cable ducting without pulling rope installed

[Jdsparky]

Hi,

Just wandering what to use to get an armoured through a new duct which has been installed prior to me being on site without a pull rope.
Longest run is about 30 meters with probably 2 bends and is about 3 inch diameter but is the flexible type with ridges.
Will rods go that far and round bends especially with it being the ridged type of duct?
I have seen the continuous rod on a reel that bt etc use, is this my only option to hire one and are they flexible enough etc to go round bends of this size etc?

Thanks

 

[Marvo]

30 meters is pushing your luck especially with corrugated wall ducting. You could try but you'd need to use an end attachment that looks like an egg whisk.

 

[Jdsparky]

Yeah that will help it stop snagging, any other ideas other than tell them to dig it all back up as gonna be a nightmare lol

 

[Octopus]

What you need is a VERY strong vacuum, some light string, a mate to let it out and a load of patience - I've done it, then pulled through a heavier string, before move on to the cable, HOWEVER in your case the bends and length may make it a no,no!

 

[Marvo]

Something that's worked for us on more than one occasion is using two sets of rods, one from each end. On one side you use the egg whisk attachment and on the other you have a hook. The theory being when they meet in the middle the rod from one side hooks onto the rod from the other side.

 

[snowhead]

This will go around, 9mm;

Duct Rod 120M X 9Mm - HSS Hire

Or get them to dig up on 1 of the bends.

 

[Adam W]

Do you have access to a ferret?

 

[Jdsparky]

Looks like I need a little help from my friends either way, no chance on my own unless extremely lucky

 

[R G]

I have had the same issues before and with several bends , I tried all sorts with no success , I was told about a pump tape and it worked really well , that was back in the 80s on riser renewals in blocks of flats over long distances too..

 

[Jdsparky]

This will go around, 9mm;

Duct Rod 120M X 9Mm - HSS Hire

Or get them to dig up on 1 of the bends.

This is what I was looking at getting to do the job, although out of stock at moment I wandered if it would even go round anyway.
Presume it stands a chance

 

[Jdsparky]

Do you have access to a ferret?

I've heard of the ferret in relation to this sort of problem, what exactly is it?

 

[Andy78]

I've heard of the ferret in relation to this sort of problem, what exactly is it?

It's a small mammal with a slender body that is good at fitting down ducting. Long lead required.

 

[Andy78]

What you need is a VERY strong vacuum, some light string, a mate to let it out and a load of patience - I've done it, then pulled through a heavier string, before move on to the cable, HOWEVER in your case the bends and length may make it a no,no!

Seen a video on social media lately with a guy using the same method but using an inflated condom as a lead bung tied to the string to fill the duct up for maximum suction.

 

[Martin Kerr]

Maybe a piece of equipment you may not have acces to , but a plastic bag being blown through the duct with a rope attached by an air compressor of some type ,has been known to get some people out of a tricky situation.

 

[Leesparkykent]

Air compressor and blow a bag through the duct tied to a string. Edit: Posted same time as Martin above ;-)

 

[Swcfisher]

How tight are the bends? Cobra with a tennis ball or small Coke bottle on the end will slide straight over the corrigations

 

[telectrix]

rat and a ferret. no problem.

 

[Jdsparky]

It's a small mammal with a slender body that is good at fitting down ducting. Long lead required.

Lol :rofl:

 

[JD6400]

We have a ball attachment for our Cobra that would do that easily , I think they do a 6mm version which may help with being that bit more flexible .
Also as suggested a decent road compressor and a carrier bag should do it , but I prefer fishing line instead of string .

 

[benji]

Once had a car park lighting duct with rope in but blocked, local labourer fetched his ferret in with a ferret finder and found where duct was blocked in about 10 min.(crushed by rocks compacted by JCB )