Fiberglass Fish Tape

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Mystic Pools

Mystic Pools

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Location
Park Ridge, NJ
Occupation
Swimming Pool Contractor
Can anyone give a recommendation for a fiberglass fish tape?
I sometimes replace pool lights when the pools are filled, and my steel tape will get wet. Despite wiping down the tape and a little WD40 before rolling up, it still jams up on the next use.

I got PO'd yesterday (of course I got caught in a down pour to boot) using it and split the case in the driveway and cut off what I needed to pull 3 lights. Coiled mess now for the scrap yard. UGH!
 
Klein and Milwaukee both make decent NM fishes. Only caveat is haven't found one that will push in beyond 150ft, so purchasing one longer has no value IMO.

If this is about pulling new wire to replace existing in a pool or wet area why not just tie on some pull string on the old and as you pull old wire out you pull in a pull string.
 
Fred B said:
Klein and Milwaukee both make decent NM fishes. Only caveat is haven't found one that will push in beyond 150ft, so purchasing one longer has no value IMO.

If this is about pulling new wire to replace existing in a pool or wet area why not just tie on some pull string on the old and as you pull old wire out you pull in a pull string.
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I have an old Ideal S type that is 200 feet long and have used it to its full length many time. They have reel type that are 500 ft plus long, so it is all about the tape and the application. If the OP is only trying to go 75 to 100 feet the new twisted tapes are really cool https://www.kleintools.com/catalog/fish-tapes/high-flex-polyester-fish-tape-75-foot
 
I'm a big fan of the Ideal stainless steel fish tape. I don't like fiberglass fish tapes, they don't push through conduit as good and the factory head falls off and then you have to send it back for repair or you're stuck with an expensive toy to entertain the grand-kids. Milwaukee makes a coated fish tape that I haven't tried.
 
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Mystic Pools said:
I got PO'd yesterday (of course I got caught in a down pour to boot) using it and split the case in the driveway and cut off what I needed to pull 3 lights. Coiled mess now for the scrap yard. UGH!
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That's the only way I ever used a steel fishtape. Never used one of those cases. 😖

I wouldn't toss those pieces, lay them out, untangle them and coil them up neatly. Hold the coil together with a wrap of electrical tape. Those are invaluable for fishing walls, etc. You'll get used to it.

The fiberglass one I use the most was a tangled mess I fished out of the dumpster at the supply house. Had a kink near the end, cut it back and have been using it ever since.

-Hal
 
Mystic Pools said:
I got PO'd yesterday (of course I got caught in a down pour to boot) using it and split the case in the driveway and cut off what I needed to pull 3 lights. Coiled mess now for the scrap yard. UGH!
Click to expand...
I left a steel fish tape outside and it got rained on, and it was jammed, so I got the bright idea to split the plastic case so that I could apply WD-40 to try to resurrect it. I really did not think it through. When I loosened the last screw holding the case together, it exploded and all the tension stored in the coiled spring metal was released at once. The tape broke into many pieces and some of them were flung 20-30 feet out into the yard. I am lucky that I wasn't more severely hurt; I just got a few scratches on my arms from the sharp corners in the expanding debris field.
 
Strathead said:
I have an old Ideal S type that is 200 feet long and have used it to its full length many time. They have reel type that are 500 ft plus long, so it is all about the tape and the application. If the OP is only trying to go 75 to 100 feet the new twisted tapes are really cool https://www.kleintools.com/catalog/fish-tapes/high-flex-polyester-fish-tape-75-foot
Click to expand...
Got both 200 and 260ft Poly fiberglass and it won't push much past 150ft. of a 180ft pull on the 2in pipe, after multiple tries went and got a steel fish and it went right through. Even tried on the smaller 3/4inch diameter pipe same length thinking it was maybe coiling or bunching inside the 2inch, but still no go. Pulls only had 2 - 90's and a 22 so not over the max number of turns.
 
ggunn said:
I left a steel fish tape outside and it got rained on, and it was jammed, so I got the bright idea to split the plastic case so that I could apply WD-40 to try to resurrect it. I really did not think it through. When I loosened the last screw holding the case together, it exploded and all the tension stored in the coiled spring metal was released at once. The tape broke into many pieces and some of them were flung 20-30 feet out into the yard. I am lucky that I wasn't more severely hurt; I just got a few scratches on my arms from the sharp corners in the expanding debris field.
Click to expand...

That's what you get for using those things.

-Hal
 
Fred B said:
Klein and Milwaukee both make decent NM fishes. Only caveat is haven't found one that will push in beyond 150ft, so purchasing one longer has no value IMO.

If this is about pulling new wire to replace existing in a pool or wet area why not just tie on some pull string on the old and as you pull old wire out you pull in a pull string.
Click to expand...
Yes. I've done.
I usually vacuum a string through and tie off the new light.
 
ggunn said:
just got a few scratches on my arms from the sharp corners in the expanding debris field
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Rusty nails, and other scratches appear to go easier on baby boomers, than Gen X, and Mellenials without Tetanus shots.
Strathead said:
new twisted tapes are really cool kleintools.com/catalog/fish-tapes/high-flex-polyester-fish-tape-75-foot
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Never ceases to amaze how lucrative buyers in this trade must be, to justify the marketing gimmicks or variations on simple tools.
 
Those Milwaukee are good for empty conduit. I learned the hard way because of frustration that it sucks to pull through existing wires. It damages them. It’s spirals so all these little ribs eat away at the insulation. Don’t use in pvc also because of that.
 
hbiss said:
That's what you get for using those things.

-Hal
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That's what I got for taking one apart while it was still coiled, anyway. A hundred feet of tightly coiled spring steel stores a whole lot of energy.
 
ggunn said:
That's what I got for taking one apart while it was still coiled, anyway. A hundred feet of tightly coiled spring steel stores a whole lot of energy.
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Someone here had the signature, "Good judgement comes from experience, experience comes from bad judgement" or there about, I'm sure we all have tales to tell about bad judgement.
 
ggunn said:
That's what I got for taking one apart while it was still coiled, anyway. A hundred feet of tightly coiled spring steel stores a whole lot of energy.
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That's how it comes when you buy it. You quickly learn that the last thing you want to do is to remove whatever there is holding it from uncoiling and letting it go. :eek:

-Hal
 
My pool light's location will not exceed 150' to a deck box. Seems tape sizes jump from 100' to 200'. Pretty sure my steel tape was 200'

I'll check out the ones recommended. Thanks all!!:cool:
 
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