Thoughts on type of Fish Tape for 90ft run

[dblazer31]

Hello - I wanted to get the boards thoughts/recommendations on Fish Tape for installing my Colorlogic lights. My 3 old lights died and I was able to get the first two replaced by tying a pull line to old light wire. I was able to get the old light out and the pull wire along with it but when i was pulling the wire for the new light back in the pull line broke about 3/4ths of the way through(technically it was just a bad job taping the pull line to the Pool wire) so i planned on buying a Fish Tape. The run is just under 90ft with what i believe are a couple 90 degree turns. Just want to make sure i get the best tape for the job and have seen there are fiberglass, metal, polymer, etc.
Thanks!

 

[1poolman1]

Hello - I wanted to get the boards thoughts/recommendations on Fish Tape for installing my Colorlogic lights. My 3 old lights died and I was able to get the first two replaced by tying a pull line to old light wire. I was able to get the old light out and the pull wire along with it but when i was pulling the wire for the new light back in the pull line broke about 3/4ths of the way through(technically it was just a bad job taping the pull line to the Pool wire) so i planned on buying a Fish Tape. The run is just under 90ft with what i believe are a couple 90 degree turns. Just want to make sure i get the best tape for the job and have seen there are fiberglass, metal, polymer, etc.
Thanks!

How often are you going to use it is the first question to ask. I have a 100' steel tape that I use about twice a year that has lasted me for over 10 years. I have used polyester to help another tech and they are great, but I don't use a tape enough to get another. Forgot my last one in the bed of my truck and it got rained on which destroyed it. Won't happen with polyester.

 

[dblazer31]

Honestly it will probably only be this time and if something like this should happen again. I just want to make sure whichever one I purchase does the job and didn't know if one or the other was better.

 

[dfwnoob]

In my previous life of doing datacom/telecom installs, I found that the metal fish tapes are less prone to getting jammed in tight corners. However, I've found the brand of tape almost matters more than whatever it's made of. Cheap fish tapes SUCK. I had a Klein metal and poly fish tape and both worked very well.

We would use cable pulling lube in tricky conduits, but I'm not sure how that would work with pool chemistry.

 

[Mdragger88]

Got anyone you could just borrow one from?
A metal one will be fine if you’re buying.
Once you own one you may be surprised at how often you need it, they’re very handy

Tip*
As you’re winding it back up be sure to wipe it with a rag so it’s dry & doesn’t rust in storage.

 

[Ahultin]

I bought a cheap nylon one from harbor freight that I planned to use once then toss but it has been very usefull. I don't see it on harbor freight anymore but there is one on amazon cheap
VGongTech 30M 100ft Fish Tape Cable Puller Kit Through Wall Wire Guide Device 4mm PET Electrical Cable Puller Duct Rodder Threader Fish Cable Fastener Amazon.com

 

[JamesW]

You can probably rent a fish tape from a local rental place.

A pet store might have fish tape, but it is probably not the right thing for what you are trying to do.

That type of fish tape is good for a koi with a laceration or a trout with a bite from a shark.

 

[dblazer31]

Got anyone you could just borrow one from?
A metal one will be fine if you’re buying.
Once you own one you may be surprised at how often you need it, they’re very handy

Tip*
As you’re winding it back up be sure to wipe it with a rag so it’s dry & doesn’t rust in storage.

Thanks all. Heading to HD now to buy a metal one. I'll probably end up wondering how I have ever lived so long without one

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Thanks all. Heading to HD now to buy a metal one. I'll probably end up wondering how I have ever lived so long without one

Or you can sell it on eBay when you’re done. If you keep the original packaging and only use it once, you should be able to get most of your money back.

 

[brk]

It may be too late, but you can also use the plastic bag and pullstring trick.

Wad up a plastic grocery bag (or maybe a half a bag if you've got 1/2" conduit. Tie a pull string to that, and then suck it through the conduit with a shop vac (probably a wet vac since you've going to get water with it). Use that pull string to pull a thicker line back through, which you can then use to pull the wire for your lights.

For long pulls like that I have both steel tape and a fiberglass one. I like the fiberglass one better, as it is stiffer, but if you have too many turns then it gets too hard to push through. In the end, there is no single ideal choice, it depends on the conduit.

 

[Mark McLeroy]

It may be too late, but you can also use the plastic bag and pullstring trick.

Wad up a plastic grocery bag (or maybe a half a bag if you've got 1/2" conduit. Tie a pull string to that, and then suck it through the conduit with a shop vac (probably a wet vac since you've going to get water with it). Use that pull string to pull a thicker line back through, which you can then use to pull the wire for your lights.

For long pulls like that I have both steel tape and a fiberglass one. I like the fiberglass one better, as it is stiffer, but if you have too many turns then it gets too hard to push through. In the end, there is no single ideal choice, it depends on the conduit.

I like brk's idea. But I would try a small piece of foam rubber tied to the pull string instead of a plastic bag. With fish tape, a 90 foot run, and a couple of 90s I see the possibility of a lot of cursing in your future.

 

[Comeby]

Just had two nylon lines part midway through my pull through. 3 successful pulls then these two failed. I used a metal Klein fish tape and have stacked out both ways (top down and from the pool up). Not sure if to hire someone or try something else. I have not used pool lube. Thoughts?

 

[Ahultin]

Just had two nylon lines part midway through my pull through. 3 successful pulls then these two failed. I used a metal Klein fish tape and have stacked out both ways (top down and from the pool up). Not sure if to hire someone or try something else. I have not used pool lube. Thoughts?

Try the vacuum/bag/pullstring trick. Use that string to pull mule tape thru then the mule tape to pull the wire

 

[Mdragger88]

Just had two nylon lines part midway through my pull through. 3 successful pulls then these two failed. I used a metal Klein fish tape and have stacked out both ways (top down and from the pool up). Not sure if to hire someone or try something else. I have not used pool lube. Thoughts?

Are you saying you can’t get the fishtape though??

 

[Comeby]

Are you saying you can’t get the fishtape though??

Yes.

I just tried a water nozzle with a nylon string with a large knot on the end. Was able to ‘pump it down’ but it seems to be balling up somewhere. I pumped nearly 1.5 times the run length, as measure by the cable that was in there. I guess I can try the plastic bag with an air compressor, or maybe a foam ear plug.

 

[bradgray]

The grocery sack & string > string & mule tape > mule tape > cable/wire is how electricians do it and how I do it (if i don't have the original line).

You will want a wet vac. And you want to seal the end of your vac hose to the conduit as tightly as possible at the jbox. I have a smaller shovac that I use for this job, and the hose fits near perfectly.

Shove the grocery sack into the conduit in your light niche with the lightweight string attached and it'll suck right into your wetvac.

 

[duraleigh]

Sucking the string through with a PIECE of plastic bag (not too big) has worked well for me but only had to do it once,

 

[1poolman1]

Just had two nylon lines part midway through my pull through. 3 successful pulls then these two failed. I used a metal Klein fish tape and have stacked out both ways (top down and from the pool up). Not sure if to hire someone or try something else. I have not used pool lube. Thoughts?

Using a flexible fish-tape leader will usually get the tape through all the conduit unless someone used hard 90's (like plumbing fittings).

Amazon.com

How to do it:

 

[Bill1974]

Prior to trying to get the tape though the conduit you might want to flush out any debris that is in it first to make pulling the tape or wire through as easy as possible. For pushing a tape through the conduit I have the best l luck with metal tapes. Normally I would use a nylon pull tape for something that long. Pull tapes are generally strong enough (a few hundred to a few thousand lbs breaking strength. Also two people make this a lot easier too. one feeding the other pulling. Lube is going to be a challenge to use unless the water is below the conduit.

 

[KevMo]

I have used the shop vac plastic bag technique many times. It has worked well even over hundreds of feet. Make sure the full length of string needed will unspool with very little effort. The bag will move very quickly.