# There has got to be a better way....3-4" EMTT



## TGGT (Oct 28, 2012)

Have you tried sucking and blowing at the same time?


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## AmishCountrySparky (Mar 25, 2016)

Yes, still nothing.....you can't even feel any movement of air


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## TGGT (Oct 28, 2012)

I'm a little confused, you used EMT for direct burial?


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

I used to have a full on jetline system including a 5 ft tall canister of compressed CO2 gas with a twenty foot discharge hose and a cone shaped launch trigger handle. The string threads thru the center, then attach one of the supplied parachutes. You put the cone into the open end of the conduit, mash it in tight to seal, pull handle and watch your bucket of string empty out. Underground vault to vault operation for pulling fiber down streets. Around 1,500 feet at a time between vaults.


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

there's your reason for pull points.

If you guys didn't install the conduit, give them a proposal to cut the pipe and install pull points.


this is a perfect example of the principle of the seven P's.
Prior proper planning prevents pi$$ poor performance.


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## AmishCountrySparky (Mar 25, 2016)

No, pvc schd 80 going from manholes to the side of buildings. 24×24 boxes mounted onto outside of buildings. 3-4" EMT coming out of the back of the box leading to network stations inside each building


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

Do you think a smaller diameter rodder might work, pushing downhill if it's pitched?


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## TGGT (Oct 28, 2012)

AmishCountrySparky said:


> No, pvc schd 80 going from manholes to the side of buildings. 24×24 boxes mounted onto outside of buildings. 3-4" EMT coming out of the back of the box leading to network stations inside each building


Usually buried PVC seals well enough to suck/blow. I think it's odd there's absolutely no air movement. Maybe you don't have a strong enough vacuum?

I've also seen compressed air used to blow strings in.


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## drewsserviceco (Aug 1, 2014)

Rent a tow behind air compressor to blow a line in. Your vacuums can't move the volume needed. 

Macs system works well too, only saw it on one job, story I got was osha discouraged the use due to the high pressure/velocity. Don't know how true that is, but anyway.


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## Cow (Jan 16, 2008)

I don't have any good advice for you.

We've always taped coupling on long runs of set screw fittings. One particular job we had a 700' run of exposed 2" that we had to go back and tape couplings on because someone forgot too. Remember, you only have to tape enough couplings to get air movement. You don't necessarily have to tape all of them.


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## joebanana (Dec 21, 2010)

I've used the Co2 system Mac described above with great success, only we had the "short" bottle. Problem is, it's costly, but saves time. The thing with Co2 is, it keeps expanding in the pipe, so short bursts work best.


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## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

Mac's idea work amost the best but the second best is towable air compressor unit unless your customer do have big arse compressor there then use them but one serious warning .,,

DO NOT open the valve very fast otherwise ya can blow the pipes apart.

Those towable compressor can dish out anywhere from 120 to 175 psig depending on model but most are useally near latter ( high ) side and the volume is very high useally over 125 CFM and plus .,,

I useally do in first few seconds is ramp up ( open up ) valve slow and gradually so that way you can not blow the pipe apart. just watch the pipe moments if they getting too much moment turn the valve down or shut it off.

oh yuh .,, anyone standing near end of that pipe run better stand clear in case some UFO crap flying out of pipe.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

We use to use the Jetliner CO2 system but I don't think I e seen one of those in over 20 years.
I would tape 1/2 the couplings and give it a try.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

Has anyone ever used one of these? 

https://www.amazon.com/Jameson-Easy-Buddy-Roller-Guide/dp/B014LSM7N4


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## AmishCountrySparky (Mar 25, 2016)

Thanks for all the help everyone. I appreciate it.


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## AmishCountrySparky (Mar 25, 2016)

Never saw that buddy roller before. Seems like that would work well. Thought you were saying just grow a pair at first. Haha


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

AmishCountrySparky said:


> Never saw that buddy roller before. Seems like that would work well. Thought you were saying just grow a pair at first. Haha


LOL now that you mention that it's a funny name for it


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

You MUST rod from above... going down hill.

You can rod with a balloon at the tip of the rod -- at the SAME time you're applied vacuum.

You'd be AMAZED at how the suction teases the tip of the rod forward.

Lube the rod... just like it's THHN... as it's jolting into the EMT... going down hill.

This is achieved by a lubed up rag or two at the entry throat.

If the EMT is as leaky as you say, you could choke the throat and the vacuum would still draw.

The classic "Rocket" type probe lends itself to being advanced by a rod until it pulls vacuum.

Gang up multiple vacuums.

Use a cone to REALLY cork up the vacuum portal.

The couplings closest to the vacuum portal ( the pull cans ) will have the most impact.

If you have to tape, start from there... and no-where else.

Prayer is also highly effective in such situations, too.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

splatz said:


> LOL now that you mention that it's a funny name for it


The most obvious names were already taken!


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## TGGT (Oct 28, 2012)

splatz said:


> Has anyone ever used one of these?
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Jameson-Easy-Buddy-Roller-Guide/dp/B014LSM7N4


I'd like to turn that into a keychain.


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## drsparky (Nov 13, 2008)

If the big compressor doesn't quit do it I've had luck in the past with using two fish tapes. The first tape put multiple loops of line (a nice rats nest) on the head and shove it in as far as it will go. Then try to snare the the loops with a open hook on a tape pushed in from the other end. After all it is fishing.


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## wcord (Jan 23, 2011)

Use a vac truck!
Blowing has a tendency to ball up the string in large conduit.
I've installed thousands of feet of duct bank in refineries and we always used a vac truck to suck in the string and it also cleans out any crap which got in during construction.


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## catsparky1 (Sep 24, 2013)

Ferret , Weasel maybe


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

Just did several shots with our trailer compressor. If that had failed I'd have done what had to be done to get the vacon truck on it.


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## LowVoltageGuy (Jan 6, 2017)

Use pink insulation for the mouse & use a vac truck. Pink insulation will expand and contract as it goes thru the joints in the conduit. Sounds like you may be missing a pull box since you don't get any air movement....

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


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## Flyingsod (Jul 11, 2013)

splatz said:


> Has anyone ever used one of these?
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Jameson-Easy-Buddy-Roller-Guide/dp/B014LSM7N4


You should have saved that to post it on the Vulgar thread.

Sent from my LGLS755 using Tapatalk


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## BlackHowling (Feb 27, 2013)

drsparky said:


> If the big compressor doesn't quit do it I've had luck in the past with using two fish tapes. The first tape put multiple loops of line (a nice rats nest) on the head and shove it in as far as it will go. Then try to snare the the loops with a open hook on a tape pushed in from the other end. After all it is fishing.


Just learned this about a month ago. Worked like a hit damn. Had a spot on an underground run that kept jamming the fish and stopping a mouse. 

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