Shoutout to that time I chose a fish tape over a glow rod in a tight crawlspace

I had a job last week in an old house in Richmond where I needed to run a coax line through a finished basement ceiling. I had my fish tape in one hand and a glow rod in the other, and I went with the glow rod because I thought it would be easier to steer around the insulation. Big mistake - the rod kept bending and I couldn't get any push past the first joist. I swapped to the steel fish tape after 20 minutes of frustration and got the line through in about 5 minutes flat. Anyone else find glow rods useless for anything but short straight runs?

2 comments

2 Comments

susanh468h ago

You ever try using a glow rod in a wet crawlspace? I did once, and that thing turned into a wet noodle so fast I could have tied it in a knot. The worst part was it got all slimy and I couldn't get a good grip on it. I swear fish tape is the only thing that works when you're elbow deep in spider webs and dirt.

spencer_johnson226h ago

My crawlspace at that 1950s house on Maple Street was worse than yours, @susanh46. The glow rod turned into a limp, slimy mess after hitting that puddle of old water. But honestly, I think you're making it sound worse than it is. Fish tape works fine, sure, but I've also used a regular old extension cord with a lightbulb taped to the end. It's not that deep, man. Just grab something sturdy and get it done.