I am starting to run cables and assemble the toys, but I ran into a major problem. I ran 3/4" Carlon tubing through the basement to prep for all my speaker/cable runs. Way to plan ahead, right?? WRONG...

This morning I started pulling my RG6 run for the cable TV and the pull string came detached from RG6 about 6 ft from home base. I figured, no problem, I would just pull it back and re-run. Herein lies the problem. now my RG6 is stuck in the carlon tube. There is plenty of extra room in the tube, so I can only imagine that I am dealing with friction. :mad:

Any ideas how to get it out? I really need help, because this was the only run going to my utility room where the cable comes into the house.

Please help!

Thanks as always...

Note to self, run ALL wire before putting up drywall.

Pull the cable back out. You can buy cable lube at the big box stores or use dish soap with a smidge of water. You wand to make sure they your string is taped to the cable so that it's not going to come loose, but also isn't too bulky.

Pull the cable back out.

He tried and it is stuck. Need to figure out how to get some lube in the tube after the fact.

I think I would try a twist-pull motion. Maybe you can hook something up to the end of the cable to twist it (electric drill?) and then once you get it moving, start pulling. Of course maybe you will just snap off the wire and then you will have a useless conduit.

Agree with pulling it out. Sometimes you need to push back and forth slightly to get it to come loose. Cable lube will make a HUGE difference when pulling the wires. Found this out the hard way :rolleyes:.

how far of a run is it to where you think its stuck?
is there alot of bends in your run?

I would say that piece of cable will be ruined once you get it pulled out. Try wrapping the cable around a Piece of 2x4 that way it will give you more leverage to pull it back. I did all my cabling this way and only had one run give me problems. I lubed the cable up real good as she slid in and it went in easy

Get the lube mentioned from the electrical section at HD or Lowes. Get the electrical fishing rods from either place as well, the are about the same thickness as RG6. Wrap cloth around rod and lube up, then push in as far as you can. Hopefully this will work to lube the inside for youto allow the wire loose. Then you can perhaps return the rods to save you money...

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.... Here I go to wrap a 2x4 around the RG6 and twist/turn/tug/pray.... If/when I get it out, I will be sure to lube it up.

Thanks everyone... I will keep you posted on how I end up. :confused:

I got it!!! Whooo hooo! Now I need to lube that sucker up and try again... stay tuned! thanks again

so what technique worked?

Sorry, I was so excited, I forgot to leave the details.

two things... (1) I cut all the excess carlon tube away to minimize the friction (2) grabbed the RG6 with some channel locks and pulled as hard as I could.

RG6 is pretty resiliant, don't worry too much about pulling really hard on that stuff. You want to be more careful with data/network/HDMI etc, but RG6 gets really heavily abused and is still fine. Just don't crush it with staples. But installers yank way way more than you're 'technically' supposed to on coax, and i've never seen any problems.

This may be obvious, but you can pull a new 'pull wire' through the conduit using a vacuum cleaner, light twine or thread, and a kleenex (or small part of one). Tie the kleenex piece to the thread and suck it through from the other end with the vacuum. Then use the thread to pull through stronger pull wire or string.

This may be obvious, but you can pull a new 'pull wire' through the conduit using a vacuum cleaner, light twine or thread, and a kleenex (or small part of one). Tie the kleenex piece to the thread and suck it through from the other end with the vacuum. Then use the thread to pull through stronger pull wire or string.

Thanks... I didnt have any issues getting the pull string through, just the coax.