I'm currently finishing up the electrical for my basement finish. I'm running off of a subpanel in the basement that I have installed and plan to install a 60-amp breaker in the main breaker box in the garage with 6/3 wire running to the basement.
When the house was built, the builder installed a smurf tube from the top of the main breaker box up through the attic and down into the basement. I was told by a handyman that I could use the smurf tube for a 6/3 wire. Well, last night I attempted to do just that. It was fine until the wire had to bend around the bends to go up into the attic and back down into the basement. This was an incredibly difficult run and I couldn't get it to go.
Long story short, I had to climb up in the attic, cut the smurf tube, thread the wire up into the attic and then back down into the basement. The wire then got stuck in the smurf tube just as it was entering the basement. Like the stuck and won't move another inch stuck. I thought, no biggie, I'll just pull the smurf tube and thread the wire down without a smurf tube. Apparently this was a big mistake as the wire now has the jacket torn in a couple places.
I pretty much gave up after that. My questions are:
#1 Was the smurf tube (I believe it was 3/4 inch) too small for a 6/3 wire and thus was why it was so difficult to get it through?
#2 With the jacket busted open (no wires appear knicked, just the outer cover) is this wire totally unusable now?
#3 Should I pull the smurf tube and install nm pvc conduit through the walls?
#4 Should I rip my hair out in frustration and shell out the money for an electrician even though I feel confident I can make all the connections, it's just running this stupid wire?
Thanks in advance!
Allan
When the house was built, the builder installed a smurf tube from the top of the main breaker box up through the attic and down into the basement. I was told by a handyman that I could use the smurf tube for a 6/3 wire. Well, last night I attempted to do just that. It was fine until the wire had to bend around the bends to go up into the attic and back down into the basement. This was an incredibly difficult run and I couldn't get it to go.
Long story short, I had to climb up in the attic, cut the smurf tube, thread the wire up into the attic and then back down into the basement. The wire then got stuck in the smurf tube just as it was entering the basement. Like the stuck and won't move another inch stuck. I thought, no biggie, I'll just pull the smurf tube and thread the wire down without a smurf tube. Apparently this was a big mistake as the wire now has the jacket torn in a couple places.
I pretty much gave up after that. My questions are:
#1 Was the smurf tube (I believe it was 3/4 inch) too small for a 6/3 wire and thus was why it was so difficult to get it through?
#2 With the jacket busted open (no wires appear knicked, just the outer cover) is this wire totally unusable now?
#3 Should I pull the smurf tube and install nm pvc conduit through the walls?
#4 Should I rip my hair out in frustration and shell out the money for an electrician even though I feel confident I can make all the connections, it's just running this stupid wire?
Thanks in advance!
Allan