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Title: Analog Snake Stuck, help
Post by: Spencer Martin on March 25, 2018, 02:43:43 PM
We had a guy come in and set up a new system at our campus and we thought he knew wat he was doing till he got the analog snake stuck in our conduit that runs under the floor and I don’t know how to get it out.the cable he used to pull it snapped and we can’t pull it back. Any ideas how I could get it out?
Title: Posting Rules
Post by: Mac Kerr on March 25, 2018, 02:47:35 PM
We had a guy come in

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Title: Re: Analog Snake Stuck, help
Post by: Hanno Meingast on March 26, 2018, 11:09:19 PM
I have seen situations where a new pull line was installed using a shop vac and a bundle of rags tied to that line


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Title: Re: Analog Snake Stuck, help
Post by: Erik Jerde on March 27, 2018, 12:06:58 AM
We had a guy come in and set up a new system at our campus and we thought he knew wat he was doing till he got the analog snake stuck in our conduit that runs under the floor and I don’t know how to get it out.the cable he used to pull it snapped and we can’t pull it back. Any ideas how I could get it out?

I'm assuming you're saying that the snake is stuck in the pipe.  If not and you're just looking to run a new string then Hanno has the right idea.

Hitch a ratchet strap around the snake, attach the other end to structure.  Engage ratchet.  Hopefully you won't have to put much tension on it to yank it out.  If you do... watch out.  May destroy the snake but that's probably better than cutting up the floor to cut out the problem section of pipe and remove the snake.

For future note, If you really have to pull hard there's probably something wrong.
Title: Re: Analog Snake Stuck, help
Post by: Ray Aberle on March 27, 2018, 06:22:35 AM
We had a guy come in and set up a new system at our campus and we thought he knew wat he was doing till he got the analog snake stuck in our conduit that runs under the floor and I don’t know how to get it out.the cable he used to pull it snapped and we can’t pull it back. Any ideas how I could get it out?

... any reason why you don't just have "that guy" fix the problem he caused?
Title: Re: Analog Snake Stuck, help
Post by: Mike Caldwell on March 27, 2018, 07:25:11 AM
Was this a snake with connectors already on the fan tail or just a blunt end piece of cable.
How big in diameter is the conduit and how long is the length, how many turns and bends, any other cable already in the conduit.
Title: Re: Analog Snake Stuck, help
Post by: David Allred on March 27, 2018, 10:48:10 AM
Was this a snake with connectors already on the fan tail or just a blunt end piece of cable.
How big in diameter is the conduit and how long is the length, how many turns and bends, any other cable already in the conduit.

And how many XLR's are you dealing with?  If they weren't staggered and secured properly there is a lot of potential wedging force. 
Title: Re: Analog Snake Stuck, help
Post by: Mark Cadwallader on March 27, 2018, 11:59:47 AM
If you can access the conduit from below (in the basement or crawl space), cutting the conduit might be the easiest route. If the conduit is buried in a slab, then that sucks.

An alternate routing and a new anolog snake, or a digital snake, might be more cost effective that cutting a slab.
Title: Re: Analog Snake Stuck, help
Post by: Jonathan Johnson on March 28, 2018, 06:54:29 PM
We had a guy come in and set up a new system at our campus and we thought he knew wat he was doing till he got the analog snake stuck in our conduit that runs under the floor and I don’t know how to get it out.the cable he used to pull it snapped and we can’t pull it back. Any ideas how I could get it out?

You just might have a useless snake -- AND a useless conduit. If you can access the conduit (unless it's below the slab), you might be able to cut the conduit where the problem is and work things out. Otherwise, new conduit and a new snake might be cheaper than cutting into a slab and the subsequent repair. Think about the value of your time, too.

Maybe a plumbing snake (rooter) could be used to "clean out" the mess.

NEXT TIME: If you're pulling the fanout of a snake through a conduit, the XLRs should be staggered and bundled (wrap with plastic wrap and tape). Tie the pull string/cable/rope to the JACKET of the snake. Then use LOTS AND LOTS of cable pulling lube (they sell it in the electrical department).

Better yet, pull unterminated bulk snake cable and put ends on it after it's pulled through the conduit.