PVC as Stub up Within Building

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short circuit faulted

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Location
Columbia SC
Took off a car dealership last week. Very LIMITED Specications, no project manual at all. I sent questions to the architect/engineer(?) such as Tin Plated CU or AL on bussing for gear - Answer Either Heavy Duty or General Duty Disconnect Switches - Answer Either Is MC an acceptable wiring method. Answer as long as it conforms with NFPA 70 (NEC).

One item that was in fact on the drawings stated PVC could be used as stub up in boxes AND PANELS - Call me old school if you wish, but normally we do that with EMT or GRC transition (to panels receptacles at 18" AFG PVC in and out) So my question esteemed carriers of the electical flame. Does NEC allow installation of PVC (Schedule 40 or 80) within a building? If so would you please point me to the code article allowing this. We normally on feeder conduits install GRS Elbow and the transition to either EMT or GRS int to panels and use PVC on the branch circuits.

I am being lazy, but would really like feedback on this one.

Be safe out there, one second of inattention, can cause a lifetime of pain OR a loss life - We work with the invisible and it waits for our inattention to teach us it can kill us.

Steve
 
tkb

tkb

Senior Member
Location
MA
short circuit faulted said:
...Call me old school if you wish, but normally we do that with EMT or GRC transition (to panels receptacles at 18" AFG PVC in and out) ...We normally on feeder conduits install GRS Elbow and the transition to either EMT or GRS int to panels and use PVC on the branch circuits.
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That's pretty much how I have always done it, but I have seen PVC out of the slab into a panel exposed and concealed in a wall.

Comes down to the job spec and cost. Or what you can get away with.
Not a NEC violation though.
 
laketime

laketime

Senior Member
PVC Baby! Then the board monkeys snap them all off even with the deck when they lay their bottom track.:mad:
 
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satcom

Senior Member
bradleyelectric said:
Not if you stake it down.
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all the slab runs are staked, before the pour, but when the floor cures, and they start running their bottom plates, they just cut the stub ups off, EMT is a poor choice of stub ups, they lack protection strength, and the point of entry above the floor will not last very long.
 
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bradleyelectric

bradleyelectric

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Location
forest hill, md
satcom said:
all the slab runs are staked, before the pour, but when the floor cures, and they start running their bottom plates, they just cut the stub ups off, EMT is a poor choice of stub ups, they lack protection strength, and the point of entry above the floor will not last very long.
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We put PVC in the floor around here. I have done jobs spec.ing Rigid in the slab, but not many. They don't cut the PVC stubs out of the slab around here. They like us don't like the back charges.
 
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Volta

Senior Member
Location
Columbus, Ohio
PVC in allowed to be exposed in most buildings, including an auto dealership.

It is not allowed in some though: places-of-assembly or theaters when required to be of fire-rated construction.

Some other specific locations are restricted too, but generally speaking it is ok per the NEC most times.
 
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Alwayslearningelec

Senior Member
Location
NJ
Occupation
Estimator
I hear ya Volata but I doesnt it give off toxic fumes when subject to fire? Are we sure it is allowed exposed ANYWHERE in a building?
 
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Volta

Senior Member
Location
Columbus, Ohio
horsegoer said:
I hear ya Volata but I doesnt it give off toxic fumes when subject to fire? Are we sure it is allowed exposed ANYWHERE in a building?
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Nope. Not in Assembly Occupancies, theaters, ceiling spaces for environmental air, hazardous locations, circuits to patient care areas, and others.

That said, in most places it is allowed.
 
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jmellc

Senior Member
Location
Durham, NC
Occupation
Facility Maintenance Tech. Licensed Electrician
I see a lot of 1/2 and 3/4 pvc stubups that get broken at or just above floor level. Worst in cases where desks and portable counters are moved around, a few hits take it right out.
 
laketime

laketime

Senior Member
jmellc said:
I see a lot of 1/2 and 3/4 pvc stub ups that get broken at or just above floor level. Worst in cases where desks and portable counters are moved around, a few hits take it right out.
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Yeah or people start driving lifts around and snapping things off. Good luck on back charging every sub on the job with a lift.
 
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satcom

Senior Member
laketime said:
Yeah or people start driving lifts around and snapping things off. Good luck on back charging every sub on the job with a lift.
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Stub up with GRC and the to only damage will be the lift truck and a shaken driver, years back most of these slab jobs used GRC, today everything is the cheapest material allowed, as builders bid to win at any cost, and customers concerns are price not value.
 
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jmellc

Senior Member
Location
Durham, NC
Occupation
Facility Maintenance Tech. Licensed Electrician
Right on with that. I understand being concerned about costs. I've been struggling myself. But so many customers take it to the extreme to cut every nickel, then complain later when the cheap stuff goes bad. Then complain about the cost to fix.
 
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benaround

Senior Member
Location
Arizona
jmellc said:
I see a lot of 1/2 and 3/4 pvc stubups that get broken at or just above floor level. Worst in cases where desks and portable counters are moved around, a few hits take it right out.
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I like to put 12" sono-tube around the "stub up" , but leave it in the ground until the wall

or whatever is built, then dig it up ( 6 inches down) drill the plate and go. There are a few

benifits doing it this way, plus, the GC usually will do the cement work @ N.C.
 
ohmhead

ohmhead

Senior Member
Location
ORLANDO FLA
Pvc stubs

Pvc stubs

Well pvc stubs most specs say to the first box meaning outlet or switch in wall .
And we do this but in a electrical room we run rigid or emt but we never have a lost or broken conduit because we do this female flush with slab and we install a cap into female also we use weed wacker line tape it to stub so if its 1/4 below concrete you can come back 6 months later and find it look at pictures we do this on every job with 99 % results .
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Look you cant see other stubs in room just transformer stubs they get a house keeping pad but just the top of female ring mark but there is a mark next to each stub by using weed line on conduit stubs you can always find it and no one will run over or damage it ever . really look at top of picture its not real clear but its there orange hairs coming out
 
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