Can't pull out pool light!

[poolmom314]

Trying to remove the pool light from my pool. Wires are disconnected from the power block. It's not pulling from either direction. I got in the pool and pulled at it with full force. The Niche is removed, I just can't get the wire to go either way.

I do have a spa but it has its own conduit and hooked into the other power block. We made sure that this was the correct wire for the pool light...

Any ideas?

 

[ping]

Try flooding the conduit with water, which will lube the cable, and then give the cable a good pull. I wrapped the cable around a broom stick and added water to the conduit when I replaced my in-laws lights last year, worked like a charm.

 

[poolmom314]

Hi Ping

Thank you for your advice, quick question , did you pull wire from inside the pool or at the electrical box ?

 

[CraigMW]

I would suggest pulling the cable from either end to try and get it to move. The conduit might have gotten compressed by something heavy. Also, did you check the back of the niche (this is the hole that the light sits in, not the light fixture) to see if there is putty blocking the conduit. This is added sometimes and could be preventing you from moving the cable. If so, you may need to dig this out.

 

[poolmom314]

thank you Craig ,,,

 

[ping]

I pulled from inside the pool and used my legs to help push away from the wall. I tried to pull straight out from where the cable entered the conduit in back of the niche as I could. Once it broke free it pulled very easy after that. Before I added the water, the cable was completely stuck and wouldn't budge an inch. Make sure you attach a string of some sort to the old cable before you pull it out so it can help pull the new cable through the conduit.