# Issue with running wire through galvanized pipe.



## cloudhopperdre (Mar 26, 2015)

My co workers ran 590 feet of galvanized pipe and now we're trying to run wire for security cameras. Is there anything yall would suggest is do to get the drag line through ?


----------



## inspectorD (Mar 26, 2015)

We use a lightweight ball, and tie a string around it...then suck it throgh with a vacumn/ shop vac...works every time


----------



## nealtw (Mar 26, 2015)

Welcome to the site.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRtQDNRWzlU[/ame]


----------



## Kabris (Mar 27, 2015)

For 590 feet of conduit, I'm assuming there are over 360 degrees worth of bends (meaning there are over four 90's or a combination of offsets and 90's over 360 degrees). In that case they should have cut in pulling points (ie boxes, condulets such as LBs, LRs, etc.).  You'll have to pull to each pulling point, fish down to the next, and continue.  This is a several man job. If there are no pulling points and over 360 degrees worth of bends, you may have to physically take the pipe apart where the fish is getting stuck.  I've had to do that before and it sucks, hopefully that's not the case here.


----------



## Kabris (Mar 27, 2015)

For that distance, string and a vacuum will probably be the most practical, and make sure to use a wire pulling lubricant.  Apply generously every few feet and add when needed.


----------



## Kabris (Mar 27, 2015)

Also, the cleanest way to do it, if feasible, is to have a person at each pull point, pull a loop, feed to the next person and keep it going.  That way you keep the wire in the conduit, and don't have hundreds of feet getting all dirty on the floor, which can potentially make the pull harder for the next guy in the chain.  You'll have to be able to communicate with each other somehow if you do it this way, in case you need to stop, slow down, pull harder, etc.  It should go easy if planned right.


----------



## bud16415 (Mar 27, 2015)

I often use compressed air to blow the string thru. That&#8217;s a long distance to pull and depending on the strength of the cable it might not be a good idea to even try it in one pull. If you break a conductor pulling then you have to take it all out and start over. Lots of cost and time.

People don&#8217;t think about the weight of cable but we had a guy her take a roll of heavy cable up to the 7 th floor with the idea of lowering it down a conduit a while back. He went down about 6 floors and the weight of the cable was more than he could hold and had to let go it started flying down and he ended up with a huge birds nest on the ground below and nothing in the pipe.


----------



## beachguy005 (Mar 27, 2015)

590 feet is pretty far, especially if it has some bends in it.  I don't know if a vac could pull a piston and line through that far.  You want to use one of these like Greenlee make for the size of the conduit.  

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002KM05F6/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

If that doesn't work you can give it some help with a couple of long, steel fishtapes. 

http://www.kleinconnection.com/240-steel-replacement-fish-tape.html


----------



## bud16415 (Mar 27, 2015)

A vac is at best going to give you 10 PSI. if you plug the end you are feeding from except for an air nozzle and a hole for the string to go in and then do something like Neal&#8217;s redneck vid did with a bread bag wadded up you can get some serious PSI pulling the string along. In most cases just the airflow will grab the sides of the string and move it along it will find its way thru junction boxes even if you tape the other holes off.


----------



## nealtw (Mar 27, 2015)

I think, if you are going to make a video for instruction, I would at least tie a stick to the end of a string and maybe make a loop so I would be standing beside the vacumn.


----------



## slownsteady (Mar 27, 2015)

At least edit the damn thing. Use take 3.


----------



## CallMeVilla (Mar 29, 2015)

We have been using the plastic bag trick for years. We call it "sucking the rabbit."  Unlike the very funny video, we layout the string in advance so it can feed evenly AND hang onto the end so it doesn't just suck through like Gomer did.

Had to wire a 16' tall block wall with top lights every 6' ... No pull strings anywhere ... Used the large nut and string technique for the drops.  The long horizontal required sucking the rabbit.  Went very nicely.

However, LBs are essential in long runs.  If your guys ran that much pipe without a pull box, what were they thinking?


----------

