No string or hockey sticks in electrical ducting
The electrical piping that runs from the street to the house has no string/rope going through it and the drive is already laid. What’s the best way of getting a string through the pipe so the electrical cable can be pulled through it?
Advice from 2 local tradespeople
This is a common issue, and in many cases it can be resolved without digging up the driveway. The usual method is to use a draw tape (cable rod or fish tape) and feed it through the duct. If the duct is clear, this is often all that's needed.
If the duct is long or has several bends, another effective method is to use a lightweight foam plug or small plastic bag attached to a length of string and use a vacuum cleaner at the opposite end to pull the string through. Once the string is in place, it can be used to pull through a stronger draw rope, and then the electrical cable.
If neither method works, the duct may be blocked, crushed or contain debris. In that case, it should be inspected and cleared before attempting to install the cable. Avoid forcing rods or cables through, as this can damage the duct or leave the cable jammed.
Once the cable has been installed, it's good practice to leave a spare draw rope in the duct for any future cable replacements or additions.
The easiest way is to use cable rods or a draw rope to pull a string through the duct. For longer ducts, a vacuum cleaner can sometimes be used to pull a lightweight string through first.
If this doesn't work, the duct may be blocked and will need checking.
