I have a hayward color logic that I am replacing with a pentair intellibrite 5g my issue is when I go to pull the cable for the light it is tight at the niche. The Niche is a Hayward SP0604C/SP0609C. I can tell that it seems like it has something with threads where the cable passes through the niche but I can't loosen it. Kinda like a conduit fitting. Trying to do all this without draining the pool also. Any thoughts on what could be holding the cable tight? Do I need to drain it down below the light and gets some tools on it? I didn't own the home when the pool was built but, I do know everything is in conduit. Thanks Guys!
Help! Trying to replace pool light cable stuck
- Thread starter cforand1293
- Start date
blakeusa
In The Industry
I normally see people cutting the cord near the light and pulling the wire toward the box.
You attach a string to your old light and then use that to pull the new cord.
This is the tool you can use to attach the old cord to the new cord. They sell them at home stores.
CLSED MESH PULL 33-01-011 GRIP - Greenlee -Faster, Safer, Easier 783310304425
It does help to have the water lowered as you really need cable lube on the line to pull it.
And there should be no hardware attaching the cable to the housing.. at least that I know of. Its most likely stuck and needs lube but others can chime in.
B
You attach a string to your old light and then use that to pull the new cord.
This is the tool you can use to attach the old cord to the new cord. They sell them at home stores.
CLSED MESH PULL 33-01-011 GRIP - Greenlee -Faster, Safer, Easier 783310304425
It does help to have the water lowered as you really need cable lube on the line to pull it.
And there should be no hardware attaching the cable to the housing.. at least that I know of. Its most likely stuck and needs lube but others can chime in.
B
Yeah, I'm good on pulling the cable, I've done tons of AVL work pulling cable. What has me puzzled is the fact I can't move the cable at all. I can't even move them after they have been separated from the panel
There shouldn't be any fitting inside that niche unless someone suspected a leak and put in a compression fitting of some sort. The number you posted is a Stainless Steel niche is that what you have?
Yes, its the niche. I got in the pool, pulled with all I had and nothing. I think I may have a big issue. Going to start digging up the conduit unit I get to the concrete tomorrow.
If you have a helper see if you can pull from the junction box and then from poolside. Chances are the cord is stuck against the inside of conduit. They usually use red brass on the S.S. niches
I have pulled hundreds of new fixtures, most are usually 50' cords, the most common cord length found on most pools here in Phoenix, first i disconnect it at the j-box, then tie some nylon string around the 3 wires at the end of the cord at j-box, then wrap some electrical tape around wire and string, then back at the pool with the light removed from the niche and floating in the pool, i tug and pull at the cord until string end appears, if i am unable to break the cord free to pull it through, i then grab a 2'' piece of PVC pipe from my truck about 5'-10' long (what ever pipe i have already cut on my truck) then i wrap the 5' cord length left on the fixture that allows light to be able to be pulled topside on pool deck for bulb replacement (there should be a few feet of cord wrapped around the light when it is removed from niche) and wrap it around the pipe in such a way that it does not slip, and now have the cord wrapped around the pipe with pipe vertical and the cord centered at the niche and the pipe against the pool wall as i stand on the deck i push on the pipe outward to try and break the cord free, wrapping the pipe around the cord pulls the pipe towards the wall that is used for leverage to break cord free, this provides the additional oomff, and leverage, that just pulling on it while inside the pool doesn't give you, the amount of pressure to break it free can range from a little push to pushing the pipe hard enough to flex the pipe until it gives, once the initial pressure begins to pull the cord out you can get back in the pool and pull it out by hand.
Some cords are tough until you apply enough pressure on them to break cord free, it is just the initial breaking free of the cord that is the hardest part sometimes, then pull the cord through, cut the string from the cord in pool, tie the string to the new light cord, and start pulling the string from the j-box until the cord from new light appears and hook up light. i weave the string around the 3 wires at the end of light cord, and tie it a few times between weaves, then wrap more tape around it, and pull (you want the string to be able to be pulled on without having it slip off off new cord) because i always pull new lights by myself (there is no need for two people) you will have to go back and forth between j-box and pool to unravel cord as it goes into light niche a few times but one person can do this, because i work alone, and it is not practical to drag someone along with me to help change a light, i have learned to do it without help, if you have help that's okay to, one to pull, and one to guide light cord through.
maybe 1 out of 100 light pulls i have done were so hard that i did stretch, and break the cord when trying to pull the light, but it can happen, these were usually on unusual 100' light pulls on some crazy high end home carved out of the side of a mountain or something, it takes quite a bit of effort to break the cord, but usually there's enough cord to re wrap it and try again, or pull it from j-box side etc.
Some lights are going to need that additional leverage to break free when you can't pull it through by pulling on it, don't be afraid to apply more pressure to break it free as i have described, it will work.
Some cords are tough until you apply enough pressure on them to break cord free, it is just the initial breaking free of the cord that is the hardest part sometimes, then pull the cord through, cut the string from the cord in pool, tie the string to the new light cord, and start pulling the string from the j-box until the cord from new light appears and hook up light. i weave the string around the 3 wires at the end of light cord, and tie it a few times between weaves, then wrap more tape around it, and pull (you want the string to be able to be pulled on without having it slip off off new cord) because i always pull new lights by myself (there is no need for two people) you will have to go back and forth between j-box and pool to unravel cord as it goes into light niche a few times but one person can do this, because i work alone, and it is not practical to drag someone along with me to help change a light, i have learned to do it without help, if you have help that's okay to, one to pull, and one to guide light cord through.
maybe 1 out of 100 light pulls i have done were so hard that i did stretch, and break the cord when trying to pull the light, but it can happen, these were usually on unusual 100' light pulls on some crazy high end home carved out of the side of a mountain or something, it takes quite a bit of effort to break the cord, but usually there's enough cord to re wrap it and try again, or pull it from j-box side etc.
Some lights are going to need that additional leverage to break free when you can't pull it through by pulling on it, don't be afraid to apply more pressure to break it free as i have described, it will work.
Well after about 6 hours we got it. First I opened the conduit after the first two 90s in the yard. This allowed the cable to be pulled. Connected the new light cable to the old and started pulling. Due to the size of the junction at the niche we had to keep the wrap really small. Half way through the pull we lost the cable. Pulled both out and had to run a fish. It took about 2 hours to get the fish pushed through. Needless to say I bought a 100’ corded light after measuring out what I thought would be 60ft. Once we got the cables pulled we only had about 10ft of cable left. I guess the conduit run runs a zig zag across my yard. Anyway thanks for all the help and suggestions. Now hoping that this light last a little longer than 2 years like my old Hayward.
I tried every thing and the only thing that helped was what you said but my cable was down to far in jbox to tape a pull string. Now i have fish tape all the way about 59ft and nothing i have done is getting the fish tape the last few feet into the pool niche. Any advice getting the tape there last few so i can pull new light string through
Tie a pull string on the end of the tape. Then use a vacuum to pull the string out the rest of the way. Have the vacuum running the entire time you are pushing the fish tape otherwise it will get tangled.