How to Use a Wire Puller

Wire pullers come in handy in a variety of household projects, including many construction and electrical jobs. The pullers are used to draw wire through spaces that are too narrow for a human hand and to reach distances that are too long for an arm to reach. You can use a wire puller to stretch behind walls either vertically or horizontally, or to reach above ceilings to pull wire toward a central hanging fixture. Wire pullers can also be used to push wires into corners or other positions that may be difficult to reach.

Step 1

Choose a corresponding gauge for the wire you are working with. The standard gauge will work for wire up to 12-gauge. If you are using smaller wire, however, you may want to choose a smaller gauge to reach into narrower spaces.

Step 2

Extend the wire puller to proper length. Standard pullers usually come in five-foot extensions. Only use as many extensions as it takes to reach the wire you are working with. Too many extensions makes the wire puller unwieldy.

Step 3

Try to find a way to reach the wire where it is with your hands. If you can reach the wire, you can physically attach it to the end of the wire puller, which will make the job much easier. You do not need to reach behind the wall or ceiling; any way you can reach the wire will suffice.

Step 4

Attach an end tool to the puller. If you have access to the wire, you can use a figure-eight shaped attachment. If you can't get to the wire, use a wire hook. You may want to shape your own hook mechanism depending on the specific shape of the space you are working in.

Step 5

Push the wire puller into your ending point--the space you want to pull the wire to. Extend it toward the wire you want to pull.

Step 6

Attach the wire to the wire puller's end. If you are using a figure-eight, pass the wire through one eye, then through the other, and then through the first eye again. Using a hook can be more tricky: you just have to fish with it until you have snagged the wire.

Step 7

Pull the wire puller toward you, dragging the attached wire. Pull it completely out of the enclosed space, and then use your hands to detach the wire from the wire puller.