using fish tapes into live panels

[LarryFine]

Even a lowly, often-despised non-contact tester would have helped prevent this debacle.

 

[76nemo]

im talking about blowing a string into EMT conduit i just ran. ii would never blow anything underground into a live panel

Can you itterate some more, I lost you. Not hard to do.

 

[76nemo]

There again, I never have blew strings anywhere. Am I the only one who can say that?

 

[76nemo]

Even a lowly, often-despised non-contact tester would have helped prevent this debacle.

Sad part is, he or she just took someone's word. That can quickly prove fatal.

 

[ultramegabob]

I guess people do the trick with a female adaptor glued onto a piece of smurf tube, screwed onto whatever connector threads are sticking out. Directs the fish tape out and onto the floor.

I cant believe that i havent thought of that, great tip!

 

[SmithBuilt]

I have also heard of the conduit going to a different panel that was still live, not the intended one.

You just can't be too careful.

 

[mattsilkwood]

i dont care if god himself told me that its off my i check it personally, and teach my helpers to do the same thing. learned that the hard way a long time ago.
edit to add: and the smurf works great

 

[nakulak]

I have also heard of the conduit going to a different panel that was still live, not the intended one.

You just can't be too careful.

amen to that.

 

[LarryFine]

There again, I never have blew strings anywhere. Am I the only one who can say that?

Let's see:

"There again, I never have blew strings anywhere."

Nope. :grin:

 

[wireman71]

It sucks when your company won't buy fiberglass tapes but expects you to push into a live panel. Where's my leather gloves?

 

[quogueelectric]

A while back an electrician was sending a fish tape into a 20 ft. .75" e.m.t..
This panel was 277/480 and was believed to be locked out and safe. needless to say when the fish hit the main lugs the electrician was shocked and sent to the hospital. My question is why did the electrician get hit when the main over current device tripped when the snake fell between 2 phases?

Because the electrician was not following propper procedure for the work he was performing. He was an unqualified person to be performing such work.

 

[infinity]

What I typically do is take a female-threaded PVC cap and install that on the connector. When my tape stops cold, I know I've hit the cap. Then I remove it and can pull the tape on out with needle-nose.

\That will only work with the conduit empty. What if it already has a few conductors in it?