Need advice - Trying to pull light fixture cable.

[TheDoc46]

Hi

My pool was built in 2011. Unfortunately the company that built the pool, made the cable for the pool light too short by about 8 inches.. Probably giggling to themselves while doing so ! So i can't get it to the side of the pool to replace the bulb. It just about reaches the top of the water. I didn't think it would be an issue. I just said to myself, ok i'll disconnect at the junction box, tie up to the wire, a pull string, so i can pull the cable out the niche a foot. Get it to the side of the pool, fix and then use my pull string to pull back up the conduit, back to where it was on the junction box.

HOWEVER today when i jumped in the pool and unscrewed the housing from the niche, i realized they sealed the frickin conduit with putty. After picking away as much of the putty as i could, I used all my strength to hoping to at least loosen it enough so i could pull it.. But no chance. I'm now scared i'll end up breaking the conduit and making a much bigger more expensive problem.

I get why they sealed the conduit. Probably saves them a lot of return calls down the road. But man so lazy to trim the wire short, and well not give a Dang about what the future holds.

Anyway, any pro's with any idea's on how to fix this ? i don't know how far in the putty goes, i've tried to pick out as much as i can using my finger all while under water. I'm also hesitant to use anything sharp to try and cut it to hopefully loosen some more out, and release the cable, as i don't want to nick the cable.

Is the only fix, a new niche and conduit ? or is there a trick of the trade i can try to employ to get this cable pulled just maybe 8 or so inches. The other alternative is drain the pool a foot or two, then have someone hold the enclosure, while i repair it, then seal it up put it back, all while hovering over the water. Not ideal by any means.

 

[HermanTX]

I would drain pool water before trying to pull wire. Just ensure the CB’s are off when doing the repair.
However @1poolman1 may have some better ideas.

 

[Bperry]

Hi

My pool was built in 2011. Unfortunately the company that built the pool, made the cable for the pool light too short by about 8 inches.. Probably giggling to themselves while doing so ! So i can't get it to the side of the pool to replace the bulb. It just about reaches the top of the water. I didn't think it would be an issue. I just said to myself, ok i'll disconnect at the junction box, tie up to the wire, a pull string, so i can pull the cable out the niche a foot. Get it to the side of the pool, fix and then use my pull string to pull back up the conduit, back to where it was on the junction box.

HOWEVER today when i jumped in the pool and unscrewed the housing from the niche, i realized they sealed the frickin conduit with putty. After picking away as much of the putty as i could, I used all my strength to hoping to at least loosen it enough so i could pull it.. But no chance. I'm now scared i'll end up breaking the conduit and making a much bigger more expensive problem.

I get why they sealed the conduit. Probably saves them a lot of return calls down the road. But man so lazy to trim the wire short, and well not give a Dang about what the future holds.

Anyway, any pro's with any idea's on how to fix this ? i don't know how far in the putty goes, i've tried to pick out as much as i can using my finger all while under water. I'm also hesitant to use anything sharp to try and cut it to hopefully loosen some more out, and release the cable, as i don't want to nick the cable.

Is the only fix, a new niche and conduit ? or is there a trick of the trade i can try to employ to get this cable pulled just maybe 8 or so inches. The other alternative is drain the pool a foot or two, then have someone hold the enclosure, while i repair it, then seal it up put it back, all while hovering over the water. Not ideal by any means.

Pulling the wire after that long of a time can be a bear. They had trouble feeding a new one through conduit on mine. Id drop the water level and deal with it that way. Picking out the sealing will just let water into the conduit and who knows if its sealed any more or not. At that point Id replace the whole fixture with the correct length cable.

 

[TheDoc46]

Its a long run back to the junction box. Its right on the other side of the house. here's some pics from when they originally built the pool. I don't even know which way they ran the cable.. only that its just right on the other side of the house. Don't worry all breakers are off. I guess i'll try and just fix by draining a couple of feet of water. No idea how much that'll cost... but i suspect it'll be 2 or 3 thousand gallons. However much a gallon of water is, is how much this is going to cost !

 

[1poolman1]

Hi

My pool was built in 2011. Unfortunately the company that built the pool, made the cable for the pool light too short by about 8 inches.. Probably giggling to themselves while doing so ! So i can't get it to the side of the pool to replace the bulb. It just about reaches the top of the water. I didn't think it would be an issue. I just said to myself, ok i'll disconnect at the junction box, tie up to the wire, a pull string, so i can pull the cable out the niche a foot. Get it to the side of the pool, fix and then use my pull string to pull back up the conduit, back to where it was on the junction box.

HOWEVER today when i jumped in the pool and unscrewed the housing from the niche, i realized they sealed the frickin conduit with putty. After picking away as much of the putty as i could, I used all my strength to hoping to at least loosen it enough so i could pull it.. But no chance. I'm now scared i'll end up breaking the conduit and making a much bigger more expensive problem.

I get why they sealed the conduit. Probably saves them a lot of return calls down the road. But man so lazy to trim the wire short, and well not give a Dang about what the future holds.

Anyway, any pro's with any idea's on how to fix this ? i don't know how far in the putty goes, i've tried to pick out as much as i can using my finger all while under water. I'm also hesitant to use anything sharp to try and cut it to hopefully loosen some more out, and release the cable, as i don't want to nick the cable.

Is the only fix, a new niche and conduit ? or is there a trick of the trade i can try to employ to get this cable pulled just maybe 8 or so inches. The other alternative is drain the pool a foot or two, then have someone hold the enclosure, while i repair it, then seal it up put it back, all while hovering over the water. Not ideal by any means.

Since that light can't be placed on the deck while still attached and the pool full, it doesn't meet code requirements.
When the pool was built the light that was purchased most likely had a cord too short (you purchase lights based on cord length first) and was installed easily as it was done with the pool empty.