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.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Lesson learned on Romex and conduit. LOL, as others, abandon and do it right.

Ron

 

[4570Man]

I'd take the 90 degree bend off first thing. Then I'd build something to inject a lubricant. If you do manage to get it pulled out how do you plan on pulling wire through? I know such pulls are possible ( I've done longer) but the resistance wasn't that high.

 

[MossRoad]

As others have said, pull the 90's off at each end.

Tie a string to the wires at each end.

Dig out the damaged section of conduit in the middle.

Pull the wires from the middle, pulling a string in from each end.

Put a J box in the middle.

Pull the two strings into the new sections of conduit and J box.

Tie the strings together.

Now you have a string going from end to J box to other end.

Pull in new wires from one end to the J box, then the other end to the J box.

If the old wires don't pull out in the two 75' sections to the middle, there may be damaged/kinked conduit in multiple places.

Anyhow. When you pull the new wires in, use pulling lubricant, like this...
Shop IDEAL 32-fl oz Yellow Wire Pulling Lubricant at Lowes.com

Goober it up with a lot of lube and a rag as you pull it in.

 

[Zerk]

Lesson learned on Romex and conduit. LOL, as others, abandon and do it right.

Ron

Romex isn't the problem, the conduit size. We pull big multi conductor cables ins conduit. Stranded. Either way the size was to small, then add 180 degrees. But you pull big stiff single conductors in a conduit too.

I have pulled romex in conduit, rather then going from romex to j-box, to conduit, to j-box and romex again. Ya you feel goofy, but I would rather do that, and have continuous run.

I curious how then even did it. I am thinking maybe they shoved it through piece by piece, rather then a pull.

 

[Zerk]

We use trucks, equipment, or tuggers to pull cable. Sometimes you cab't pull by hand. Pull straight out of conduit, not at an angle.

 

[RNeumann]

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:

This is the solution. Trying to pull Rolex through 1/2" damaged conduit isn't going to work. Trying to lubricate existing wire is pointless. The lube goes in the conduit before the wire ensuring the whole wire is lubed as it's pulled through.

Cut out the damaged conduit, pull the two halves of damaged romex and replace with the proper wire.

 

[s219]

Is this standard white jacket Romex with a paper sheath, like you'd run in the walls of a home? If so, it's probably going to fail at some point since it has very poor moisture resistance. This might be a good time to replace it all together.

 

[Zerk]

Is this standard white jacket Romex with a paper sheath, like you'd run in the walls of a home? If so, it's probably going to fail at some point since it has very poor moisture resistance. This might be a good time to replace it all together.

I am not saying you are wrong, but have never heard of problems either. It is not UF. But you wouldn't be able to pull UF, under foot, direct bury, through a small conduit, that stuff is stuff. Being n PVC is is glued. Not sure what condensation is like underground.

 

[GregbkH]

It is a code violation to pull romex (NM-B) in conduit outdoors. The romex is not rated for damp or wet locations even if in a raceway (conduit). UF cable is required and can be direct buried without conduit until it comes out of the ground. 1/2" conduit is suitable for 3 conductors, black, white and green. Remember that the green wire is the most important wire in the group!

 

[dieselcrawler]

It is a code violation to pull romex (NM-B) in conduit outdoors. The romex is not rated for damp or wet locations even if in a raceway (conduit). UF cable is required and can be direct buried without conduit until it comes out of the ground. 1/2" conduit is suitable for 3 conductors, black, white and green. Remember that the green wire is the most important wire in the group!

^^^ x2, agree completely.

Licenced electrician for 15+ years here... Romex in conduit wrong to begin with, not worth the risk to repair. Please replace properly, with pvc conduit with proper wire inside, buried 18" deep or more, with warning tape approximately 6" below surface.