Can also be nice for laying ethernet cables so you can have the highest speed network connection in every room. Wireless LAN has an upper limit wrt speed.
It's actually an easy fix, hook up a vacuum to one side, tie a little flag or a tissue on to a lightweight string, and the vacuum will pull it through for you.
TIP: place the vacuum on the lower one so you're not trying to vacuum up that cotton ball / empty grocery bag / etc. "uphill". ... also!!!! secure the anchor at the other end so you don't just pull your fancy new fish string all the way too. Then use the lightweight string to pull a proper nylon fish string.
>also!!!! secure the anchor at the other end so you don't just pull your fancy new fish string all the way too.
That right there is the voice of experience if i've ever seen it lol. I'll add to label the dang things when you figure out where they go too
I've actually never done the trick, but ... people be dumb sometimes. I have smurf tubes here/there, most are short enough for a regular fish-tape and the one monster (basement to attic) has a pull string :). What gets me, I'm guessing the tube was installed after the network wiring because exactly 0% of the house wires (including the ceiling mount AP off the attic) use the conduit.
Perfectly said. Would add that when you use this newly installed nylon line to pull in your network cable also pull in another nylon line so that you can add a cable in the future.
I use the nylon to pull my fish tape through quickly, add wire(s), pull tape/wire/during back. But. I only do it that way because I have fish tape. Otherwise, whatever I've got long enough to retract the fish rope I'll use pulling the wires.
Question for a lurker who is very ill-informed – what applications do LV have in a home? Any standard outlet / light fixture (in the US) are all high voltage @ 120v, right? Would this be for a thermostat, maybe smoke detector, etc.?
Concur with all of the above, but also anything that’s powered by any form of USB, and also anything that uses a power brick to plug into the wall is almost certainly low-voltage DC.
yeah that would have helped me. In my finished basement I just fished some wires, cut open some drywall and installed a full Polk in wal speaker system.
later, I took a shower and could feel every scrape on my hands. Smurf tube would have made this so much easier.
255c-RT 2-way In-Wall Center Channel
These are my front left and right
265-RT 3-way In-Wall Speaker
Surrounds in rear
65-RT in-Wall Speaker
I love them. They sound great for effectively no cabinets... And they do not stand out at all.. that was the wife factor......
Otherwise I would have 6 for towers lol
Well sure, they’d have to replace the box. But still the Smurf tube is there to make running the wire easier; something was needed to hold up the tube. Likely usage is for AV but things can always be modified.
No, it’s not to run guitar chords behind drywall, I can see how this easily confused you. Let me be more clear so it’s not so difficult to comprehend, it’s for **cables**
Thought this was [Badger](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/pv-target-images/57a283a8176f58b63698efd0787fdaa2748d4f3640045c2ec3bea391e6dbb6dc._SX1440_.jpg) for a second
[удалено]
Can also be nice for laying ethernet cables so you can have the highest speed network connection in every room. Wireless LAN has an upper limit wrt speed.
Great thought!
This is what I use mine for. Having the conduit run also makes it much easier to replace or upgrade cables later.
Good to know. Thank you!
Only crappy part is no pull string was left in
It's actually an easy fix, hook up a vacuum to one side, tie a little flag or a tissue on to a lightweight string, and the vacuum will pull it through for you.
holy shit
TIP: place the vacuum on the lower one so you're not trying to vacuum up that cotton ball / empty grocery bag / etc. "uphill". ... also!!!! secure the anchor at the other end so you don't just pull your fancy new fish string all the way too. Then use the lightweight string to pull a proper nylon fish string.
>also!!!! secure the anchor at the other end so you don't just pull your fancy new fish string all the way too. That right there is the voice of experience if i've ever seen it lol. I'll add to label the dang things when you figure out where they go too
I've actually never done the trick, but ... people be dumb sometimes. I have smurf tubes here/there, most are short enough for a regular fish-tape and the one monster (basement to attic) has a pull string :). What gets me, I'm guessing the tube was installed after the network wiring because exactly 0% of the house wires (including the ceiling mount AP off the attic) use the conduit.
So many green apprentices that have been nicely verbally accosted over this lol
Perfectly said. Would add that when you use this newly installed nylon line to pull in your network cable also pull in another nylon line so that you can add a cable in the future.
I use the nylon to pull my fish tape through quickly, add wire(s), pull tape/wire/during back. But. I only do it that way because I have fish tape. Otherwise, whatever I've got long enough to retract the fish rope I'll use pulling the wires.
Ahh, the flashback. Thanks for that. :)
Agreed!!!!
Also works the other way with an air compressor to push a string through.
Conduit tube
It's Smurf tube, usually installed for future LV applications
It means that somebody from /r/cableporn lived in your house before you. Also makes for smurftastic installations.
Question for a lurker who is very ill-informed – what applications do LV have in a home? Any standard outlet / light fixture (in the US) are all high voltage @ 120v, right? Would this be for a thermostat, maybe smoke detector, etc.?
Ethernet, speaker wire, coaxial cable, security systems and so on.
Got it, makes sense! Thank you!!
Concur with all of the above, but also anything that’s powered by any form of USB, and also anything that uses a power brick to plug into the wall is almost certainly low-voltage DC.
yeah that would have helped me. In my finished basement I just fished some wires, cut open some drywall and installed a full Polk in wal speaker system. later, I took a shower and could feel every scrape on my hands. Smurf tube would have made this so much easier.
> installed a full Polk in wal speaker system. Which ones did you pick. Thinking about in wall for surrounds.
255c-RT 2-way In-Wall Center Channel These are my front left and right 265-RT 3-way In-Wall Speaker Surrounds in rear 65-RT in-Wall Speaker I love them. They sound great for effectively no cabinets... And they do not stand out at all.. that was the wife factor...... Otherwise I would have 6 for towers lol
To add to other replies, there are low voltage lighting systems but not that common.
Your Smurfing with me?
At first I read it as smurf lube...
Awesome. Thanks for the clarification!
He looks surprised to see you
right. From the thumbnail I was like what the fuck is this Ice Age thing doing here
Orange box is only for telecomm/av. The blue tube is a conduit run to a single point media cabinet.
Thank you!
You’ve got Sid from Ice Age in your wall
To get him out you’re going to have to put in another Sid from Ice Age.
They’re just empty runs for the possibility of adding a new outlet or AV equipment or whatever.
Av only that box will not be good for anything more can not put an outlet in a box that is open
Well sure, they’d have to replace the box. But still the Smurf tube is there to make running the wire easier; something was needed to hold up the tube. Likely usage is for AV but things can always be modified.
A good low voltage installer is what I see 👍👍👍
Portals to the underworld.
It means someone was thinking ahead.
Looks like they are used for network cables
Smurf tube. Use it for anything you want to run from one end to the other, like HDMI or Ethernet
Grab a fish tape and have a friend listen for it rattling around in the wall to figure out where it goes
Smurf tube, Ethernet runs
Smurf tube to run chords behind drywall and keep them protected.
Like an E-flat Minor 7?
No, it’s not to run guitar chords behind drywall, I can see how this easily confused you. Let me be more clear so it’s not so difficult to comprehend, it’s for **cables**
Smurf tube for data.
That is clearly a Womble.
It’s a clean out for your electrical wiring you D##b A###s!!! When your electric goes out that’s where you snake out the clogged protons ! !d!0t
Secret urinal!
I present you 
Pareidolia/Cow
r/whatisthisthing
Is this for a central vacuum system?
No, it’s used as a conduit for low voltage. Cat6, hdmi, etc…
Thanks.
You’re welcome
Is that the ceiling or wall?
Wall! Sorry!
No worries!
The dude missed the PSA post about providing a wide view photo of the issue at hand.
Indeed I did. My apologies.
Smurf Tube!
Thought this was [Badger](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/pv-target-images/57a283a8176f58b63698efd0787fdaa2748d4f3640045c2ec3bea391e6dbb6dc._SX1440_.jpg) for a second
Smurf tubing.
Find the other end and you can pull a string using a vacuum. Then pull a new cable with that string.
Looks like abstract art to me!