pulling wire through conduit

Tractor Seabee · Sep 3, 2022

Calling on our electricians in Tractor Land.

I am getting ready to pull three #8s and one #10 through a 1" underground conduit. What is the best way to connect them to the fish tape for the pull? There are two 90-degree bends and one 45-degree bend. I have plenty of wire lube.

Ron

bmaverick · Sep 3, 2022

Ron, not enough info. Are these already under ground and buried? Are these above ground and running thru walls? Are the 90 degree bends with access plates? Is this electrical PVC or conduit metal pipe?

What codes are applicable for your location? What grade of wires are used to understand the insulation sleeving.

ponytug · Sep 3, 2022

And how far are you pulling?

4570Man · Sep 3, 2022

That sounds like a pretty miserable job especially if they’re short radius 90s but they make wire sleeves that go on the end of the wire and pinch it.

4570Man · Sep 3, 2022

caver · Sep 3, 2022

Strip the big wires back a few inches and cut most of the strands away. Take the remaining strands and loop them through your fishtape. Tape the snot out of it but not a big dog knot. Sometimes you can get away with taping the smaller wires next to the big wires without stripping them back.

grsthegreat · Sep 3, 2022

caver said:
Strip the big wires back a few inches and cut most of the strands away. Take the remaining strands and loop them through your fishtape. Tape the snot out of it but not a big dog knot. Sometimes you can get away with taping the smaller wires next to the big wires without stripping them back.

Second this

scootr · Sep 3, 2022

That's going to be a tough pull. Hopefully its a short one.

grsthegreat · Sep 3, 2022

Na, easy pull. 1” conduit plenty big

Tractor Seabee · Sep 3, 2022

Wires are THHN, longest pull between pull points is 70' +/-, ells are long radius, new pvc conduit buried and above ground. One end of the long pull is in a 10" at grade pull box with the 45 bend and the other is a condule, all other bends in the remaining 40 feet are through condulets. I tried one of those "Chinese" finger puller once, in the distant past, with bad results. I like Caver's idea. I actually increased the conduit size from code required 3/4' to the 1" as I knew it would be difficult. Arm chair eval now, I probably should have used 1 1/4".

Ron

MossRoad · Sep 3, 2022

When I do something like that, I'd lay the first 8 wire down, then stagger the next 8 a foot down the line, then the next 8, then the 10. Then I roll a loop or two of tape around each just to hold them together. Then I use a pull line, not a fish tape. I throw an overhand knot around the entire bundle and tape it down, then a series of overhand knots down the line to the tip. Then hold the line tight and tape the entire 3-4' from back towards the tip. I'd have to take some pictures to make it clear. But what it does is give you a foot to clear every turn before the next wire, and the next, and the next. Lube the heck out of it and it pulls like butter.

Since you can fit 9 #8 wires in a 1" conduit, you should have no problems with 3 and one #10.

MossRoad · Sep 3, 2022

To be clear, I despise fish tape.

I use a piece of plastic bag or rag tied to a string and suck it through conduit with a shop vac. Then pull a heavier cord through with the string.

4570Man · Sep 3, 2022

MossRoad said:
To be clear, I despise fish tape.

I use a piece of plastic bag or rag tied to a string and suck it through conduit with a shop vac. Then pull a heavier cord through with the string.

That’s how I do it it as well. The fish tapes are slow and aggravating to get through. I’ve had good success blowing the string through with a cordless blower since I don’t generally carry a shop vac.

MossRoad · Sep 3, 2022

I generally pull another pull string through along with the wires as well on long runs. You never know if you're gonna have to pull another wire through in the future. There's a risk of burning the insulation on the existing wires if you pull more through in the future, but if you're careful when pulling the initial wires through, they generally don't twist around too much, and again, if you use plenty of pulling lube and pull slowly, it's not been a problem for me.

grsthegreat · Sep 4, 2022

I made a living using fish tapes. Never had an issue using one. But i use vacuum and blow line when pipe exceeds 100’.

honestly, pulling 3 #8 and a 10 thru 1” even without lube is easy with 2 people, as long as electrical 90’s are used.

ponytug · Sep 4, 2022

Another vote for @MossRoad's suggested method of connecting a rope or tape to the bundle. I don't trust the mesh for anything long or important, but I do use it.

I have used both fish tape and rope. Personally, I prefer rope, or pulling tape for longer runs.

From running fiber, I learned the trick of pulling an extra rope/tape when you do your main pull. It will save you grief later if you ever need it. The other trick I learned was to pull a line with a lube soaked raccoon tail or rag through the pull both ways before doing the real pull. It leaves extra lube on all the tight bits.

The first time that I saw the vacuum trick, I felt like I was watching magic. That thought was quickly followed by the thought of all the hours that I had wasted trying to fish something with fish tape. It works like a charm. Light rope and a plastic shopping bag and you are in clover.

All the best,

Peter

Tractor Seabee · Sep 4, 2022

Thanks a lot for all the good ideas. I am leaning toward Moss Road's methods. I have a 125' nylon fish tape that I pushed through to get my measurements as I only have one reel of white #8 so have to cut two pieces for the wires I will mark as black and red each end with a magic marker.

Any one here in the Puget Sound Area need the #8 and green #10 I have left over? This is my last electrical project for this address where I need those sizes.

I will report my results. Plan to get this done this week.

Ron

newbury · Sep 4, 2022

ponytug said:
The other trick I learned was to pull a line with a lube soaked raccoon tail or rag through the pull both ways before doing the real pull. It leaves extra lube on all the tight bits.

Doesn't the racoon get mad?

plowhog · Sep 4, 2022

MossRoad said:
Since you can fit 9 #8 wires in a 1" conduit, you should have no problems with 3 and one #10.

Some time ago a licensed electrician told me just because wires will physically fit in a conduit doesn't mean you can, or should, do it. I believe there is also an amperage / heat rating limit as well. Probably not an issue with this job, but it's something I ran into with my construction a while ago.