Schedule 20 PVC

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Jim W in Tampa

Senior Member
Location
Tampa Florida
Your making a stupid call. Would you feel better if he removes the 20 and uses 80 when it comes out of the ground ? He went above the min. just eat your tag and move on.

He has barried it with schedule 20 and that is legal in my book. But you can play hard A
and i hope he just removes the 20 and walks away. If it was me i would call your boss and i would not back down. To beat you i would remove 1/4 of an inch some place in the the line and now it is a sleeve and not complete. Your job to find out where he did it.
 

ActionDave

Chief Moderator
Staff member
Location
Durango, CO, 10 h 20 min from the winged horses.
Occupation
Licensed Electrician
The silly part of this whole argument is if the raceway is complete like Dennis suggests it should be sch.40 at least. But if you left a gap of an 1/8" anywhere in the run, now it's just a sleeve and the rules don't apply. Does that make any sense whatsoever?:
That's the way I see it, so again I ask-
What if he sleeves over the sch. 20 with a larger size conduit where it emerges then it is no longer
a complete raceway?
Anybody?
 

curt swartz

Electrical Contractor - San Jose, CA
Location
San Jose, CA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
FWIW I buy schedule 40 in 20' lengths all the time.

Matt, you are correct DB120 is a type of P&C duct.
 

wawireguy

Senior Member
Whey even use it.. It could be EB20 also. Only used for concrete encasement.

If you want a PVC raceway install Sch 40. Or just bury it and bed it properly.
 

Chamuit

Grumpy Old Man
Location
Texas
Occupation
Electrician
Has anyone used other than schedule 40 and 80 pvc underground?

. . .

I feel that if he choses to go beyond the requirement the method still need to be code compliant.

Thank you in advance for any help.

Romeo:

We use sch40 all the time for POCO secondary horizontally. One POCO requires steel riser (and the like) when going vertical out of the ground. The other allows sch80. The cover for this is 18" per NEC and anywhere from 18+ depending on situation by the POCO.

The only time we have used DB120 is on POCO primary and the cover on those (in the circumstances where it was used) has been 36" another was 48".

Sounds like the contractor is trying to be a little cautious or conscientious with the extra protection afforded by the conduit.

Here is an interesting article from Carlon about DB120.
 

romeo

Senior Member
Schedule 20 pvc

Schedule 20 pvc

Where in the NEC do you see Schedule 20. It is not there and thus the problem. Just because it exists does not make it a suitable raceway for electrical.

That is my argument also. I know the local Power co. uses it, but IMO it is not recognized by the NEC.
 

romeo

Senior Member
Schedule 20 pvc

Schedule 20 pvc

Romeo:

We use sch40 all the time for POCO secondary horizontally. One POCO requires steel riser (and the like) when going vertical out of the ground. The other allows sch80. The cover for this is 18" per NEC and anywhere from 18+ depending on situation by the POCO.

The only time we have used DB120 is on POCO primary and the cover on those (in the circumstances where it was used) has been 36" another was 48".

Sounds like the contractor is trying to be a little cautious or conscientious with the extra protection afforded by the conduit.

Here is an interesting article from Carlon about DB120.

Thank you for some great information.
 

romeo

Senior Member
Schedule 20 pvc

Schedule 20 pvc

Your making a stupid call. Would you feel better if he removes the 20 and uses 80 when it comes out of the ground ? He went above the min. just eat your tag and move on.

He has barried it with schedule 20 and that is legal in my book. But you can play hard A
and i hope he just removes the 20 and walks away. If it was me i would call your boss and i would not back down. To beat you i would remove 1/4 of an inch some place in the the line and now it is a sleeve and not complete. Your job to find out where he did it.

Is it not his job to show me where he did it? As I mentioned he is not using pvc for extra protection but for the purpose of being able to withdraw the db cable, wouldn't removing 1/4" defeat that?

I disagree with your opinion that it is legal but we are all entitled to an opinion.
 

romeo

Senior Member
Schedule 20 pvc

Schedule 20 pvc

Why do all of that ? Just cut 1/4 inch of the conduit and laugh at the inspector. Or just remove the part in 20 that was not required just extra protection.

It seems to me that you have an issue with inspectors, but if it makes you feel better have a good laugh on me.
 

Jim W in Tampa

Senior Member
Location
Tampa Florida
It seems to me that you have an issue with inspectors, but if it makes you feel better have a good laugh on me.

Nothing but respect for the ones that follow nec and use common since.
Yes this job violates nec because it is complete raceway but it exceeds the min by protecting wires better than required. So what he must do is fix it so it is not complete by cutting a small section out. If he removes 1/4 inch someplace do you agree it now passes nec ?
 

cmreschke

Senior Member
imo the power companies are not regulated by the nec so if they do use a sched 20 pvc it can be a complete system since they do not pull permits or get inspections to turn on the power that they are providing. so the arguement that the local poco is using it has no relevance to an electrical contractor/electrician using it since we are regulated by the nec. from memory op stated the building contractor installed it what qualifications do the builder have installing ELECTRICAL CONDUIT AND CABLE, and it is not recognized by the nec being sched 20 hence an illegal installation.
 

Jim W in Tampa

Senior Member
Location
Tampa Florida
imo the power companies are not regulated by the nec so if they do use a sched 20 pvc it can be a complete system since they do not pull permits or get inspections to turn on the power that they are providing. so the arguement that the local poco is using it has no relevance to an electrical contractor/electrician using it since we are regulated by the nec. from memory op stated the building contractor installed it what qualifications do the builder have installing ELECTRICAL CONDUIT AND CABLE, and it is not recognized by the nec being sched 20 hence an illegal installation.

As to what a builder is allowed to do is only a local issue. If he builds this under a home owners permit he can do almost everything and still some states and counties that have no licensing.
Yes agree poco rules have nothing to do with our rules
Keep in mind that in this case the installer is not trying to run conduit. All that is being done is adding a sleeve for additional protection to a wire that could be covered in dirt
 

shepelec

Senior Member
Location
Palmer, MA
imo the power companies are not regulated by the nec so if they do use a sched 20 pvc it can be a complete system since they do not pull permits or get inspections to turn on the power that they are providing. so the arguement that the local poco is using it has no relevance to an electrical contractor/electrician using it since we are regulated by the nec. from memory op stated the building contractor installed it what qualifications do the builder have installing ELECTRICAL CONDUIT AND CABLE, and it is not recognized by the nec being sched 20 hence an illegal installation.

Hmm well, you better let the NEC know that because EB duct is listed in the chapter 9 tables (look at sh40) and is UL listed. Just because is it not something you have ever seen or used does not mean it is illegal. Here just one link to one manufacturer. If you'll notice EB20 is the only duct that is UL listed.:roll:

http://www.nationalpipe.com/duct-way.pdf
 
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cmreschke

Senior Member
agreed it could be done under homeowner permit and what not.
if that be the case than he should not be hiring a contractor to do work (or anyone else for that matter) he should be doing it himself
in regards to it just being a sleeve read article 300.18 of the nec 2005 edition. this sched 20 is considered a raceway (illegal by not being recognized by the nec) or a sleeve (illegal for not being a complete system between pull points) in a nutshell it is an illegal installation and the op is correct for not wanting to pull thru it,
 

romeo

Senior Member
Schedule 20 pvc

Schedule 20 pvc

Nothing but respect for the ones that follow nec and use common since.
Yes this job violates nec because it is complete raceway but it exceeds the min by protecting wires better than required. So what he must do is fix it so it is not complete by cutting a small section out. If he removes 1/4 inch someplace do you agree it now passes nec ?

If I was not trying to fallow the nec I would not have asked this question.I never red tag a job unless I can quote the code section that has been violated.

By the way did I ever say I would not allow the installation? All I did was ask if anyone has ever used that pvc, and I could not find it listed.

Question: does a persons common sense supersede the nec?
 

cmreschke

Senior Member
Hmm well, you better let the NEC know that because EB duct is listed in the chapter 9 tables (look at sh40) and is UL listed. Just because is it not something you have ever seen or used does not mean it is illegal. Here just one link to one manufacturer. If you'll notice EB20 is the only duct that is UL listed.:roll:

http://www.nationalpipe.com/duct-way.pdf

duct tape is ul listed as well maybe we should cover split bolt splices with that now
 
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