Conduit removal

[Alwayslearningelec]

A couple sets of 3" conduit running exposed in a basement hit a pull box and turn up through the floor and directly into the bottom of switchgear. These conduits and feeders are to be removed back to the pull box (pull box to remain for the extension of the run)and the wire will be spliced and extended and run in new conduit to a new location.


My question is can the the conduits that are to be removed be left in place(just remove the feeders) or they must be removed? There is about a foot of exposed conduits from top of pull box until the penetrate the floor and go into the switchgear. Thanks

 

[infinity]

Abandoned power conductors can remain in place but given the price of scrap copper they might not remain for long.

 

[jeremysterling]

If the box is big enough to avoid 314.71 issues with the new conduits, I would leave the existing conduits in place.

 

[Alwayslearningelec]

Abandoned power conductors can remain in place but given the price of scrap copper they might not remain for long.

Ok so the drawing says to remove the conduit and wire. Would ou propose/qualify leaving it in place? I would think at least the wire would/should have to be removed/ disconnected from the gears circuit breaker. Now that I think about it.....it oes have o be removed so it can be cut back in the box and spliced. Thanks

 

[Alwayslearningelec]

If the box is big enough to avoid 314.71 issues with the new conduits, I would leave the existing conduits in place.

I will check the code tomorrow. So it can remain empty coming out of the box through the floor into the gear. Anything like capping the conduit etc. need to be done? Thanks. We're only talking about 2-3' from box ino gear. Thanks

 

[USMC1302]

Horsegoer:
I'll provide a different viewpoint. You said the drawings show to remove the conduits/feeders back to that point. It well may be a good idea to leave the conduits in place. However, there may be a reason why the engineer/owner wants them removed, and your bid is to include following the bid documents(drawings and specs). Any change should be clarified and approved.

 

[gadfly56]

Ok so the drawing says to remove the conduit and wire. Would ou propose/qualify leaving it in place? I would think at least the wire would/should have to be removed/ disconnected from the gears circuit breaker. Now that I think about it.....it oes have o be removed so it can be cut back in the box and spliced. Thanks

You could always propose an alternate deduct to leave the conduit in place, especially if removing the conduit means jackhammering the floor. Let the customer choose. Then it's his fault! :lol:

 

[Alwayslearningelec]

Horsegoer:
I'll provide a different viewpoint. You said the drawings show to remove the conduits/feeders back to that point. It well may be a good idea to leave the conduits in place. However, there may be a reason why the engineer/owner wants them removed, and your bid is to include following the bid documents(drawings and specs). Any change should be clarified and approved.

I agree, thanks. How the heck would you remove these conduits..... Not from the underside floor/box side and not from the gear I assume. Hmmmm?? Thanks

 

[Fulthrotl]

I agree, thanks. How the heck would you remove these conduits..... Not from the underside floor/box side and not from the gear I assume. Hmmmm?? Thanks

well, you most likely aren't going to want to physically remove them, i suspect..... but....

i'd get a galvanized conduit seal off, that goes behind a plastic bushing, for
sealing a pipe off nice and pretty.... put it on the bottom of the pipe....
then to up on top, and fill the pipe with pour rock.

then it's not a raceway or conduit anymore...... $20 worth of pour rock seems
a reasonable outlay.

 

[Alwayslearningelec]

Thanks a lot everyone. I attached a pic I that I drew up(lol). Actually is says exactly this "Disconnect and remove feeders down to pullbox". So do you think this referring just to the wire? Would you leave the conduits(empty) and in place. Is that allowed by code? Ful was talking about filling the pipe with pour rock...concrete I suppose that is.

THanks.

 

[Smart $]

Thanks a lot everyone. I attached a pic I that I drew up(lol). Actually is says exactly this "Disconnect and remove feeders down to pullbox". So do you think this referring just to the wire? Would you leave the conduits(empty) and in place. Is that allowed by code? Ful was talking about filling the pipe with pour rock...concrete I suppose that is.

THanks.

I would interpret that as remove feeder conductors from and abandon in place the conduit. Yes you can leave the conduit empty. There is nothing in the Code that says otherwise (for power conductor conduit).

Edit to add: I would not fill the conduit with anything so permanent unless there was a specific reason for doing so. Perhaps stuff some insulation in the end.

 

[Cow]

If it's coming out of a pull box into open bottom gear, you might spend more time trying to get out of it rather then just unscrewing a few locknuts and installing some ko seals. Just saying....

 

[jeremysterling]

well, you most likely aren't going to want to physically remove them, i suspect..... but....

i'd get a galvanized conduit seal off, that goes behind a plastic bushing, for
sealing a pipe off nice and pretty.... put it on the bottom of the pipe....
then to up on top, and fill the pipe with pour rock.

then it's not a raceway or conduit anymore...... $20 worth of pour rock seems
a reasonable outlay.

I would agree with the first half of your sealing method.

I would remove the conductors. Then I would blank-off the abandoned conduit with a piece of 18 gauge sheet metal cut round as the OD of the abandoned pipe connector and secured with a plastic bushing (in the j-box). I would leave the penetration in the gear alone unless specifically requested to blank it. I would not pour grout into the pipe unless specifically requested to "fill'er up".

 

[Smart $]

If the box is big enough to avoid 314.71 issues with the new conduits, I would leave the existing conduits in place.

314.71 is for over 600 volts. 314.28 is for under.

...
i'd get a galvanized conduit seal off, that goes behind a plastic bushing, for
sealing a pipe off nice and pretty.... put it on the bottom of the pipe....
then to up on top, and fill the pipe with pour rock.

then it's not a raceway or conduit anymore...... $20 worth of pour rock seems
a reasonable outlay.

I would agree with the first half of your sealing method.

I would remove the conductors. Then I would blank-off the abandoned conduit with a piece of 18 gauge sheet metal cut round as the OD of the abandoned pipe connector and secured with a plastic bushing (in the j-box). I would leave the penetration in the gear alone unless specifically requested to blank it. I would not pour grout into the pipe unless specifically requested to "fill'er up".

Why seal off the emptied conduit? Not required and has no effect on minimum box size.

 

[Fulthrotl]

314.71 is for over 600 volts. 314.28 is for under.




Why seal off the emptied conduit? Not required and has no effect on minimum box size.

no, it doesn't make any difference, but the original poster seemed aflutter about
removing them, and sometimes customers can be fixated about needing something
sealed off.... it's usually not that difficult to remove something, and most customers
understand the "it's installed and paid for, leave it so you have it in the future if need be"
argument.

if it's not in the way of something physical that will be installed, and is not visible,
i can't imagine anyone wanting it removed, but hey.... this is the internet.... where
logic is not necessary.

 

[George Stolz]

...logic is not necessary.

The perfect explanation for suggesting dumping a bag of quickcrete into an empty conduit. :lol:

 

[Fulthrotl]

The perfect explanation for suggesting dumping a bag of quickcrete into an empty conduit. :lol:

hey. he just wants the conduit to go away. i'm here to facilitate that.

i've done it in refineries... abandoned conduit, cut it off flush with the concrete,
stuff foam down it a foot or so, and pour it flush.

they were concerned with a class 1 div 1 occupancy migrating.
in that case, they insisted on pouring it with chico for 6", then
finishing the next day with pour rock.

 

[Smart $]

... but the original poster seemed aflutter about
removing them...

if it's not in the way of something physical that will be installed, and is not visible,
i can't imagine anyone wanting it removed, but hey.... this is the internet.... where
logic is not necessary.

hey. he just wants the conduit to go away. i'm here to facilitate that.

...

But ultimately, he doesn't really want the conduit to go away. He just didn't know that at the onset. hmy: