Wire Pulling Acessories? (1 Viewer)

[James Edward]

Does anyone know of any particularly good sites for wire pulling accessories?

I recently started working in a job that requires lots of wire pulling, and it seems that there are probably some gadgets that might make my job easier, faster, and a lot more constructive. However, since I only recently started, I'm not sure what they might be...

If anyone knows of any sites that offer innovative wire pulling accessories, if they exist- please share them.


Thanks!

 

[Phil A]

James, sites like http://www.markertek.com/ProdList.as...&search=0&off=

or milestek.com zackinc.com or distributors like Newark.com and other similar vendors may have what you are looking for.

 

[Leo Kerr]

The best thing is for the person installing the conduit to leave a pull-rope for you!

Leo Kerr

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

James,

It would be easier to help you if you told us more about what you’re doing: Pre-wiring new construction, or retro-wiring existing sites? Commercial or residential? Above ceiling tiles, through conduit, etc.? In-wall drops?

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[James Edward]

Pretty much all of the above, with the exception of pre-wiring new contruction, and 99% residential.

I'm just wondering if anyone has invented a better mousetrap- we are frequently fishing wires through ceilings, walls, etc., where if there were an inexpensive way to see in through our access point, I could see where a given wire was. Kind of like those little fiber optic cameras I see in movie hostage situations. We usually just hook the snake and fish around until we can grab something.

Or perhaps a lighted mirror, also for those situations where sticking your head in 2 inch hole just can't be done. :frowning:

Or a low power radio frequency to pinpoint where to drill to the level above or below.

All in all, the guys I work with do an amazingly good job, but I just wonder if there is some technology out there to make the jobs faster and more precise. Maybe there aren't, maybe there are. Thanks for the input.

 

[Phil A]

James, there is a device known as a 'Fox and Hound.' It is common in the cable industry. Basically, if you have the wire buried on one end and can find the other, it can help you find the buried end. I could be wrong but I think they are under $100.

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Are the guys you’re working with experienced? If so you can be pretty well assured that they know all the tricks of the trade.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Leo Kerr]

My take is, while they may know the tricks of the trade, he's looking for something... better. Wire-fishing through existing construction without condiut is... a pain.

How about drill two holes in the ceiling - source and destination - put some ferret-food near the destination, and the ferret with a string attached at the source? When the ferret comes through, then you've a fish line to pull...

Leo

 

[Allan Jayne]

Hope you do not use lots of force and don't need to use lots of force to pull the wires. You stand an excellent chance of degrading the signal quality if you need to tug and haul on video cables.

>>> ... ferret ...

Commercial wire pullists, for example when wiring traffic signals, actually used to use a mouse or rat with a string around his neck to run through a conduit. Nowadays a plunger, smaller but comparable to pneumatic tube capsules, is sucked through conduits and the plunger has been referred to as a mouse.

There is an electronic gadget you can buy (I don't know where or how much) that puts a tone modulated on an RF signal on a wire (poked partly down a hole) so a probe (on the end of a fish tape stuck up the other end of the hole) can find the wire end while you listen in headphones. This is often used to find out what circuit breaker serves what outlets in a house.

It has been said that it is impossible to pull cable through a conduit where there are more than three 90 degree bends between pull points (junction boxes). As a last resort someone can push the cable at one end at the same time someone is pulling at the other end.

Video hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/video.htm

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Good point. Unfortunately James never told us what kind of wire he’s pulling or what he’s installing...

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[James Edward]

It's actually all A/V wiring that gets pulled by us. All manner of video, audio, and speaker wire.

As Leo said, I'm just thinking there have got to be better ways to do some of this stuff. If not, it's a set of inventions just waiting to happen.

Thanks for the replies...

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

It’s probably just a matter of waiting for the technology to get cheap enough, not to mention robust and durable enough to withstand the rigors of the job. Let’s face it, sensitive electronics and installation/construction sites are not a good mix.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt