[TowerTalk] Pulling coax through PVC pipe

[Dick Blumenstein]

One slight mod on Patrick's feedback...

Instead of a rope or stout cable, I would use polyester mule tape (maybe 
about 1/2" to 3/4" wide) attached to the end of your old cables, so when 
your old cables have been pulled through, you can then attach the end of 
that to pull the new cables in, while allowing additional mule tape in 
parallel to the new cables to be pulled in, too.  I've read the mule 
tape has less chance of melting any turns in the PVC piping.  That's 
what I did when I ran my cables.  Also, I left about 2 feet of mule tape 
sticking out each end of the tubing when I was done, so that in the 
future, I could pull additional cables through the piping if need be 
without having to pull out the new cables I just installed.

Dick, K0CAT

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Patrick Greenlee wrote on 1/29/2018 8:40 AM:
> Yes there are wire pulling lubricants available at your local big box 
> store.  Use plenty, be lavish, it won't hurt your wires or conduit and 
> it will make the job easier. You don't have a real tight fit (cables 
> to ID of conduit) but you can cause yourself a problem if you make a 
> bulge where you connect the old to the new if you use the old to pull 
> the new.
>
> If it were me I would consider using the existing cable to pull a 
> stout string which in turn would pull a stout rope or wire cable which 
> would be used to pull the new cable. Another consideration is wether 
> to leave the old 14-2 in the conduit or to remove it and put it back 
> with the new coax.  I recommend removing the 14-2 when removing the 
> old coax and re-pulling it at the same time as the new coax. Why, you 
> say?
>
> Pulling the coax into the conduit with 14-2 already in it has friction 
> between the irregular 14-2 and the new coax that can cause problems 
> pulling the new coax. When re-pulling the 14-2 at same time as coax 
> there is no relative motion between the coax and 14-2, only between 
> the coax plus 14-2 vs the ID of the conduit which is much smoother 
> than the 14-2.  Is this last bit of "finesse" required?  Maybe. You 
> might be lucky and not need to use the above approach and have 
> everything just go easy and smooth. Doesn't happen often for me, hence 
> the "self defense" strategy.
>
> I recommend the Chinese finger grabbers to connect pulling ropes or 
> wire cables to the coax and 14-2.
>
> Best of luck to you.
>
> Patrick        NJ5G
>