Can I run mains cable down Internal soil stack?

[paul Long]

Hi.
I need to run a 6mm cable from consumer unit by front door to far end of kitchen. The simplest route to avoid lifting floorboards is up a soil stack box to the loft and back down another. I am struggling to get past 1st floor level coming down from the loft. I am hitting something solid so am wondering if there would be a solid firebreak in the boxing or between floors perhaps or am I just hitting a floor board that is tight to the pipe?
House was built in 2007. Should I be able to go all the way from loft to ground floor?

 

[sparkwright]

There may be a floorboard or plasterboard in the way, who knows?

What are you using to get down the void?

A piece of chain on some string works well, if you move it side to side it may get past the obstruction.

 

[conny]

Buy one of these to poke through the void feeling for any gaps. Better than a weight on a chain or string as you will have more control over it.

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/RUNCCI-Y...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

 

[SUNRAY]

Buy one of these to poke through the void feeling for any gaps. Better than a weight on a chain or string as you will have more control over it.

Nothing to see Conny.

OP presumably you have made a hole from the loft, can you look down?

I've often lowered a miniature bulb down to see better.

 

[delmel]

Some jack chain should easily find its way down the route, fix it to the chane and pull it up.

 

[conny]

Nothing to see Conny.

OP presumably you have made a hole from the loft, can you look down?

I've often lowered a miniature bulb down to see better.

DOH! I forgot to add link. Now added. Thanks Sunray.

 

[SimonH2]

Buy one of these to poke through the void feeling for any gaps.
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/RUNCCI-YUN-Electrical-Threader-Puller-Pulling/dp/B07W96NJKP/ref=sr_1_3_sspa?crid=RFP00KQJ39OF&dchild=1&keywords=cable+fishing+rods&qid=1593327578&sprefix=cable+fishing,aps,164&sr=8-3-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyU0lKMFRTWUc5NUNGJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNTUzNTk3M1RLVVVCUktMNFlFUiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwODY5Nzg4M1FGMVI4WFpTM0Q5UCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

An improvement, but I suspect you'd struggle as it probably doesn't want to spring straight. As long as you have some space to hamdle a straight rod, then I'd suggest a set of cable rods - more controllable in this sort of situation.
Just rember not to turn them the wrong way and unscrew a joint where you can't retrieve some of your set

 

[conny]

An improvement, but I suspect you'd struggle as it probably doesn't want to spring straight. As long as you have some space to hamdle a straight rod, then I'd suggest a set of cable rods - more controllable in this sort of situation.
Just rember not to turn them the wrong way and unscrew a joint where you can't retrieve some of your set

Simon, I did see the rods but thought he may prefer the cheaper option.
Regarding twisting the rods the wrong way? We've all done it at one time. Lesson learnt!

 

[SUNRAY]

Simon, I did see the rods but thought he may prefer the cheaper option.
Regarding twisting the rods the wrong way? We've all done it at one time. Lesson learnt!

I've never done it as I heard so many tales when I started using them but I have lost several where the joints have got irretrievably trapped and unscrewed them to retain as many as possible.

I know of a blocked drain being made worse by rods becomming unscrewed.

 

[conny]

When I was very young my dad used to sweep our chimneys. One day he let my eldest brother have a go, (we're talking early 1960's and it was the kitchen chimney. Kitchen was in the basement of a 3 storey terraced house plus cellar plus attic room, so 5 floors in effect), and told him to keep twisting and pushing. John started twisting and pushing and stopped for a break after a few minutes. Yep! When he started again he twisted the wrong way and came undone. He didn't realise until he gave it a push and it went much easier. Dad, thinking it had come out the pot on the roof sent me to go and 'look for the brush'. I came back and said, no brush but I can see the pole. Poor dad had to borrow a massive 3 piece extending ladder, climb up on the roof, crawl up the slates, (no cat ladder!), and drop a brick tied to a rope down the chimney.
He never let any of us have a go after that.

PS He did get the brush head back though.

 

[sparkwright]

Did he get the brush head back by dropping the brick down, or by some other way?

 

[conny]

Got it back by repeatedly dropping the brick down to dislodge it each time it fell and got stuck again.
He admitted many years later, when we were laughing about things in the old days, that after that episode that particular chimney was never as dirty as it used to be when it came round to it's annual clean.

 

[sparkwright]

Priceless.

I'm glad I asked that.

 

[SimonH2]

Simon, I did see the rods but thought he may prefer the cheaper option.

For a long time I put off spending "all that money" on something I'd "rarely use". Then one day I was in the wholesalers and they had a set on offer - and it quickly became one of those "why didn't I buy them years ago" tools. Once you have them, then you find all sorts of uses.

Regarding twisting the rods the wrong way? We've all done it at one time. Lesson learnt!

And the drainage pros have a variety of specialised tools for retrieving stuff - there's some fascinating videos on't net.