PVC sch 40 3 in taking on water

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BHackford

Member
Location
New York
Have a run of 3 inch from a meter pedestal to house and panel on 1 floor. The service enters through LB in crawl space.

Water leaking through LB fitting when it rains and the property is sloped so I am sure the 3 in has separated. The area only has 2 1/2 feet of soil than bedrock. So I am sure water running down the rock into the 3 in and since the water is entering above the LB it is draining in the basement.

Other than dig it up and reglue, find the entry point with a camera or etc... What the options? I could separate 30 ft out from building the PVC so water would not build and the would be the new low exit point? I could drill a hole below LB.

Thoughts. Thanks
 

tom baker

First Chief Moderator
Staff member
A hole would be the safest option, remember that conduit shall be arranged to drain. If the hole pours a stream of water that would be a concern for excess water in the crawl.
I always drill small holes in LBs when I wire a UG vault - enter low and go high
 

Cow

Senior Member
Location
Eastern Oregon
Occupation
Electrician
I'd add a drain hole in the LB. I think it was Iwire that mentioned in the past he has cut into an underground run and added a handhole box with drainage rock right outside the foundation to catch the runoff, that might work for you as well.
 

cowboyjwc

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Simi Valley, CA
If you have that much water, I wonder if your meter ped is sitting in a shallow spot. Could you pour a new pad and raise up the pedistal

I've had this problem with utility owned underground transformer vaults that are higher than the service. One we had had a two foot head of water in the switch gear when it rained and it flooded the electrical room. Luckly we found it, before we turned on the power.
 

tkb

Senior Member
Location
MA
No mater what you try, you will not stop water from infiltrating an underground conduit.
The best you can do is what was already suggested.
I would try the Polywater.
 

Hv&Lv

Senior Member
Location
-
Occupation
Engineer/Technician
We generally saw a small notch in the conduit about an inch or two above ground level. I have had some, like cowboy suggested, that my PMT XF was about 5-8 ft above the meterbase. Water poured into the house in a heavy rain. No notch could help this, we had to seal the conduit at the XF, actually used "great stuff". no complaints 4-5 years later...
 

nhfire77

Senior Member
Location
NH
We generally saw a small notch in the conduit about an inch or two above ground level. I have had some, like cowboy suggested, that my PMT XF was about 5-8 ft above the meterbase. Water poured into the house in a heavy rain. No notch could help this, we had to seal the conduit at the XF, actually used "great stuff". no complaints 4-5 years later...

Poco around here seals conduits, at the top of a pole, on resi UG feeds with great stuff (appears to be great stuff). It must keep water and rodents out, looks awful, like a yellow volcano at the top of the pole.
 
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