Using a vacuum to pull cable through conduit. Does it work?

This is a great way to fish or pull cable though conduit using a vacuum instead of rods over long distances in seconds. With this method you can send a string down the pipe first to then pull a rope and finally your cable. By far this is the quickest and easiest way I have found to pull wire through conduit
Link to the video I got the idea from: • Pulling cables through...
Thanks Andy for sharing, made the job easy
Website Http://bodgeitwithbrian.com
Twitter / bodgewithbrian
DIY tips and Tool reviews

[@theecumenicalchurchofoccit2439]

We had a 40 metre underground conduit which had a couple of bends in it and basically whatever we did, we couldn't push a cable through it - it always stopped at one of the bends. We tried thicker pushers and even tried fishing for the cable with an endoscopic camera from the other end without success Then we tried this trick and lo and behold, we had a strong thread through the conduit in under 60 seconds from turning on the vaccuum cleaner ! We found that using two pieces of plastic bag set at right angles to one another increased the suction. Beware that the first thing that the vaccuum cleaner will pull out is all the water in the pipework, so you will end up with a wet vaccuum cleaner so use a wet and dry !

[@bodgeitwithbrian]

Good news it worked, it's a great trick. A bit of washing up liquid on the cable makes a load of difference as well and having one person push and another pull. The push doesn't have to be much, it's just to stop the cable binding. Yes I had to use a wet dry vac. Thanks for the comment

[@flutist218]

I am in the US. Thanks from across the pond. Very helpful. Good idea.

[@bodgeitwithbrian]

I found this method on KZbin, I had to share it. Thanks for the comment, cheers

[@chrissv1gri]

Thanks for sharing!!! excellent tip!

[@bodgeitwithbrian]

Yes it works so well, forget rods 👍

[@digital_junkie431]

60m cable, no problem. Thanks for the tip!

[@bodgeitwithbrian]

Wow, 60m that's impressive

[@zedman442]

Great tip!

[@bodgeitwithbrian]

Thanks

[@Masteribrahim1]

thank you very much! i tried different tools and like that. Nothing have helped. But this helped me much!

[@bodgeitwithbrian]

Great news. Pleased to have helped

[@raaaabert]

I'm going to try this soon, I really hope it works. Thanks in advance!

[@bodgeitwithbrian]

It works perfectly. I'm just making another video which shows me pulling cable across a ceiling using a usb camera

[@abccdefghi1]

thanks for the great video 🙆💪👍

[@bodgeitwithbrian]

My pleasure!

[@bogdanct]

This is brilliant! Thanks for sharing! The commercial versions use a sort of sponge like thing at the end of the cable but then of course you need a lot of suction power or another solution was with compressed air basically pushing the cable instead of pulling it.

[@bodgeitwithbrian]

Yes they use compressed air to blow fibre but a much smaller tube. The basic principle is to create a simple piston. I found this on KZbin myself, I lean just about everything on here hahaha

[@theecumenicalchurchofoccit2439]

Buy a cheap bath sponge from a supermarket, cut a ball which is slightly bigger than the pipe's diameter and then thread a piece of string through it using a long bolt with a washer on the end to tie it to. Our neighbour just did this after we were successful with Brian's method using a plastic bag. Dipped the sponge in cable lubricant and it went through their conduit like a rocket ! Water in the conduit doesn't affect it at all.

[@bodgeitwithbrian]

I love that this works, save so much time

[@Blueyes21]

Brilliant!

[@bodgeitwithbrian]

It works so well. Thanks for the comment 👍

[@rayc1503]

Wow top tip 😊

[@bodgeitwithbrian]

It works so well. I used a strong nylon fishing line and a plastic bag

[@rayc1503]

@@bodgeitwithbrian Great stuff, I'll try it next time. 😉

[@LERobbo]

Going to give this a try after snapping the original coaxial that was supposed to be my pilot cable in half.

[@bodgeitwithbrian]

How did you get on? Did it work?

[@LERobbo]

@@bodgeitwithbrian bit of fiddling with the size of the plug, but it worked like a charm! Make sure you seal well to create a proper vacuum.

[@bodgeitwithbrian]

Great news, it's so satisfying to see it work, great job

[@edadpops1709]

Fishing line 👏👏👏

[@bodgeitwithbrian]

It works incredibly well. One extra tip is to make sure your vacuum filter is not clogged up with dust so it provides maximum suction

[@huggybare9]

Thanks mate. Legend

[@bodgeitwithbrian]

You are welcome, it saved the day for me

[@huggybare9]

@@bodgeitwithbrian so I went ahead and did this. Worked on a 50m run, no dramas at all!

[@bodgeitwithbrian]

Wow 50m !!! That's 10 more meter than my personal best and what was in the video. I'm pleased this is working for so many people, such a simple tip as well

[@semimba]

makes it easy -thanks

[@bodgeitwithbrian]

And fast

[@semimba]

@@bodgeitwithbrian ended up doing all three including a 3/4" line.

[@bodgeitwithbrian]

Great that it worked for you 👍

[@azuzkharef2293]

Good

[@bodgeitwithbrian]

Thanks

[@DanielMorton711131]

I just developed a way to hollow out antlers, from the base to the tips of each antler. I am going to try out your vacuum process. If it works I will let you know. Antler Dan

[@bodgeitwithbrian]

Antlers on a dears head? Why do you need the vacuum a wire through?

[@progamersplay4716]

Clever

[@bodgeitwithbrian]

I can't claim it to be my idea but it works phenomenally well. I have a portable vac I'm going to try it with soon and I've seen people do it with a blower as well

[@rhymereason3449]

I sucked a pull cable 250' with this method... I think it's better to have a bit more plastic though... you want it tight enough in the pipe that not much air is escaping past it.

[@Survivethejive]

will a normal dyson work

[@bodgeitwithbrian]

Yep, the trick is to block off one end, hook up you vac, let run for a bit to drop the pressure and then pop in your small plastic bag attaché to your fishing line. Make sure the line can move freely and watch out for your fingers. What are you planning?

[@dano391]

Just tried out with a 35 meter conduit and it worked.

[@bodgeitwithbrian]

Good news

[@TheLaughingjj]

Any bends in between ?

[@bodgeitwithbrian]

Yes, it was two pipes joined and had lots of curves. The key is getting a seal

[@TheLaughingjj]

@@bodgeitwithbrian Thanks

[@barron4000]

What’s the longest distance this can work? I have a 150 ft patio drain that was installed incorrectly.. could I pull a string through it and re pull a flexible pvc pipe through the drain

[@bodgeitwithbrian]

I think there is only one way to find out. It's just a crude piston, the idea should scale up.

[@Rickytricky01]

It will go pretty much forever providing you have no loss of suction where there is joint gaps where 1 duct ends & another joins the size of the ducting bore doesn't matter either if you've got a big enough vacuum for or compressor to blow it instead the only main problem is where utility cable ducting goes deep underground there is the possibility of water getting into the duct sometimes the water will not blow uphill & the bag might split

[@bodgeitwithbrian]

Yes there was water in my run from the joint, you should use a wet dry hoover. You will find that some water will come out and I ta best to use a plastic bag, the water lubricants the run then

[@Rickytricky01]

Still no Hoover evidence

[@bodgeitwithbrian]

It's a verb, as well as a brand name

[@Rickytricky01]

Where does it say Hoover?

[@bodgeitwithbrian]

In all the minds of English speaking people, if only I had said Henry instead. Hahaha

[@mrmotofy]

Your Title is wrong, should be "vacuum to pull a pull string through conduit" you never pulled a cable with the vacuum

[@bodgeitwithbrian]

But the ultimate goal is to get a cable through, what would you Google?

[@mrmotofy]

@@bodgeitwithbrian The title should be descriptive of what the vid is. Then in the description or keywords is where you describe the cable, wire, conduit vacuum etc Most searches include the descriptions.

[@bodgeitwithbrian]

Thanks for the comment

[@Rickytricky01]

Yes using a vacuum to suck a length of cotton or thread through a duct would be a good line

[@bodgeitwithbrian]

Works perfectly every time