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I need to remove this metal conduit or at least bring it even with the floor. I don't need to worry about preserving the wires inside the conduit. I only have a little hacksaw, but I'm open to buying other tools if needed. What's the best way to get rid of this conduit so that it's even with or below the floor?

dfitzgerald
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5 Answers5

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I'm assuming you don't have access to the backside of this conduit. If you did, you would just disassemble it - find the nearest coupler, uncouple it, and remove the pipe.

Remember to remove these orphan wires entirely; all the way back to the previous junction box (or past it, if they go past it). You're not supposed to leave orphan wires, though.

Harper - Reinstate Monica
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  • I can't seem to pull the wires out no matter how hard I pull, but I have confirmed there's no power going through them. Is that good enough? I don't know how I would remove the wires completely. – dfitzgerald Oct 08 '19 at 03:33
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    @dfitzgerald You're pulling from the other box, right? You shouldn't pull from the pictured end. 2 wires shouldn't pull that hard out of 1/2" conduit, so if 10 pounds of pull doesn't do the job, there must be an intermediate box or conduit body somewhere. Again, Code requires it be accessible. – Harper - Reinstate Monica Oct 08 '19 at 03:42
  • A toner can help you track it through your walls since the conduit is metal. – Fresh Codemonger Oct 08 '19 at 05:33
  • @dfitzgerald You show no power **now**. The concern is, what if the other end is not simply chopped off somewhere but **switched off** (breaker or a regular switch) and someone flips it back on, not knowing where it goes. If all goes well, either nothing happens or a breaker trips quickly. But if it doesn't go well, you end up with a fire. – manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact Oct 08 '19 at 14:14
  • @FreshCodemonger Brilliant. Put the toner on the **conduit**... – Harper - Reinstate Monica Oct 08 '19 at 18:17
  • @Harper Here is a [picture](https://imgur.com/4xw5rJp) of the junction box where I think the other end of that red wire in my main post is. Pulling on this wire at the junction box doesn't pull the wire through either. There's not even a little give, so I don't know how I would remove the wire without ripping up the entire wall. Could it be attached to something else along the way? What is a toner? – dfitzgerald Oct 09 '19 at 03:23
  • @dfitzgerald yes, you are in the wrong box. There's another box 'twixt here and there. A toner is a gadget that puts radio waves on the wire or pipe, it comes with an antenna that lets you find it. – Harper - Reinstate Monica Oct 09 '19 at 05:51
  • @Harper I bought a toner and attached it to the wires sticking out of the ground. It's very loud where the wires are visible (at both ends) and I'm getting some sort of signal in the vicinity of the cabinets but nothing strong and pointed enough to where I could infer where the wires are running. It doesn't seem to be obviously running through some other visible box. Does it sound like I'm using it incorrectly? How would I put a tone on the conduit directly? – dfitzgerald Oct 10 '19 at 01:15
  • @dfitzgerald Attach the toner to the conduit directly, any which way. I would take a few inches of ground wire and twist them around the conduit like a ty-wrap around a bag of bread. – Harper - Reinstate Monica Oct 10 '19 at 02:40
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Try a reciprocating saw with a blade designed for metal. Big brand name is Sawzall but all the major tool companies have them.

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They are available both corded and battery powered.

manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact
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maybe you can get the hackaw blade (without the handle) into the hole beside the pipe and then saw through it holding the blade in you hand, in locking pliers, or in a special blade handle. enter image description here

Jasen
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A dremel with a metal cutting wheel will work.

kgc
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4.5" angle grinder. Pick one up at harbor freight for $15. They are so cheap I just keep 3 around with different thickness discs attached instead of fumbling to change them. If one dies you have spares.

The other tools - oscillating/reciprocating/dremel generally are going to be more expensive, slower, and harder to get a flush cut. While I tend to buy cheap grinders I don't recommend cheaping out on the other tools.

Fresh Codemonger
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