Issue installing new light

[zz28zz]

Originally posted in new users area. Upgraded membership so I could post over here:

Needed to replace the light fixtures for my 2 pool lights. I cut the old wire at the light. Soldered the wires from the old wire to the new wire and pulled it through from the breaker box.

Got the wiring for one of my new pool lights ran thru the conduit without too much difficulty.
Started pulling the wire for the other light and it got stuck (lights are in separate conduits). It was being stubborn the whole way. Got abt 75% of the old wire out and now it's stuck big time. I pulled so hard all 3 wires inside broke just inside the conduit. I was using water proof lube in the new wire. I had also squirted regular wire lube into the conduit at the breaker box end.
Tried pulling the wire back out from the pool end but couldn't get it to budge.

Any ideas on how I can get the wire out of the conduit?

[kelemvor]

I can only guess you've hit a bend or defect/damaged area in the pipe. For example if there is a 90 degree elbow in there, those can be tough.

Unless someone else has a better idea I can only think of three ways to proceed here.

1. Pull new light wiring back into the pool end. I'm not sure what you might do to lubricate better and get it to budge. As hard as you pulled it could be really wedged in. If you can get it back out you'll need to get a Fish Tape. Amazon has a whole category for fish tape. I'd go with cheap personally. If you are still stuck, you might also get a borescope and hook it to a laptop to see what's going on in the pipe. Obviously there's some expense here. It will probably a lot of finagling and patience. Your local home improvement store will have fish tape and probably a borescope but you'll probably pay a good bit more based on what I've seen in my local area. You can get both a fishtape and borescope for around $30+shipping on amazon.

So assuming you get the new wiring out, push the fishtape through from the end near your junction box. Clean the end of the new wiring and smooth it out as best you can. Lube the new wiring up. Attach the wiring too the fishtape, and use the tape to attempt a new pull. The fish tape should be sturdy enough to push down. It may take some time to push all the way in, and might be a good idea to lubricate on the way down.

2. Hire an electrician to attempt to fish for the line for you. If the conduit really is broken you may end up at option 3 anyway.

3. Dig the conduit up where you think the sticking point is. Clear whatever going on (maybe replace a section of conduit). It could be a root busted the conduit, or someone's got some really bad angles in the conduit. If you dig, do yourself a favor and call your utility companies to come and mark lines in your yard. Hitting a live Electric or GAS line would be dangerous. Hitting buried comm wire could be expensive or at least a big inconvenience.

There was likely a copper bonding wire in that conduit with your light wiring. Did you remove that? If not, try removing it, and pulling it back through along with the new wiring using option #1

[zz28zz]

I sure hope it's not option 3. After the conduit goes down into the ground from the breaker box, it runs under concrete all the way to the light assy.

I have a steel fish tape long enough to do the job. It's just getting the old wire out that has me worried. There is a 8ga ground wire also inside the conduit. Getting a fish thru the conduit with the ground wire in there may be problematic. I didn't want to pull the ground wire out, but may have to. BTW, the pool is full of water. The house is on a low producing well so draining and re-filling is very expensive.

[kelemvor]

There is a good chance that the light cable is stuck on that bonding wire. Removing it may release the stuck cable. You can then fish both the bond and light cable through the conduit at the same time after you clear it out. You could always try just loosening the bond wire and jiggling things, but I think you'll end up with more trouble than you would if you removed the bond wire and fished it back in.

[zz28zz]

Success!! Jumped in the pool, wrapped the wire around a piece of PVC pipe, put my feet on pool side and was able to pull the power wire intact. Tried to get a fish through from the breaker box, but it got stuck abt 65 feet into the conduit. Pulled the fish back out and connected the ground wire to the fish. Was able to pull the ground wire out into the pool along with the fish. Connected the new pool light to the fish along with the ground wire and pulled them both back thru the conduit without too much trouble. I did give the wires a good silicon grease treatment, which I'm sure helped.

Currently enjoying the color LED light show. Life is good....

[kelemvor]

Well done!