How to Pull a Large Wire Through Conduit

Pulling wire through conduit can be an agitating task--especially if the wire you are pulling is large and/or coiled, and your method is to simply feed the wire down the conduit. But using a simple thread line can make the task of pulling large wire through conduit a rather simple task--even through lengthy conduit.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Heavy duty vacuum cleaner (with hose attachment)
• Plastic bag
• Spool of light nylon string

1. Tie a spool of light nylon string to the handles of a small plastic shopping bag--you can substitute a cotton ball or other lightweight anchor in place of the plastic bag. Unwind the string to a length in excess of your conduit, and then stuff the plastic bag into one end of the conduit.

2. Insert your vacuum cleaner's hose into the other end of the conduit--opposite the end you inserted the plastic bag and string combination.

3. Turn on the vacuum cleaner and suck the plastic bag through the conduit. After the plastic bag reaches the vacuum, cut the bag from the string.

4. Connect the wire that you wish to feed through the conduit to the nylon string. Tie the string around the wire and then further secure the string to the wire using a piece of electrical tape--be sure to wrap the tape around the string and wire well.

5. Slowly, and carefully, pull the string through the conduit with the wire attached to it. You can use an assistant to feed the wire through one end of the conduit while you pull the string and wire combination through the opposite end.

References

• The Job Site; Electric Wire Through Conduit
• Cables and wiring; John Cadick; AVO International Training Institute