Pulling Cable through ducting... Good idea or bad idea

fartingspartan · 29 Sep 2021 at 17:38

Hi All,

I have a garage around 15feet from my house and there is ducting already in place that holds an armoured power cable which takes power from house to garage distribution board.

I have a need to put 3 cat6 cables into garage for CCTV and a WifiAP which I have been trying to do with the Armoured power cable in place - limited success as I think the new cable is going over and under the existing cable somewhere when I am pulling it through creating an unwinnable tug of war.

The ducting is more than wide enough for the cables to fit.

Today I gave it another go and yet again ended up with an unmovable cable after so many pulls.

I was thinking today - I could disconnect the garage power feed from the house and pull back through ducting....then attach cat6 cables to it and reefed it through as one entity avoiding the issue I think I am facing currently.

Has anyone does this before ie removed a cable from ducting and put back in?

My main concern is that on removing the armoured I am unable to put it back in and facing digging drive up as I assume the cable was put in before house was built.

I have a little slack on each end of the armoured and it seems to move back and forward with ease so a pull through should be easy enough.

I can attach some spare cat6 to one end when I am pulling through so I can pull it back without needing to put my cable rods down again.

Appreciate any thoughts/experiences.

Cheers

whitecrook · 29 Sep 2021 at 17:44

I wouldnt remove the armoured cable

i would just ‘try harder’ with the rods.
They have smooth ends? Can you use the moveable slack of the armoured cable to help knock it through?
How far are you getting the rods in before they jammed?

can you come at it from both sides? Is it possible to dig down and inspect the blockage?

dlockers · 29 Sep 2021 at 18:22

Push a clean rod through as recommended above then attach CAT6 to it and pull the cable through.

whitecrook · 29 Sep 2021 at 18:52

If you have slack on the cable loop the rods end round it with a bit of string. Then push it the string should keep the rod close to the cable

robj20 · 29 Sep 2021 at 18:56

What ever you do, pull a length of string/rope through as well. For future use.

DXP55 · 29 Sep 2021 at 19:14

Before you do anything drastic get yourself a plastic sandwich bag and a roll of strong thin nylon string -tie string to the handles of bag then push bag up the duct - If you have a vac that blows as well as suck try putting the nozzel in pipe and blowing bag along the duct -failing that go to other end and suck with vac. This does work but it depends on things being equal.
If all else fails if it was mine I would disconnect power cable and again tying some strong nylon rope or cord to the armoured cable then tape over the rope and pull the cable out -once cable is out tape your cables to armoured cable then pull it back - when taping three cables stagger them - tape one cable then another 6" behind and third 6" behind -don't forget to put a piece of rope to other end in case you pull it up the duct.

Do not use cable to pull things up duct (Cat 6) they have a habit of snapping - Strong nylon rope is best as you may have to pull quite hard.

If you can move the armoured cable you have a good chance of getting something through.

As above put in a piece of good strong cord or rope

SimonR · 30 Sep 2021 at 14:49

This is quite common when dragging cables through a duct with another cable installed, the new cables will often 'pinch' between the duct and existing cable. Lube is your best friend. I use Fairy Liquid and generally the cables will fly through. Just keep lubing them with a bit of Fairy as they feed into the duct. I have pulled thousands of metres of cables through ducts conduits, Fairy Liquid nearly always works

gc123 · 30 Sep 2021 at 16:19

another vote for washing up liquid used it many times when pulling cable both on buildings and cars etc always works

jpaul · 30 Sep 2021 at 22:02

when you say rods - I would try using steel cored washing line cord - I've pulled cable through floor trunking in cars,
equally don't hesitate to solder the cable you want to pull so that any loop you attach string too has no protuberances that catch.

fartingspartan · 11 Oct 2021 at 22:56

Well... after more attempts than I would like to admit...covering cable in fairy liquid... I got the cables through. Felt like I had just completed the channel tunnel crossing. Thanks all.

DXP55 · 12 Oct 2021 at 11:26

Did you pull another draw rope in for next time -
Good work though.