sundance-communications.com/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Cabling Telephones Systems Wiring New kind of wall snake?

Got the hint from a buddy, tried it, it's great.

A speedometer cable from an auto parts store. Clean off the lube it is covered in, and it is quick and easy to fish wires.

It is about 3/16" of wound brass, flexible, but heavy enough to use gravity to your advantage. Twisting it at the top spins it easier than a fishtape, and it will slink its way through conduit in a snap, even 90 degree bends.

Problem is how long is it? Never seen one more than a few feet.

-Hal

the one I have is about 10ft long. Universal replacement for GM products.

You can buy it in bulk from a wholesaler. It comes in various cailbers.

https://www.speedometersolutions.com/speedometer_cable.htm

It works well with gravity, but not with...levity.

For conduits only, or are you fishing walls too?

Can't imagine it's too different than a cut fiberglass fish-tape section or a glow rod. Just sayin', not trying to be danny downer here.

the flexibility of the wound cable makes it good for any type vertical drop. If the "real ceiling" is too close to the top of a wall, a glow rod only flexs so far before it will snap.

Wow, a simple tip has received much criticism without being tried....are ya'll really that pessimistic?

I don't see any criticism.....just questions.

So far..in about 15 years -- I haven't seen a need for another "fish" tool--we get along fine with the glow rods. However---if at some time, we go to an auto store (I haven't been in one in over 5-6 years) we'll take a look at a 10ft/12ft section and see if it may be worth it to try it out. Thanks for the tip!!

Here is another simple way to get to get cable down a wall, with or without insulation. It also works great power poles. The flex light has a magnate on the tip at the light, it works great when working alone trying to find the chain in the wall.

why not use a powerfull rare earth neo magnet say from a hard drive to drag some kind of small steel metal down the inside of the wall with string attached? as long as there is no obsticles that would block the metal it can be draged with the magenet on the outside of the sheet rock to the hole at the base of the wall?

There is actually a company that makes exactly that.

-Hal