I was trying to run a Cat 6 cable for my new PoE video doorbell, but I accidentally lost the doorbell wire in the wall while working on it. The wire is stuck about 5.5 inches back, and I'm not sure if I can reach it with long, thin pliers since there's only about 3/4 inch of width. Before I resort to calling in a professional, are there any non-destructive methods I could try? We might consider prying off the door trim as a last-ditch option. Here's what I did: I taped the doorbell wire to the Cat 6 cable and tried pulling from different angles, but I ended up separating them. Any advice?
4 Answers
When I faced something similar, I just went ahead and drilled several holes in the drywall indoors. It helped me pull the cable down bit by bit to the basement. If you decide to call a professional, they'll likely do something along those lines too.
You really should be able to grab that wire with some long needlenose pliers, which you can find in sizes of 10" to 12". Given it's only 5.5" back, that should work well for you! Just be careful when you're reaching in there.
Check out this tool I found: it's a 36-in grabber with a flexible claw. Should help you reach that wire! The chances are it’s stuck to a stud just out of your reach, so this could be a quick fix.
It sounds like your doorbell wire might be stapled to a stud. I managed a similar situation by drilling a hole near where my wire went up through the floor, then used a fish tape and a scope camera to run the new cable while leaving the original in place. Could be worth trying!
I wish I could do that, but I have to navigate around two forced air vents along the ceiling. I've been using a pet camera to help see what I'm doing. It's a bit tricky!
That looks like a great tool! I’ll definitely be adding this to my next Home Depot shopping list.