Cleaning out a unused conduit

[aczlan]

I have a 4" PVC conduit which is about 180 feet long. One end is inside (near some telecom/networking equipment) and the other end is outside next to a power pole. When it was installed (5 years ago) there was ductape placed over the outside end. The NY weather has taken care of that and it is now open. I would like to run several wires (4x CAT6 and 2x RG6) to replace the current wireless network with a wired one.

My plan is to cut the pipe below grade and install a tee, cap the top (above grade) and go from the side of the tee into the house with conduit and I would prefer not to have to use direct burial rated CAT6.

What is the best way to clean out this pipe?

Thanks

Aaron Z

 

[Willl]

4" ?, I'd blast it with the 'largest' volume of dry air I could achieve and thread it.

Done deal.

 

[aczlan]

4" ?, I'd blast it with the 'largest' volume of dry air I could achieve and thread it.
Done deal.

I was thinking something like a leaf blower for a day or so, then blow a shopping bag tied to a pull string down the pipe.

Aaron Z

 

[MikeInEburg]

I know you didn't ask, but I just can't help myself.
From 20+ years experience:
1. You REALLY should use duct-rated cable in any underground pipe. Every conduit fills with water and PVC jacketed cable is not designed to prevent water ingress.
2. At that distance, consider larger coax as you're right at the edge of RG6 recommended drop length. RG11 or 500 flex would be much better.
3. While Cat6 will work, it is really overkill for your needs, and in some situations can be a detriment. PE89 would be more appropriate. See Item #1 above...
Good luck!
Mike

 

[eepete]

I had a 3" pipe about 160 feet going outside. Went to use it 2 years later, it was full of water and had settled in one spot so there was a low spot on it. I think I had a leak at the cap on the outside end.

Used a shop vac to pull the water out. Had to duct tape a garden hose to the nozzle to get down enough into the pipe. Then I put a small 12V fan on and left it for a week or so to dry it out (blowing inside air to the outside).

If by clean you mean remove mud, use a hose and work the outside end with a fish tape, then dry it.

A few years ago, I put a piece of CAT5 insulation in a glass of water and left it there for a few months (replacing the water a time or two). Insulation was OK. This was normal (non plenum) wire. I think the wire can take damp, but not "under water".

I've got a 3/4 water line for the tractor garage, 5 CAT5s, two video coaxes for the security cameras, 12 VDC power for them, an 18 gauge pair wire for the house paging system, another for the door sensor. Only been in about 8 months but no problems so far.

I think any conduit in the ground with an end open gets a little condensation in it.

Good luck! I hate wireless (well, I hate batteries) so I'm in favor of any hardware installation.

Pete

EDIT: saw Mike's post- yeah, the big question is how does non plenum CAT5 do in conduit with moisture around it. All coax I run is Quad shield RG6. For base-band video, it's fine even at 200 foot runs. FWIW, I also just ran CAT5 everywhere, no CAT6.

 

[jlsmith]

I installed fiber for years and the way we did it is to take a nurf ball alittle larger than the pipe. Tie a verrylight sting to it and stuff it in the pipe get a air compressor with high volume and let it fly. Just a wor of advice stay clear of the other end cuz what ever is n the pipe is coming out. Now tie a bigger rope to the string pull it threw and now ur ready to pull cable. Hope this helped.

 

[aczlan]

Good luck! I hate wireless (well, I hate batteries) so I'm in favor of any hardware installation.

This link is currently run with a pair of 3com POE access points, but pingtimes are too slow for remote desktop and netflix streaming video.

EDIT: saw Mike's post- yeah, the big question is how does non plenum CAT5 do in conduit with moisture around it. All coax I run is Quad shield RG6. For base-band video, it's fine even at 200 foot runs. FWIW, I also just ran CAT5 everywhere, no CAT6.

This RG6 is for cable TV. That is about the lendth of the runs inside the building we are running from, so my main worry is running in the conduit.

I have debated CAT5E vs CAT6, but most of what I have found has been 24ga CAT5e and 23ga CAT6. I would prefer the larger wires for this length of a run (2 CAT6 lines and a RG6 line going 214' to one house and the others going 283' to the other.

The plan is to run Ethernet one one CAT6 cable and phone on the other (yes, I could run them both on one cable, but if I pull 2 cables, I have a "backup" cable in case something happens).

Aaron Z

 

[aczlan]

I know you didn't ask, but I just can't help myself.
From 20+ years experience:

Thanks for sharing.

1. You REALLY should use duct-rated cable in any underground pipe. Every conduit fills with water and PVC jacketed cable is not designed to prevent water ingress.

By duct rated, do you mean plenum rated cable?

2. At that distance, consider larger coax as you're right at the edge of RG6 recommended drop length. RG11 or 500 flex would be much better.

I was under the impression that RG6 was good for 1000 feet without needing a signal booster (perhaps more for cable tv which is what this will be running).

3. While Cat6 will work, it is really overkill for your needs, and in some situations can be a detriment. PE89 would be more appropriate. See Item #1 above...

What is the downside (other than cost) to running CAT6 vs CAT5e?
The main reason I am looking at CAT6 is to get 23ga wire. At 283 feet for the long run, I will need all the help I can get. Yes, can put a switch in at 200ish feet (and I may end up doing that) but these three buildings are electrically separate (separate transformers for 2 of the 3, separate meters for all), and I would like to keep them as separate as possible.

On PE89 cable, will that work for Ethernet cable?

Good luck!
Mike

Thanks, I will need it

Aaron Z

 

[Willl]

1. You REALLY should use duct-rated cable in any underground pipe. Every conduit fills with water

This quote should be emphasized on 'ALL' underground conduit burial threads. Ya just can't get away from the 'inevitably'.

 

[hr3]

I was thinking something like a leaf blower for a day or so, then blow a shopping bag tied to a pull string down the pipe.

Aaron Z

This should work but I don't think you need to wait a day to try to dry it,, If there is water in it,, there will always be water in it. Just make sure you blow from the house side out so that the water ends up outside not in,,

One thing I don't understand is the T you want to install ???