Every month, we pick the top Ideas That Work submitted by you, ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR readers. These ideas can't be found in any code or guidebook and are only learned or devised through years of experience and thinking, "There's got to be a better way to do this!" Please remember, the ideas presented in this article are for consideration only. Before using such ideas, make sure codes and safety standards have been fully adhered to.

Now, without further ado, here are this issue's Ideas That Work!

Plastic tube fishing

Fishing cable (such as Types NM, MC and AC) into existing wall cavities can be made much easier using cross-linked polyethylene (PEX), a flexible plastic tubing used in plumbing. The PEX acts both as a push rod and as a channel to easily guide the cable through the wall cavity to the box cutout. Push a 10-ft. length of ½-in. or ¾-in. PEX through a predrilled hole in the wall toward the cutout. When you have the PEX through the box opening, you can easily push your cable through from the top or bottom. When the cable is in, simply slide the PEX off the cable. One more tip: cut the PEX at an angle on the penetrating end to allow it to cut through insulation better. Cover this end with tape so it won’t fill with insulation or other debris.

John Hemmings
Charleston, W.V.

Keep it uncut

When I rough-in a house, I tie in everything and energize on an arc-fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) to make sure there are no problems before the insulators and rockers start their work. I had a great idea: Loop the uncut wires into the outlet boxes to make it easier to roll the wires into the box. It saves time and material to splice everything through. When it’s time to install the receptacle, the conductor is uncut, so there is less chance of a loose connection and you have ground continuity because the ground is uncut.

Barry Yeslow
Huntingdon Valley, Pa.

In your sights

I use a laser rifle boresight device to help find drill points in a soffit or roof overhang. It also can be used to provide drill point locations for conduit. I also place it on top of meter bases to get a true center drill location when it is difficult or no real measuring point is available.

B.J. Jones
Henderson, Ky.

IF YOU HAVE AN IDEA that has saved you time or money on the job, ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR ­readers would like to hear about it. Be sure to include a good photo of your idea—hand sketches are often hard to interpret. Note that some similar ideas are submitted by more than one person. In these cases, the one that is more clearly written and includes a photo is given precedence. Send your letter and photo to Jack Pullizzi, Ideas Editor, ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR, 3 Bethesda Metro Center, Suite 1100, Bethesda, MD 20814-5372, e-mail [email protected], or use the online submission tool at www.ecmag.com/ideasthatwork.

CASH AND TOOL PRIZES FOR WINNING IDEAS Each published author in Ideas That Work receives a $50 American Express gift card from ELECTRICAL ­CONTRACTOR. In addition, Southwire (www.southwiretools.com) will send the following set of electrician’s tools to each month’s first-place winner:

• Cable cutter
• Fish tape
• Long nose pliers
• Side cutting pliers
• Diagonal cutting pliers
• Pump pliers
• Screwdriver
• Wire stripper
• Crimpers
• Multimeter

DISCLAIMER: The ideas presented in this article are for consideration only. Before using such ideas, make sure codes and safety issues have been fully adhered to. ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR disclaims any liability from your use of these or any other ideas. ­ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR reserves the right to reprint the words herein at its discretion.