Just realized a trick for pulling wire through a tight 3/4 inch conduit bend

I was working on a rewire in an old house in Tacoma and hit a nasty 90-degree bend that my fish tape kept jamming on. Out of frustration, I grabbed a bottle of the homeowner's hair conditioner, mixed a bit with water in a spray bottle, and gave the wires a light coat. They slid right through the first try, no kidding. Anyone got other safe lubricants they use for tough pulls?

4 comments

4 Comments

stone.lisa1mo ago

I keep a small tub of wire-pulling gel on the truck for exactly that. What's the longest pull you've had to lube up?

sandra_bennett591mo ago

Remember pulling 400 feet of 500 MCM through an old conduit. That gel was the only thing that saved the day, honestly. Felt like we were never going to get to the other end.

violah431mo ago

Ever worry about that gel corroding old wires like sandra_bennett59's pull?

lopez.emery1mo ago

You used the homeowner's hair conditioner without asking? What if they had some fancy expensive stuff? I'd be worried about getting that on my hands and then having to explain why their bathroom smells like a jobsite.