How do I snake wires through this

[LifeIsGood]

This is the arm off an outdoor wall lantern that I have. The wiring shorted and I want to replace it. I called the manufacturer and they were no help. No diagrams, no replacement parts, nothing. There are 3 wires...hot, common and bare ground. They seem to be about 16 AWG. The wiring only moves a little when I pull from either direction. I don't want to give it a hard pull until I have a good plan in place for getting the new wiring in there. It runs along the outside of the curve. The openings on either end are 4/10" round. Is there a secret to getting wiring through a curved object?

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Here's the lantern...

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[Wagnut ACR]

What kind of metal is it? Magnetic? If not I'd try a wet noodle.


http://www.lsdinc.com/installation/7317/Wet-Noodle---

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[LifeIsGood]

It's metal, but not magnetic. I'll have to pull on the Wet Noodle chain to pull the wires through. I feel like I'll have to pull kind of hard to get it done. Would this hold up?

[Hostile]

Pull the new wires in when you pull the old out.

[Fatboy 18]

In the uk electricans use a gell lube to pull wires through steel trunking. Another idea could be to tie strong fishing line to the end of the wire and use that to pull the new cables through.

[ForTehNguyen]

coat hanger? Or another similar long bendeable metal. To run wire in house walls, people use fishtape

[Wagnut ACR]

We use the wet noodles all the time to pull cables in power poles and other situations. Its multi-link cylindrical shape helps reduce friction. I've never broke one, but I haven't yanked on it for dear life either. As Fatboy said some pull lube will help too. Make sure you give the gel time to dry if you use it as some of them are conductive. Hand soap works ok too.

[plumcrazy]

Pull the new wires in when you pull the old out.

this is what im thinking if the old wires are there yet

[sparkrn]

Greenlee fishing line with a small Baggie tied to the line. Use a shop vac to suck the string in. Tie the string to your wire and pull. That's what electricians do.

[Wagnut ACR]

Greenlee fishing line with a small Baggie tied to the line. Use a shop vac to suck the string in. Tie the string to your wire and pull. That's what electricians do.

If it's was bigger I'd agree with you. Not sure if a bag would suck through this. We only use the shop vac on short runs. On a long shot a Co2 blower works great.

[Wagnut ACR]

this is what im thinking if the old wires are there yet

This could work if there's enough wire to stagger the ends of the new wire and you use lube.
The "monkeys fist" as we call it that most people make while trying this method usually doesn't work well.

[LifeIsGood]

Thanks for all the replies. I was able to get a ball chain through there pretty easily. I connected the wiring to the end of the ball chain and pulled it through. It wasn't easy with the 90 degree openings at both ends of the lantern arm. It took a while pushing, pulling, making slack. I didn't want to damage the new wiring. Again, thanks for all the help.