Wire through a duct

Location
Cumbria
I want a very thin ( alarm size) wire through a 2inch duct. It already has 2 electric cables in but the problem is it has loads of corners and I mean loads. 4 x 90 degrees and a slow bend. I had rope through to get the electric through and I must admit I thought should I put a rope through but decided I would never need another through. Have had wire (fencing wire) about a third of the way through and a hose about half way through. That is 3 x 90s passes but can’t get it any further any ideas other than pulling an electric back, which to be honest I probably won’t do in case I can’t get that back through again. Space isn’t the problem but the corners

Thanks
 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
I want a very thin ( alarm size) wire through a 2inch duct. It already has 2 electric cables in but the problem is it has loads of corners and I mean loads. 4 x 90 degrees and a slow bend. I had rope through to get the electric through and I must admit I thought should I put a rope through but decided I would never need another through. Have had wire (fencing wire) about a third of the way through and a hose about half way through. That is 3 x 90s passes but can’t get it any further any ideas other than pulling an electric back, which to be honest I probably won’t do in case I can’t get that back through again. Space isn’t the problem but the corners

Thanks
I have used hose as well in the past, but sounds like you have too many bends in such a small ducting. Needs something very small diameter like a wheel on a draining rod, but smaller, so you can push around a bend, but 4 x 90s...?

Cut an electric cable, and use it to pull through two ropes, then pull cable back with rope one, and rejoin the power cable. Then pull the alarm wire through, remembering to pull another rope as well "just in case"...

Make sure you fasten rope and cable together well!!!
 

Bury the Trash

Member
Mixed Farmer
is the ducting well sealed /airtight in itself?
if so get a smallish 'floppy' lightweight rag that will fit reasonably snugly ( not tightly) in the ducting , get a long enough length of light string ( of the type they use for pulling light weight cables /wires through ducting i think its blue plastic and lightweight or similar )
then get your vacuum cleaner on the other end of the duct ... taped on or snugly fitted /sealed tie the string to the rag carefully /thoughtfully to allow it to look a bit like a shuttle cock , then push the rag carefully into the other end of the ducting, and give it a go .
its easy to try with nothing to loose and might work with your challenges, it certainly does in a empty (sealed length of pipe /duct .
 
Blow a rope down it with an air compressor.

But chances are you are pi$$ing in the wind, trying to get a cat5 cable or similar down a 50mm duct that already has 2 x 15mm cables in it and numerous bends.

Failing that you will need to put a few manhole pits over the existing ducts to split the overall run or put in 4" ducting.
 
is the ducting well sealed /airtight in itself?
if so get a smallish 'floppy' lightweight rag that will fit reasonably snugly ( not tightly) in the ducting , get a long enough length of light string ( of the type they use for pulling light weight cables /wires through ducting i think its blue plastic and lightweight or similar )
then get your vacuum cleaner on the other end of the duct ... taped on or snugly fitted /sealed tie the string to the rag carefully /thoughtfully to allow it to look a bit like a shuttle cock , then push the rag carefully into the other end of the ducting, and give it a go .
its easy to try with nothing to loose and might work with your challenges, it certainly does in a empty (sealed length of pipe /duct .

A hoover will never ever do that
 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
is the ducting well sealed /airtight in itself?
if so get a smallish 'floppy' lightweight rag that will fit reasonably snugly ( not tightly) in the ducting , get a long enough length of light string ( of the type they use for pulling light weight cables /wires through ducting i think its blue plastic and lightweight or similar )
then get your vacuum cleaner on the other end of the duct ... taped on or snugly fitted /sealed tie the string to the rag carefully /thoughtfully to allow it to look a bit like a shuttle cock , then push the rag carefully into the other end of the ducting, and give it a go .
its easy to try with nothing to loose and might work with your challenges, it certainly does in a empty (sealed length of pipe /duct .

Compressor and fishing line might work.... then pull cord/string through manually.

Personally, I think teh exisiting cables will stuff this idea, but 🤞
 

Dry Rot

Member
Livestock Farmer
A lump of cotton wool on a very light line and an air compressor. I think you'd be very surprised how well that would work. Then use the line to pull a heavier line through, and so on.

A bit OT but I was doing some fencing yesterday and noticed a piece of polythene blowing in the next field. I went to retrieve it before something ate it. It was blowing along the ground in a VERY light breeze. As I got closer, the updraft beside the wood caught it and slowly wafted it up above the trees. It took off ascending at an angle of about 20 degrees, heading north. There really was hardly any breeze and I was expecting it to fall to earth. But off it went until it finally disappeared. I've never seen anything like it before, except maybe thistle down, but this was about a metre square! Weather balloon?
 

gmgmgm

Member
Mixed Farmer
How long is the duct?

I've managed straight and wriggle ducts up to 200m fairly easily with a cordless leaf-blower (in the middle of a field), and the pros say a vacuum works even better. If you have power nearby then try the hoover first. Fishing line works well, ideally attached to a fixed-spool reel & rod.

Once you have the fishing line through, you can pull either the wire itself, or a stronger line if necessary. The corners are the hardest because the wires get tangled up. Look at "cable socks" for the easiest pull, and then get a tub of "wire lubricant" from Screwfix.
 
Location
Cumbria
Sea fishing monofilament will do that easy
Thanks for replies. Re quote above. I presume that’s a fishing line? That is in conjunction with compressor idea .

50 lb plus nice and stiff? Not stiff enough to push through surely? 😮. Never been fishing in my life so absolutely clueless , not being dismissive.

Why have I got 4 90s? Long time from starting first job and putting first 2 in which (even then)was causing me to think hope I can get wires through but got rope through then plans changed and shed 2 went up (in a different location to original idea) which needed elec and so rope extended and threaded through next 2 90s. Fastened on well and to be honest not a major problem to pull cable through Which has got me to where I am now 😂
I have decided I will always put a extra rope in from now on!
 

Bury the Trash

Member
Mixed Farmer
Compressor and fishing line might work.... then pull cord/string through manually.

Personally, I think teh exisiting cables will stuff this idea, but 🤞
ive done it successfully with a Henry but with smaller diameter duct pipe ,mind you it was ribbed (inside and out) and it could be that i used a lightweight plastic bag ,like a supermarket one but i forget tbh.

it was using that string they put in preprepped duct pipe , only the mice had got in and chewed it as it was stored before use :mad:
 

Cowmansam

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Shropshire
Yer 50lb fishing line it’s stiff but still bendy so when it hits a bend it sort of bounces round it I’ve used it a few times for similar jobs It’s cheap as Chips on eBay to for short bits
 
Location
Cumbria
How long is the duct?

I've managed straight and wriggle ducts up to 200m fairly easily with a cordless leaf-blower (in the middle of a field), and the pros say a vacuum works even better. If you have power nearby then try the hoover first. Fishing line works well, ideally attached to a fixed-spool reel & rod.

Once you have the fishing line through, you can pull either the wire itself, or a stronger line if necessary. The corners are the hardest because the wires get tangled up. Look at "cable socks" for the easiest pull, and then get a tub of "wire lubricant" from Screwfix.
Duct itself isn’t long ,only about 25 metres, it is literally all the corners. They aren’t even all in the same way. 2 are horizontal corners and 2 are vertical!!!
 

TheTallGuy

Member
Location
Cambridgeshire
Unless they're swept 90s I think that you'll struggle, although it may be possible to rod in from both ends & hook up - if you use magnetic rod ends. If you had bigger duct then a ferret cam might have been an option. Moral of the story is to always leave a spare line in to pull the next one through!

On a technical side point, unless your alarm cable is insulated for mains voltages it shouldn't share a duct with mains...
 

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