I used to swear by fish sticks for conduit runs, but last month changed my mind completely

Was on a job in Phoenix last July and had to run 200 feet of 2-inch rigid through a ceiling that was already packed with ductwork. An older installer handed me a glow rod instead and showed me how to walk it through, saved me about 3 hours of cursing under my breath.

3 comments

3 Comments

ellis.charles1mo ago

That phrase "tape a glow rod to a fish tape when things get twisty" is gold, because that combo has saved me more times than I can count. The trick I picked up is to put the tape on both ends of the connection, not just one spot, so the glow rod doesn't spin loose when you're pulling through a tight 90. I've also found that using a little bit of electrical tape wrapped around the whole joint gives you a smoother pull through conduit bodies without snagging on burrs. Only downside is if you're in a super hot attic like that Phoenix job you mentioned, the tape can get gooey and the rod wants to slip, so I'll swap to a small zip tie now and then for extra insurance. It's not fancy but once you get the feel for how much tension is too much, it beats fighting with a birdcaged fish tape every time.

dianab681mo ago

Hang on, am I the only one who has had TOTALLY different luck with that combo? I tried tape on both ends AND a zip tie once and the glow rod still spun loose on me in a tight LB. Maybe my tape was old or my rod was beat up. I actually stopped using glow rods altogether for pulls like that, I just use a stiff fish tape with a swivel head and take my time walking it through.

derek9391mo ago

Learned that trick myself about a year ago. An old timer showed me how to tape a glow rod to a fish tape when things get twisty, works way better than fighting with the stiff stuff in tight spots.