How do you remove stuck wire from within conduit

[kthompson]

I have drive way lights about 150 feet from my house. Ran 1/2 pvc conduit and used romex wire when installed about 15 or 16 years back. Well son in law pulled the conduit into and damaged the wire a few days ago removing roots of tree pushed over by hurricane. Have no choice but to remove wire as it is damage and also to replace the damaged conduit. The damage happened about middle of the 150 foot run which to me was good to me if had to make such a repair.

The conduit has a 90 degree elbow at each end to come up out of the ground into a junction box on one end and into light on other end. I have only tried to pulled from the junction box as it to me would be the easier end to pull but boy if it is the easier end then I just need to install new conduit and wire. By had totally can not move the wire. Have used shovel as leverage buy sticking blade in the dirt and pulling against that with wire little higher on the handle and have moved it only slightly. Talked with a retired commercial electrician who said use dish washing detergent. Have managed to run a few ounces of it down the conduit and a few minutes later tried with no movement either.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Now tying this to tractors...I have thought about hooking my Kubota B2710 to the wire and seeing what happens....It will pull the wire into if it failed to move which I do not want to happen.

 

[SandburRanch]

If I understand this correctly and being the damaged wire and conduit will both be replaced, consider taking it all out, straighten the bend in the conduit then pull the wire.

 

[Egon]

Try pulling the entire conduit with the tractor. .??

Buried pipelines have been removed this way. Attach new conduit to the old so it gets pulled into place.???

 

[BigBlue1]

Just to understand...

Are you wanting to pull out the entire run of wire from the conduit, dig up and repair the one damaged section of conduit, then run new wire through it? If that's the situation then obviously you don't want to rip up all the conduit. I think to pull the wire out your best bet is to dig a hole at one end deep enough to remove the 90* elbow so you can pull the wire straight out. May have to dig up the first 5-10' of conduit to raise it enough to pull or dig enough at the end of the conduit to pull. If you get a straight pull on the wire and still can't budge it then you may be forced to re-do the whole system. Or maybe take apart a section or two of conduit on each end to go at it in smaller segments?

Rob

 

[woody]

Try pulling the entire conduit with the tractor. .??

Buried pipelines have been removed this way. Attach new conduit to the old so it gets pulled into place.???

Good idea, also you could cut and remove damaged conduit and wire at the damaged area pull a string or rope in from one end tie it to the remaining end of the old wire using a plastic box as a connection point then pull the rope on through. use the rope to pull the new wire in. pulling the old wire 75 feet at a time instead of a 150 feet should be easier.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I could see pulling a steel line with a dozer. This case, not so much.

It seems obvious (to me) that the conductors are mangled with the conduit at the point of damage. This must be removed and replaced anyway, and then it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Coyote machine]

Make the repair where it broke and forget about pulling a section out, it's not going to work. Install a waterproof J-box, splice a new section of wire to the two broken ends and seal it up. Put a new section(s) of conduit to existing by using couplings and glue, run the lengths of new conduit into the j-box and seal them into box. Mark location so you can go back later if need be. Done.
Next time run single stranded wires through the conduit instead of Romex, and use a pull cord so to be able to fix things like your current problem more easily. Current problem, get it, current problem!:laughing:

 

[fried1765]

Make the repair where it broke and forget about pulling a section out, it's not going to work. Install a waterproof J-box, splice a new section of wire to the two broken ends and seal it up. Put a new section(s) of conduit to existing by using couplings and glue, run the lengths of new conduit into the j-box and seal them into box. Mark location so you can go back later if need be. Done.
Next time run single stranded wires through the conduit instead of Romex, and use a pull cord so to be able to fix things like your current problem more easily. Current problem, get it, current problem!:laughing:

Next time:
Use 1" conduit!
Leave a spare nylon cord (or even 2) in the conduit.

 

[kthompson]

"current problem", neat there!

I agree should have use single strand wire made for conduit but romex was what I had, the typical use what you have handle. The concept of pulling the conduit out might be workable with say 3/4" glued to it, don't think could step up to 1" and it work from 1/2". That would save damage to the surface of our lawn which would be real plus.Thanks men.(I am assuming all are males if any female thank you also) Had a friend that used subsoiler to pull pvc so know the length will pull.

Will try to see if the detergent has made any difference before I pull the conduit. Again thank you.

 

[Zerk]

As said 1/2 was two small for romex, impressed you got it in. Lots of lube? Though now the lube is dry.

Tie a string on one end, so you can pull new wire bike. Though I have my doubts its coming. I think at some point you just put a truck or tractor on it. No magic pill.

If it was damaged, not sure why you are even bothering to screw with it, what is the point? The conduit and wire are bad.

If you pull it out and it breaks, you can try pushing something through, to figure out how man feet and dig up.

My opinon, there is never enough time to do it right the first time, always enough to fix.

You have conduit that is to small, that is broke, with bad wire. Nothing worth saving.

Even if you get the wire out, conduit is damaged. Single conductor wire is meant to be put in conduit without holes.



If you have have lots of money and love your lawn, maybe could get directional boring, but I suspect that is more money than worth.


Plus is it is spring time. Tear the lawn up, and re seed. I am not a yard guy so doesn't really matter to me. But its only April.