Do you think I would have any success PUSHING 4 X 12AWG thru 75' of 1/2" emt with 2 90's?

This is a one man operation hence the PUSHING not pulling. Any tips?

 

You definitely need to push a snake through the pipe first, tape the wires to it and lube the wires and pour a little lube down the pipe and pull from the other end ,take your time you may have to make a few trips back to the start end but it can done.
Geo

 

no.........not with 2 90's

use solid wire....................change the 90's to LB's and you might could do it

i would say...........get a pull snake.....use stranded wire ...wirelube and you could pull it by yourself

 

sounds like geo has done this once or twice...why are all youall up so early?

 

I should have clarified this will be solid conductors of course.

Ive had similar success with 2x14 and 2x12 in a 1/2 conduit with only 1 90 and only about 50'.... Its that extra bend here that has me worried.

Im in a bind here since I don't have anyone to help me.

 

well .iif you have the extra wire......push in 1 12 and use it for a pull rope...

 

With a snake and a rack to mount the wire spools to, it should be an easy one-person pull.

I find a 3/8" dowel attached securely to something heavy works quite well as a cable spool and makes the cable pull a whole lot easier.

 

A 4 Ft or 6 Ft stepladder works fine to hang the spools from for pulling. Rack-A-Tiers work even better.

Rack-A-Tiers - Specialty Electrical Tools | Rack-A-Tiers Wire Dispenser

 

Better off with stranded,just lube and pull it,to much thinking going into.
Geo.

 

I am using solid conductor for these 20A circuits.

 

Many times when I pull wires by myself, I'll use my vacuum to draw a drag line in. You can use almost any HD twine and a little piece of plastic bag as a sail.

Having a ladder is good at the opposite end from the pull as you can have the wires go up over a rung and into the conduit. Even better having spools on a ladder like mentioned previously.

Solid is ok.... just slightly harder to work alone.

 

I use a piece of 1/2 inch EMT for an axle to mount the wire spools and then the ladder to raise the assembly off the floor. Using PJ's twine method I have often just tied a big knot in the end and then used compressed air to blow it through the conduit. I saw a pro once use a modified CO[SUB]2[/SUB] fire extinguisher to do the same. Vacuum cleaner is probably best.

 

With a couple of pulleys and some extra rope, you should be able to pull from the feed end. Just a weird thought that might work. I think I would try it if in your situation.

 

A 75 foot pull is too easy to even think about pushing the wire through.

 

I disagree. We always use solid wire and it pushes fine.

It will depend on where the 90 are, and if they go different directions. But if you fold over one wire to make a loop on one end, and tape then together, you should have little problem pushing 4 #12 in a 1/2" EMT. It might get tough at the end, but if you use short pushes, it should go.

Of course, results may vary.

 

Yeah but again, its a one man show. I don't want to be pulling and on the other end my insulation is getting damage on the side of the box or the connector.

 

Run a fish line through your conduit. Be sure to insert it on the end you're pulling from.

Pick up something like this: Madison Electric Products :: Pull it
Mount it on the box you will be feeding your wires into. It will keep the wires from getting chafed.

Put your spools on a scrap of dowel rod or 1/2'' emt. They need to be opposite the conduit so they go in easy and don't get chafed. I've used a ladder, cinder blocks, and even a golf cart to hold the spools at the right level.

Tape your wires to your fish line. Tape each wire about 2 inches back from the last one.

Fill the conduit with lube. Apply as much as you can.

Slowly pull and push until the taped end is in the conduit. This may take a few trips to/from the beginning and end.

Once the taped end is in, you can pull the wires through the conduit. They should go in smoothly, if not something is wrong.

 

Justin has the right idea, use the pull-it and you'll have no preblem chafing or scuffing the insulation. This is not a difficult thing for one man to do.

Madison Electric Products :: Pull it

 

I never use lube on any pull/push of wire except in PVC. It is too messy and unneeded.

 

JUSTIN.Have you used the pull-it tool.

i looked at it in HD and it looks good.

 

I've used it quite a few times and love it.

 

well i guess i will invest 10 bucks in it and give it a try. i have pulled wire by myself for so long i think walking back and forth is part of the job.

 

Is that what they cost? I have several free samples, but have never tried one.