This project is continued from Part 3.
Having disconnected the old NM-B 14/2 cable from the circuit breaker panel, I stood a ladder on the wall to remove any cable staples and ready for pulling out the cable.
Old Branch Circuit NM-B 14/2 Cable
GFCI Outlet and Branch Circuit Cable Removal
Working from the extension ladder setup on the other side of the room, I reached over the finished basement drywall ceiling and got a nice photo of the inaccessible GFCI outlet. The blue plastic outlet box is nailed to the floor joist. From experience, I know the nails are fairly easy to pry out of the wood.
Inaccessible GFCI Outlet attached to the Floor Joist
The non-contact voltage detector duct taped to a walking stick allowed me to reach the GFCI outlet before, so I took the detector off and duct taped my blue pry bar / nail puller to the walking stick. Uncle Red would be proud.
Improvised Pry Bar Extension
Working from the top of the extension ladder, I was able to wedge the blue pry bar between the outlet box and floor joist. It’s a tight area with the cold water copper pipe on the right and the PVC drain pipe on the left.
Blue Pry Bar Wedged between Outlet Box and Floor Joist
Another view of the blue pry bar and outlet. Also a nice view of the hole cut in the subfloor beneath the kitchen sink cabinet. I’ll be fishing new electrical cable through that hole.
Blue Pry Bar Wedged Between the Outlet and Floor Joist
With the copper water pipe and PVC drain pipe preventing the normal side-to-side prying motion with the walking stick, I twisted the walking stick clockwise and counter-clockwise to work the nails out. Success! And it took less than a minute!
Outlet Box Pried Off the Floor Joist
I used the walking stick to maneuver the outlet box over the PVC drain pipe to drop it on the suspended drywall ceiling of the finished basement. This is looking through the 2×4 wall studs from the top of the ladder.
Electrical Outlet Box and Pry Bar
I pulled the outlet box to within reach and cut the electric cable. This frees the cable so I can pull it out of the crawlspace; “crawlspace” is a generous word because it’s impossible to crawl on the suspended drywall ceiling. There’s no way it would support my weight and it would break and crack at best.
Outlet Box Cut free of the NM-B 14/2 Cable
Back in the main room by the circuit breaker panel, I climbed the other ladder and pulled the old NM-B 14/2 cable back towards the circuit breaker panel and out of the ceiling crawlspace. I’ll save the cable for future small jobs.
Pulling Out the Old NM-B 14/2 Cable
This project is continued in Part 5.
Hope this helps,
Bob Jackson
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