From: "TKM" 
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Rewiring chandelier: snaking wires through arms
Date: Tue, 01 Nov 2005 18:40:12 GMT


 wrote in message 
news:1130772541.545652.189790@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
>I am trying to rewire a 5 arm brass chandelier. The original wiring is
> 16 ga stranded wire which was hard wired to the fixtures (several of
> which are defective which is why I am rewiring).
>
> One end of the arm has a straight run from the entry hole but then
> there's a sharp bend which I can't negotiate by pushing the wire. If I
> start from the other end (which has an immediate 90 degree turn through
> a narrow hole) I am able to push one stranded conductor completely
> through the arm, but I am unable to get the second conductor to get
> past the 90 degree turn. I've tried doing this using the original
> wiring (which I plan to replace).
>
> I've tried 2 conductor lamp wire but that's too wide. I've tried using
> conduit lube but that doesn't seem to help. I don't have any 18 ga
> stranded wire on hand, but the diameter of stranded wire including its
> jacket appears not to vary with gauge.
>
> Is there some trick I am missing here?
>
> thanks

Always pull wire in tight spots; don't push it.  If you have the same size 
wire that was originally used, then the trick is to pull one wire at a time 
and use the wire lube.  Your pull wire can be a bare piece of copper.  Pay 
attention to the joint between the pull wire and the new wire.  Keep it as 
thin and short as possible so it will negotiate the bend.  I like to solder 
that joint for extra strength.

TKM