I need to run a power cord through an existing concrete foundation. There is a schedule 40 PVC 1 5/8" ID, 1 15/16" OD waterline embedded in the concrete that has 2 90degree bends, they are standard 90deg corners close to each end of a ~20' run. Is there any chance that a standard fish tape would be able to be pushed through?
With enough persistence you might do it. You might be able to double fish with a fish tape from either end, catching in the middle.
Try sucking a string through the pipe with a vacuum cleaner. That's almost guaranteed to work.
LdB
Yeah well, H.D. is closed today and I can't find the 50' coil that is supposed to be in the garage. It will be worth it to buy an $11 one for a single job. Maybe I can try the shop vac later.
The fishing ? has been answered...I'll ask the obvious other--what good's it going to do to fish thru a water line, anyway, though?
Second. Make a parachute out of a sandwich bag. It should go right in.
So how long is this run altogether? I'm figuring it's not 30 feet like my last complicated tape job was.
The vaccum is a very good idea, I hope to remember.
You can also use some flexible rod to push something iron through, with a string attached. That should get you past one right angle, and to the next one. Then from the other side of the wall, use a magnet on a stick to retrieve the iron thing and the string. Make sure before you start that it sticks to the magnet.
Unused waterpipe which I will pull a 3 connector wire through.
One would hope, but why wouldn't OP have said that instead of "waterline" if so????
And, of course, if so, going back to the problem of fishing...since it's PVC it'd only be about a 5-minute job to whack an elbow off and cement in a new if the elbows are causing grief...
Elbows are underground. Don't want to jackhammer. Have already removed the exposed ones.
Thirded.
Jon
Do yourself a favor and just take 2 hard 90s like you are talking about and try to push the fish tape through them without adding the pipe length. You may be able to do it, but it will be pretty hard.
You wouldn't happen to have a sewer snake handy?
Fish tape, or maybe drain snake.
Or you could blow a Nerf ball through, with a string. Vacuum limits how much oompah you can get. Vacuum only goes to 14.7 PSI. Compressed air can really pack a push.
Yeah I got it. Taped the vac hose onto the pipe and put a plastic grocery bag on nylon string. Made some noise, no progress. Cut 1/2 of the bag off and "exercised" it by crinkling it up a couple of times. It got stuck in the first corner but moved on when I pulled the string back against the vacuum. Got stuck on the next corner, but went on after pulling it back a little. So it got pulled all the way into the shop vac. Success!
The line had more water sitting in it than I expected so pulling the bag through probably cleaned it up a little.
Turns out the wires I tied on to are 240V. Ran the Sawsall I little faster than I wanted. I've got other problems to solve now.
That's the missing 50' coil in the garage. I haven't used it for ~10 years and it disappeared. Problem solved - don't need to waste $11 tomorrow @ H.D.
It was pretty stiff and I doubt would have made those short radius 90s
I am told it runs much faster........for a min or two, then smoke.
240V should have been two phase colors. (black, red, blue) 120V would have been a color and a white. That is why you also put black tape on a white wire when you (have to) use it for something other than the neutral.
It was a black and a white wire, just like usual. No smoke because it was a variable speed Sawzall and I could tell something was up immediately. It was full speed as soon as the trigger started. I'll get the wiring surprise figured out a couple of days from now.
Sounds like progress, got a line started.
Yes it is possible. If the fish tape doesn't work, get some light twine and a cotton ball, tie the twine to the cotton ball, insert in one end of the run, and put your shop vac on the other, or push through with compressed air from the same side.
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