Greenlee FTXS-100W, FTXS-125, FTXS-65, FTXSS-240, FTXS-125BP User manual

INSTRUCTION MANUAL

™

Reel-X

Read and understand all of the instructions and
safety information in this manual before operating
or servicing this tool.

52087553 REV 2

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© 2020 Greenlee Tools, Inc.

Fish Tape

6/20

Reel-X™ Fish Tape

Table of Contents

Cover Page ..................................................................... 1

Table of Contents ........................................................... 2

Safety Symbols .............................................................. 3

General Safety Warnings ................................................ 4

Tool Specic Safety Warnings ........................................ 4

Greenlee Contact Information ........................................ 4

Tool Description & Features ........................................... 5

Specications ................................................................. 6

Tool Identication ........................................................... 6

Decals and Locations ..................................................... 7

Pre-Operation Inspection ............................................... 7

Tool Operation & Set-Up ................................................ 8

Transportation & Storage ............................................... 8

Maintenance & Repair .................................................... 9

Replacement/Repair Parts ............................................. 9

Replace Reel Cartridge ................................................ 10

Replace Storage Lock .................................................. 10

Repairing Steel Tape &

Replacing Speed Flex® Leader ..................................... 11

Repair Fiberglass Tape & Pulling Eye ........................... 11

Disposal ........................................................................ 11

KEEP THIS MANUAL

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Safety Symbols

Reel-X™ Fish Tape

In this operator’s manual and on the product, safety
symbols and signal words are used to communicate
important safety information. This section is provided
to improve understanding of these signal words and
symbols.

This is the safety alert symbol. It is used to alert
you to potential personal injury hazards. Obey
all safety messages that follow this symbol to

avoid possible injury or death.

indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided,
Will result in death or serious injury.

indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided,
could result in death or serious injury.

indicates Hazards or unsafe practices which, if not
avoided, MAY result in injury or property damage.

This symbol means always wear
gloves when handling or using this
equipment to reduce risk of hand
injury.

These symbols indicates the risk of
electrical shock.

This symbol indicates the risk of
striking injuries.

This symbol indicates the risk of
falling.

This symbol indicates the risk of
injury from a chemical substance.

These symbols mean read the
operator’s manual carefully before
using the equipment. The operator’s
manual contains important
information on the safe and proper
operation of the equipment.

These symbols mean always wear
safety glasses with side shields or
goggles when handling or using this
equipment to reduce the risk of eye
injury.

This symbol indicates the risk of
burns from a hot surface.

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352087553 REV 2

Reel-X™ Fish Tape

General Safety Warnings

Tool Specific Safety Warnings

Safety is essential in the use and maintenance of
Greenlee tools and equipment. This instruction
manual and any markings on the tool provide
information for avoiding hazards and unsafe practices
related to the use of this tool. Observe all the safety
information provided.

WORK AREA SAFETY
Keep your work area clean and well lit. Cluttered or

dark areas invite accidents.

Keep children and bystanders away while
operating tool. Distractions can cause you to lose

control potentially injuring yourself or others.

PERSONAL SAFETY
Use personal protective equipment. Always wear

eye protection. Protective equipment such as dust

mask, non-skid safety shoes, hard hat, gloves, or
hearing protection used for appropriate conditions will
reduce personal injuries.

Do not overreach, always keep proper footing and
balance. This enables better control of the tool in

unexpected situations.

Do not use tools while tired or under the influence
of drugs, alcohol, or medication. Stay alert, watch

what you are doing and use common sense when
operating a tool. A moment of inattention while
operating tools may result in serious personal injury.

Do not let familiarity gained from frequent use of
this tool allow you to become complacent and
ignore tool safety principles. A careless action can

cause severe injury within a fraction of a second.

Use the correct tool and accessories for your
application. The correct tool will do the job better and
safer at the rate for which it was designed. Use of the
tool for operations different from those intended can
result in a hazardous situation.

Before operating this tool, read and understand:

• The instructions for any other equipment or
material used with this tool

• Markings on the tool

• Required worksite safety procedures

Do not use fish tape near live circuits. Contact with
live circuits could result in severe injury or death.

Always wear safety glasses and gloves when using
this tool. Injury could result from sharp edges or from

the pulling eye wipping around if the the sh tape
leaves conduit suddenly.

Do not use fish tape above rated load or use
powered pulling equipment. Overloading sh tape

could result in the tape breaking and may cause
striking or falling injuries.

Do not pull using the housing, only pull on fish tape
material. The tape may break or pull from the housing.

Check for misalignment or binding of moving
parts, breakage of parts and any other condition
that may affect the tool’s operation. If damaged,

have the tool serviced before using. Many accidents
are caused by poorly maintained tools and
equipment.

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Tool Description & Features

Reel-X™ Fish Tape

Steel Fish Tapes

• For general shing in conduit

• Durable tapes made from oil­tempered spring steel

• Improved low prole tip for easy
shing through all sizes of conduit

• Maximum design strength: 400 lbs
(1.7kN)

• 1/8’’ and 1/4’’ at steel proles
to accommodate different shing
situations

• Tapes are laser etched with feet
and meter markings every 1’ (.3m)

Stainless Steel Fish Tapes

• For general shing in conduit and
wet/corrosive environments

• Corrosion free stainless steel tape
for maximum life

• Maximum design strength: 400 lbs
(1.7kN)

• 1/8’’ at steel proles to
accommodate different shing
situations

• Tapes are laser etched with feet
and meter markings every 1’ (.3m)

• Fish further and faster with the
Speed Flex® Leader

Free-Spinning Quick-Change Reel Cartridges

• Reduced tape friction to speed up pull up to 2x
faster (when compared with a traditional sh tape)

• Easily swap out cartridges to replace or change
sh tape

Secondary Exit

Free up hands by allowing
sh tape to lay at on the
ground (Fiberglass only)

Fiberglass Fish Tapes

• For shing through conduit with
existing cable

• Non-conductive berglass tape
with low-friction coating for faster
and easier shing

• Perfect for shing in conduit with
wire or cable present

• Maximum design strength: 300 lbs
(1.3Kn)

Primary Exit

Symmetric design
allows for right and
left hand use

Ergonomic Design

• Reduce fatigue with lower forces needed to feed &
pull tape

• Decrease discomfort during use with a housing that
promotes neutral arm & wrist positions

• Minimize strain with a housing designed to
encourage holding it closer to your body

Measurement Markings (Steel and Stainless Only)

• Laser etched feet/meter distance markings every 1’
(0.3 m) and special stop indicator markings

Stop Indicator Last Marking

F.

figure 1

Textured Grip

Ribbing along the housing
allows for a secure hold

Measurement

Marking

Storage Lock

Keeps the reel cartridge
locked in place within
the housing

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552087553 REV 2

Reel-X™ Fish Tape

Specifications

Unit Specifications

Housing Diameter Housing Thickness Cartridge Diameter Cartridge Thickness

12.8” (325 mm) 2.5” (64 mm) 11.3” (287 mm) 1.5” (38 mm)

Fish Tape Material Specifications

Catalog
Number

FTXF-50 Fiberglass 11/64” (4.4 mm) Dia. 50’ (15.2 m) 300 lbs (1.3 kN) Eyelet 3.5 lbs (1.6 kg) RFTXF-50

FTXF-100 Fiberglass 11/64” (4.4 mm) Dia. 100’ (30.5 m) 300 lbs (1.3 kN) Eyelet 4.2 lbs (1.9 kg) RFTXF-100

FTXS-65 Spring Steel 1/8” (3.2 mm) Wide 65’ (19.8 m) 400 lbs (1.8 kN) Formed Hook 4.4 lbs (2.0 kg) RFTXS-65

FTXS-125 Spring Steel 1/8” (3.2 mm) Wide 125’ (38.1 m) 400 lbs (1.8 kN) Formed Hook 5.9 lbs (2.7 kg) RFTXS-125

FTXS-240 Spring Steel 1/8” (3.2 mm) Wide 240’ (73.2 m) 400 lbs (1.8 kN) Formed Hook 8.7 lbs (3.9 kg) RFTXS-240

FTXS-100W Spring Steel 1/4” (6.4 mm) Wide 100’ (30.5 m) 400 lbs (1.8 kN) Formed Hook 8.1 lbs (3.7 kg) RFTXS-100W

FTXSS-65 Stainless Steel 1/8” (3.2 mm) Wide 65’ (19.8 m) 400 lbs (1.8 kN) Speed Flex

FTXSS-125 Stainless Steel 1/8” (3.2 mm) Wide 125’ (38.1 m) 400 lbs (1.8 kN) Speed Flex

FTXSS-240 Stainless Steel 1/8” (3.2 mm) Wide 240’ (73.2 m) 400 lbs (1.8 kN) Speed Flex

Material Type Diameter Length Tensile Strength Pulling End Type Weight Replacement

Cartridge

®

Leader 4.4 lbs (2.0 kg) RFTXSS-65

®

Leader 5.9 lbs (2.7 kg) RFTXSS-125

®

Leader 8.7 lbs (3.9 kg) RFTXSS-240

Tool Identification

Components

1. Front Housing

2. Rear Housing

3. Reel Cartridge

4. Pulling Eye

5. Fish Tape

6. Storage Lock

7. Screws

2.

7.

1.

4.

5.

3.

6.

6

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Decals & Locations

100'

REEL-X™ Steel Fish Tape

100' x 0.25" (30.5 m x 6.4 mm)
FTXS-100W

52087600 REV 0

Note: Lock for storage use only, not intended for pulling

Components

A. Identication &

Storage Note
B. Warning Icons
C. Lock & Unlock

Reel-X™ Fish Tape

A.

B.

C.

Locked

Unlocked

Pre-Operation Inspection

Before daily use, inspect your sh tape and correct any
problems before using the tool. If any problems are
found, do not use the sh tape until the problems have
been xed.

1. Clean any oil, grease or dirt from the tool. This aids
inspection and helps prevent the tool or control
from slipping in your grip. Dirty sh tapes can bind
and become hard to control.

2. Inspect the tool for:

• Proper assembly, maintenance and

completeness.

• Any broken, worn, missing, misaligned or binding

parts.

• Any breaks, gouges, nicks, rust or sharp bends

(will weaken all sh tape).

• Presence and readability of the tool warnings.

• Any other condition which may prevent safe and

normal operation.

C.

Front Housing

B.

A.

Back Housing

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752087553 REV 2

Reel-X™ Fish Tape

Tool Operation & Set-Up

Line or Rope

Eye Fitting

Do not use fish tape near live circuits. Contact with
live circuits could result in severe injury or death.

Always wear safety glasses and gloves when
using this tool. Injury could result from sharp edges

or from the pulling eye wipping around if the the sh
tape leaves conduit suddenly.

Do not use fish tape above rated load or use
powered pulling equipment.

could result in the tape breaking and may cause
striking or falling injuries.

Do not pull using the housing, only pull on fish
tape material. The tape may break or pull from the

housing.

Overloading sh tape

7. Feed the remainder of the tape onto the reel, stopping
so just the pulling eye is out of the case for use on the
next job.

8. Engage the lock on the reel to secure the tape for
transport to the next site or storage. Secure pulling
eye if sh tape is going into storage.

Figure 2

Figure 1

Figure 3

Transportation & Storage

1. Prepare an appropriate work area free of obstructions
or hazards.

2. Check the storage lock is unlocked before shing.
(Figure 1)

3. Manually feed the sh tape through the conduit. Hold
the housing securely with one hand while feeding with
the other, if using the Primary Exit.

If using the Secondary Exit (Fiberglass Only) lay the
case flat on the ground with one foot keeping it in
place while pulling straight up using both hands to
feed tape.

Do not force tape that is jammed or not moving.
Remove fish tape and check for kinks and obstructions
before trying again.

4. Fasten the pull line or wire securely (Figure 2). For
additional security, wrap the pulling end with electrical
tape (Figure 3).

5. Pull sh tape back through conduit. Keep a stable
stance to prevent falling from the tape exiting conduit
suddenly. Do not pull using the housing or when the
lock is engaged. Do not pull sh tape over sharp
edges or corners.

6. Pull out desired amount of wire or line from the
counduit. Remove tape around the connection and
separate wire/line from pulling eye.

Keep storage lock in the locked position and the pulling
eye secure with a zip tie or equivalent when not in use.
This keeps the sh tape from unwinding from excessive
vibration and shock when transporting or from the stored
tension in the sh tape when left alone in storage.

8

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Reel-X™ Fish Tape

Maintenance & Repair

Do not perform any maintenance other than as
described in this manual.

Follow instructions from this manual when repair­ing this tool and use only identical replacement
parts. Use of unauthorized parts or failure to follow

instructions increases the risk of injury or damage to
the tool.

Do not modify fish tape. Modifying the sh tape in
any manner may result in personal injury and damage
to the tool.

Do not disassemble reel cartridge. Fish tape is
coiled under tension and may cause striking injuries if
released.

If reel is not moving smoothly, spray silicone lubricant
through the utility holes on the back of the reel to
lubricate.

Utility Holes

Replacement/Repair Parts

Repair Parts

Cat. Description Compatible Tapes

RFTXH Housing Kit (includes

front housing, rear
housing, storage lock
and screws x 4)

RFTXSL Storage Lock Kit All
35930 Pulling Eye Fiberglass

10565 Repair Kit (includes

threaded ferrule, splice
ferrule and pulling eye)

439-2 Flexible Fish Tape

Leader (solder), 12” L x
1/8” Dia.

Catalog Number Material Type Replacement Cartridge

FTXF-50 Fiberglass RFTXF-50

FTXF-100 Fiberglass RFTXF-100

FTXS-65 Spring Steel RFTXS-65

FTXS-125 Spring Steel RFTXS-125

FTXS-240 Spring Steel RFTXS-240

FTXS-100W Spring Steel RFTXS-100W

FTXSS-65 Stainless Steel RFTXSS-65

FTXSS-125 Stainless Steel RFTXSS-125

FTXSS-240 Stainless Steel RFTXSS-240

All

Fiberglass

Stainless Steel, 1/8”
Spring Steel

Utility Holes

If reel is jammed, take apart housing and clean interior
and reel cartridge (See Replace Reel Cartridge).

Note: Excessive fish tape disassembly and reassembly
may weaken unit.

© 2020 Greenlee Tools, Inc.

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952087553 REV 2

Reel-X™ Fish Tape

Replace Reel Cartridge

1. Place front housing facing down on a at,

stable surface.

2. Remove the 4 screws and lift up rear housing.

Use caution when opening housing. Fish tape is
coiled under tension and may shift reel suddenly.

Housing

Reel
Cartridge

For the Primary Exit, the sh tape will lay inside the
guide track in the outer housing wall with the pulling eye
outside the housing

For the Secondary Exit (Fiberglass only), the sh tape
will lay in the groove in the inner housing wall with the
pulling eye outside the housing. Do not put steel sh
tape through this exit. Damage to the tool will result.

Secondary Exit

Primary Exit

Guide Track

Guide Wall

8. Replace the rear housing onto assembly, tabs on
the housing inner diameters help make sure the two
halves line up.

9. Replace the 4 screws. Screw until tight, over or
under tightening the screws will weaken unit. If
threads are stripped, replace housing.

3. Remove reel cartridge from housing.

4. Secure the pulling eye to the reel cartridge for
storage or disposal to prevent the tape from
unwinding.

5. Cut and remove tie from new reel.

6. Place new reel cartridge into front housing.

7. Place pulling eye through desired exit in front
housing.

Replace Storage Lock

1. Slide the ange of the replacment lock underneath
the housing wall in the direction of the locked
marking.

Flange

Top View

10. Test that the reel spins freely by moving the sh
tape pulling eye out and in a few times. If reel does
not spin freely, check that everything is aligned
properly and pulling eye is inside of guide wall and
guide track.

2. Make sure the storage lock is ush with the front
housing and slides back to the unlocked position.

Flange

Side View

10

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Reel-X™ Fish Tape

Repairing Steel Tape & Replacing
Speed Flex® Leader

Do not touch the tape, the end of the torch, or
any other heated surfaces. Failure to observe this

warning could result in burns.

A repaired pulling eye will be weaker and can
break during use if heated and quenched in liquid.

Air cool only.

STEEL TAPE PULLING EYE

1. Clean and dry the sh tape. Be sure to remove all
grease and oil.

2. Cut off damaged or kinked portion of the tape.

3. Grip the tape with a pair of insulated pliers. Use a
torch to heat the tape until it is a dull red color.

4. Use a pair of pliers to bend tape into a closed loop.

5. Allow the tape to air cool completely.

6. Reheat the tape again to a dull red color and allow it
to air cool completely. Do not quench in liquid.
Air cool only.

SPEED FLEX® LEADER

1. Clean and dry the sh tape. Be sure to remove all
grease and oil.

2. Cut the sh tape below the damaged leader, to
provide a straight end.

3. Slide the silver solder ring from the Speed Flex kit
on to the sh tape.

4. Apply brazing ux appropriate for silver solder to the
end of the sh tape (approximately .50”/mm).

5. Insert the sh tape into the Speed Flex Leader.
Position sh tape so the leader is pointing down and
solder ring is resting against the leader.

6. Use a propane torch to braze the joint between
1205°F and 1400°F (651°C and 760°C). Let air cool,
do not quench in water.

Repair Fiberglass Tape & Pulling
Eye

A properly bonded pulling eye will have 1/2
the original strength of a new tape. (Maximum
strength: 150 lb) Failure to observe reduced strength

may result in injury during use.

Wear gloves and follow all safety and curing
instructions provided by the adhesive
manufacturer.

1. Cut the end of the sh tape with a ne-tooth
hacksaw or sharp knife. Do not pinch, crack, or
crush the berglass core.

2. Carefully strip approximately 1/2” (12.7 mm) length
of the outer plastic jacket with a wire stripper or
sharp knife. Do not cut into the berglass core.

3. Use emery cloth to rough up the surface of the
stripped berglass core.

Note: Do not touch the fiberglass surface after
sanding without gloves, shards can get lodged
under the skin and cause irritation.

Do not reuse the old end fitting. A new end fitting is
required for a good bond.

4. Test assemble the new tting to the stripped tape
to check for a good t. If splicing, test t against the
splicing piece.

5. Use the adhesive provided in the repair kit (10565)
and follow the adhesive manufacturer’s safety
information and instructions. Apply and spread
adhesive on the berglass core and immediately
insert the end of the tape into the tting with a
twisting motion.

6. Hold new end tting and sh tape together until
adhesive has set.

Note: If splicing, repeat Steps 2-5 for the other end of
the tape, using the splicing fitting provided in the
repair kit.

Disposal

Parts of these tools contain valuable materials and can
be recycled. There are companies that specialize in
recycling that may be found locally.

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Dispose of the components in compliance with all
applicable regulations. Contact your local waste
management authority for more information.

1152087553 REV 2