I saw a guy use a compressor to shoot a mouse through the pipe. He didn’t secure the loose end and the whole works was expelled from the other end in mere seconds.
Big EMT Fishing
- Thread starter jsb
- Start date
renosteinke
Senior Member
- Location
- NE Arkansas
I've not had the challenge -- all of my "big" (4") runs have been quite short -- but you got me thinking.
What I have done for difficult runs includes:
- Using a tight mouse, even a size larger than the pipe;
- Using a mouse with hard "washers" fore and aft, to help the foam keep shape;
- Using a vacuum to pull while a compressor / blower / air tank pushes;
- Feeding fish tapes from both ends, hoping to catch one with the other;
- Cheat and pull in the rope as the pipe is assembled.
Now for some "creative" thinking:
- Can you tape / caulk the connections to reduce leakage?
- Can you put lube in the line as you assemble it?
- Know a plumber? He might have a "snake" that's long enough.
To be completely silly . . . Have you a pet ferret?
What I have done for difficult runs includes:
- Using a tight mouse, even a size larger than the pipe;
- Using a mouse with hard "washers" fore and aft, to help the foam keep shape;
- Using a vacuum to pull while a compressor / blower / air tank pushes;
- Feeding fish tapes from both ends, hoping to catch one with the other;
- Cheat and pull in the rope as the pipe is assembled.
Now for some "creative" thinking:
- Can you tape / caulk the connections to reduce leakage?
- Can you put lube in the line as you assemble it?
- Know a plumber? He might have a "snake" that's long enough.
To be completely silly . . . Have you a pet ferret?
NEC Inspector
Senior Member
- Location
- Kansas
- Occupation
- Inspector
You put a mouse in first, give him a head start, then send the ferret in...
I heard one guy was hit with a projectile from a pipe. His jaw spun backwards and he had to reset it like Daffy Duck.
When I saw it happen, my first thought was that thankfully, no one was in line with the pipe outlet!
I doubt it, but I have nothing to support that. Larger EMT couplings have four set screws. I think they will bite through any silicone and make a solid metal-metal connection between the two pieces of EMT. Besides, I have never put wire in conduit without an EGC. On a long run of EMT without an EGC I think tape would be a safer choice. Just saying that in my experience in my area silicone is the go to option. If I had to start installing 300' of 3" EMT tomorrow I'd use silicone.
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
Never used plant air for large conduits, but we did all the time for smaller conduits because the plant I worked in was mostly Class I, Division 2. The vacuum required a hot work permit, but the plant air did not. We shot the standard foam "mouse" that you would use with the vacuum.
jmellc
Senior Member
- Location
- Durham, NC
- Occupation
- Facility Maintenance Tech. Licensed Electrician
What about a vacuum is part of hot work? Around here, hot work is considered any type of flame cutting, welding sparks or grinder sparks.
Sberry
Senior Member
- Location
- Brethren, MI
- Occupation
- farmer electrician
Who woulda thunk it?
Sberry
Senior Member
- Location
- Brethren, MI
- Occupation
- farmer electrician
Maybe planning that far ahead is cheating?
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
All electric tools were Type 2 hot work in the plant I worked in. Many have arc producing parts such as the on/off switch or brushes in some motors. Type 1 hot work covered the type of work you described and the requirements to get that permit were much different, often requiring any flammable process materials to be pushed out of the building and double blocked and bled before a Type 1 hot work was issued. Very costly for the plant, so Type 1 hot work was almost always limited to scheduled building shutdowns.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
Hot work regarding the hazardous location. Find a way to set up vacuum motor outside the classified area and it shouldn't be hot work though, unless they have a vacuum with motor listed for the location. Typical shop vac won't do.