contractor equipment.  Their newest addition to the contractor equipment category is the Maxis XD1 Extreme Duty Circuit Puller.

Maxis XD1 Extreme Duty Circuit Puller – Overview

The XD1 is exactly what it claims to be, and then some.  It is an extremely portable and yet capable wire puller, powered by most commercial full-size cordless drills. The XD1 also boasts an impressive 600 lbs continuous and 1000 lbs peak pulling force.  Really, it aims to fill the gap between pulling wire and cable by hand and the need for one of the larger wire pullers such as the Maxis 3k or 6k.  The ability to efficiently and quickly pull circuits with the help of a cordless drill will work to lessen the number of workers compensation claims associated with back and hand injuries as well.

Maxis XD1 Extreme Duty Circuit Puller – Features

Firstly, It’s rugged.  The housing, “fit and finish”, and overall construction of it is impressive.  It’s heavy, yet not awkward, and feels very sturdy during use.  Being well built is a necessity for a cordless drill powered circuit puller even on the average job site.  This type of equipment, by its own nature, will take a lot of abuse.

That’s why I’m especially thankful for the field replaceable parts. Having used drill powered equipment before, it’s nice to know that when the drill adapter wears out you can replace it with minimal downtime.

The puller arm and capstan are also removable.  This aids in not only preventing costly downtime but, also in helping you adapt to the particular pulling task at hand. Being able to remove the capstan also allows you to remove string and rope much easier.

The notch and stud on the inside lip of the capstan is a great feature to allow you to capture a rope or string if letting them wind up on the capstan during the pull.

The final feature I found extremely helpful is the ability to “out of the box” extend the puller arm from 19″ to 34″ and “field” extend it up to 10′ with a piece of IMC or GRC conduit.  This proves especially nice when needing an extra tail from the conduit location to final termination point.

Maxis XD1 Extreme Duty Circuit Puller – Accessories

The accessories included with the XD1 cover a lot of the different scenarios one might run into while pulling.

Included attachments, for the end of the XD1, are 2 different sizes “crows feet” conduit adapters (I found these to be invaluable when pulling overhead), and a conduit “cleat” that allows you to better center the pulley over larger size conduits.

It is worth mentioning that the pulley head, without any attachments, does have a notch to allow you to position it on a connector or nipple relatively easily.

Another great feature is the machined 3/4″ hub in the bottom of the puller.  This allows you to install a connector or piece of rigid conduit to use as a monopod or kickstand to allow for greater control during pulls.

Your cordless drill of choice attaches to the XD1 with a velcro strap that holds the handle against a contoured “stock”.

Maxis XD1 Extreme Duty Circuit Puller – Practical Application

With the XD1 setup is simple. I’ve used it to pull everything from long branch circuits, and small feeder runs to parking lot lighting.   It definitely won’t take long to realize an increase in efficiency and decrease in necessary labor, making it easy to suit your particular areas of expertise.

Maxis XD1 Extreme Duty Circuit Puller – Value

Trying to quantify value is tricky with a tool like the XD1.  Mostly it comes down to the type of work that you do and the frequency of that work.  For me, personally, my favorite example of how well it works is also the same experience that sold me on the unit.  Our task was pulling in parking lot circuits (7 x #4 copper conductors) through 330 degrees of bend to an 8″ auxiliary wireway.  The run was 215′ of 2″ pvc conduit.  Our total pulling time with the XD1 and a cordless drill was 1 minute 57 seconds. To say that I was impressed would be an understatement.

Maxis XD1 Extreme Duty Circuit Puller – Final Thoughts

At first, I was unsure of what the right applications were for the XD1.  I don’t think I understood it’s place in the hierarchy of wire pulling equipment.  Over the last 18 years, I’ve learned that wire pulling falls into two categories. You can (and therefore WILL) pull it by hand, or you ABSOLUTELY need a wire puller.  Having the XD1 means having the ability to scale down the size of the equipment necessary, power it with a cordless tool every electrician has on site already, and still pull with enough force to eliminate the more labor intensive percentage of “hand pulls”.  I highly recommend the purchase of the XD1 for a majority of electrical contractors.  I also highly recommend that any undecided contractors contact their local Southwire distributor and schedule a demo.  Once you see the quality, power, and portability of this product, I believe you’ll agree.