Pool light conduit has me feeling like Curly Howard.

[Drounsley1]

Hey gang, long time lurker, first time poster.

Wondering if I could pick your brain about the conduit running to the pool light? My light filled with water a few months back and I'm just now getting around to fixing it. I tied off string to the end of the wiring, took the light housing off and out... wire and string (25 feet) pulled out ok. Wasn't super easy, but came through with no problems. Tied the string to the end of the new light wire to pull back through and the string snapped. A few curse words and a thrown ball of string later, I pulled out the 200 foot snake line.

Starting at the gfci end, I started fishing the line through, hoping to get through to the niche. Yeah, not so much. About 18 feet in it's like I hit a brick wall. Absolutely no movement past that point.

I tried going the other way, starting at the niche and ending at the gfci - about 4 feet in I no longer can push any further.

Frustrated, I go back to the gfci end and try again. Nothing. Everything I seem to do fails.

I pull the air compressor hose out and blow through the line, and the niche is bubbling like a kid blowing through a straw into his milk. Good sign, since it doesn't appear that the line is blocked. I pour a little water down the hole and blow again - bubbles (and no debris). So tells me that the line is still clear and hasn't been breached or broken.

That said, what the heck could be the reason why I'm not able to push my snake past the 18 foot mark on one end or the 4 foot mark on the other? Is there a severe turn in the pipe that is preventing me from going through? Anyone ever have a similar issue?

 

[jza1736]

What size pipe, and what size snake?
How long is the total run?

 

[AftonJeeper]

If it is regular 3/4" or 1" electrical conduit with a 90° elbow you will have a hard time fishing the tape through. Another trick I've used is either a shop vac or air compressor to blow or suck a string through the pipe. You'll probably need to lower the water to accomplish this method. If your having a hard time getting it to feed you might need a cotton ball, small piece of cork, or something light and small enough to fit in the conduit tied to the end of the line.

 

[Drounsley1]

What size pipe, and what size snake?
How long is the total run?

The conduit is 3/4 diameter, total run is 25 feet long. The snake line it 1/8 wide, 200 feet long. So, plenty room to work with - I'm just hitting a roadblock at the 18 foot mark.

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If it is regular 3/4" or 1" electrical conduit with a 90° elbow you will have a hard time fishing the tape through.

I'll try your suggested tricks. So far nothing I do is successful. Open to any suggestions. I'm afraid I may have to put the old housing back in, minus the cord, and have a dummy light...looks good, but isn't functional.

 

[jza1736]

Pvc or ridgid? Sounds like a Broken pipe... Did you bend the head of the snake so it's curved and not sharp to hang up things? Do you know the direction of the pipe run? You can lay the snake out on the ground and start digging there. Try putting a little electrical tape over the head of the snake and coat it with soap. Also try to turn the snake when you get stuck

 

[CJadamec]

I had to re run a pull cord in 3/4" conduit with multiple 90's and using a vacuum did the trick. Use parachute cord it's thin and very flexible and there is no way for you to snap it with your hands.

 

[Drounsley1]

Pvc or ridgid? Sounds like a Broken pipe... Did you bend the head of the snake so it's curved and not sharp to hang up things? Do you know the direction of the pipe run? You can lay the snake out on the ground and start digging there. Try putting a little electrical tape over the head of the snake and coat it with soap. Also try to turn the snake when you get stuck

Ridgid. I don't think the pipe it broken as I have no issues pushing water (and tried a little dye) with the air compressor. Only thing that came through was the water and the dye and it was almost instantaneous. No blockage.

However, the snake I'm using has a sharpe point, so I'll try your suggestion of taping it off and adding some lubricant to help it along. Perhaps it's just getting caught on a joint?

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I had to re run a pull cord in 3/4" conduit with multiple 90's and using a vacuum did the trick. Use parachute cord it's thin and very flexible and there is no way for you to snap it with your hands.

Good call. The cheap mason sting line I used got caught on the sharpe edge of the ridgid pipe and broke loose. I'll head out to buy some parachute cord. Thanks!

 

[jason176]

Electricians fish tape and some pulling string is what you most likely need, both can be found in the electrical department at your home improvement store

 

[Brianf60]

I use a vacuum and string tied around a dryer sheet. Sucks through conduit pretty quick.

 

[CJadamec]

I like the dryer sheet idea.

 

[Tommmy]

I use a shop vac & a piece of a plastic shopping bag attached to a string

 

[danpik]

It could be that the conduit is crushed in the area that won't let the snake thru. Not crushed flat but close enough to block the snake but still let the air thru. I had one like that years ago and used a section of 3/16" cable and a drill motor to get past it. I put a crimp connector on the end of the cable and formed, as best I could, a bullet tip. I then pushed the cable in as far as I could get it. I chucked the other end into a cordless drill and slowly spun the cable while pushing on it and it got past the bad section. Took a bit of trying but, got there eventually.

Dan