Large price jump 2" -> 2 1/2" PVC

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VirutalElectrician

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Sparky - Trying to be retired
Looking at parts for 2 1/2" PVC items, why is there such a large price jump from 2" to 2.5" fittings?
from 1/2 to 2, there's normal price increments, but 2 to 2 1/2 they are huge...

eg:
Sealing rings: 2" $2.00 2.5" $10.00
PVC LB: 2" $14.00 2.5" $44.00
PVC T" 2" $20.00 2.5" $84.00
PVC Sched40 conduit: 2" $26 2.5" $49

So to go from 2" to 2 1/2" there's a 2x to 5x price premium....Then to go 3" there's only a slight increment again from 2 1/2".
 
VirutalElectrician said:
Looking at parts for 2 1/2" PVC items, why is there such a large price jump from 2" to 2.5" fittings?
from 1/2 to 2, there's normal price increments, but 2 to 2 1/2 they are huge...

eg:
Sealing rings: 2" $2.00 2.5" $10.00
PVC LB: 2" $14.00 2.5" $44.00
PVC T" 2" $20.00 2.5" $84.00
PVC Sched40 conduit: 2" $26 2.5" $49

So to go from 2" to 2 1/2" there's a 2x to 5x price premium....Then to go 3" there's only a slight increment again from 2 1/2".
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I was told 40 years ago to not use 2-1/2 if we could do it with something smaller for that very reason. Huge jump in price.
 
VirutalElectrician said:
Looking at parts for 2 1/2" PVC items, why is there such a large price jump from 2" to 2.5" fittings?
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Maybe they figure that, for larger jobs, we can afford it.
shrug1.gif
 
I don't know if it's still true but we were told at one time not to use number three wire because number two was actually cheaper and number three was not stocked by our local distributors.

I suspect the ampacity of number 3 makes it such that it is an uncommon choice which may explain the pricing and availability issue.

I have no doubt that you can get number 3 if you really want it but if I recall correctly we had like a hundred foot spool of number 3 somebody bought and there is like 50 ft of it left and it took 5 years to use it up.
 
petersonra said:
I don't know if it's still true but we were told at one time not to use number three wire because number two was actually cheaper and number three was not stocked by our local distributors.

I suspect the ampacity of number 3 makes it such that it is an uncommon choice which may explain the pricing and availability issue.

I have no doubt that you can get number 3 if you really want it but if I recall correctly we had like a hundred foot spool of number 3 somebody bought and there is like 50 ft of it left and it took 5 years to use it up.
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Just checked on line one my supply houses #2 is 36 cents per foot higher than #3.
 
retirede said:
My guess is economy of scale. There’s probably an order of magnitude (or more) produced for each size 2” and under than everything over 2”.
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When linear fluorescent tubes were the main lighting source in most commercial there was a variety of lengths available though 4 foot and 8 foot were the ones that dominated, those 4 and 8 footers were a lot less cost than other lengths usually were. Mass production of those two compared to other sizes had to be a factor.
 
Other curiosities in regards to pricing:

Menards:
12/2: $96 12/2/2: $229. So almost 2.5x more for only 1.6x more material.

AL MHF:
2-2-2-4: $1.69/ft
2/0-2/0-2/0-1: $3.75
4/0-4/0-4/0-2/0: $3.79/ft

At least it's nice to see these coming down from their precovide prices.
 
GeorgeB said:
In hydraulic systems, our shops asked us not to specify 1-1/4 or 2-1/2 pipe. Unrelated?
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You lost me a little, do you mean they would rather have 1-1/2 and 3 inch instead because they are more common and/or less cost?

Or do they think 1 and 2 inch is sufficient where you otherwise would have specified 1-1/4 and 2-1/2?
 
kwired said:
You lost me a little, do you mean they would rather have 1-1/2 and 3 inch instead because they are more common and/or less cost?

Or do they think 1 and 2 inch is sufficient where you otherwise would have specified 1-1/4 and 2-1/2?
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Yes, yes. They wanted us to do the calculations rather than pull it out of the SWAG. Avoiding those was considered a plus. Unlike electrical, that often meant knowing fluid characteristics as viscosity makes a difference. Reynolds number is significant in all cases, but it matters in some.

I'm not a heavy theory guy, but can go deeper if you are curious.
 
petersonra said:
I don't know if it's still true but we were told at one time not to use number three wire because number two was actually cheaper and number three was not stocked by our local distributors.

I suspect the ampacity of number 3 makes it such that it is an uncommon choice which may explain the pricing and availability issue.

I have no doubt that you can get number 3 if you really want it but if I recall correctly we had like a hundred foot spool of number 3 somebody bought and there is like 50 ft of it left and it took 5 years to use it up.
Click to expand...
Only number 3 I use seems to be the 3 ground in ser
 
VirutalElectrician said:
Other curiosities in regards to pricing:

Menards:
12/2: $96 12/2/2: $229. So almost 2.5x more for only 1.6x more material.

AL MHF:
2-2-2-4: $1.69/ft
2/0-2/0-2/0-1: $3.75
4/0-4/0-4/0-2/0: $3.79/ft

At least it's nice to see these coming down from their precovide prices.
Click to expand...
I've used a lot of the 2224 and the 4/0 and never ever ever ever uses 2/0 mobile home feeder.
 
Little Bill said:
I think it is 4/0-4/0-2/0-2
Some have a #4 EGC
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No, 4/0-4/0-4/0-2/0. It's what's typically stocked at the big box stores. The supply houses typically have 4/0-4/0-2/0-4.

The former is only about $.60 a foot more than the latter, so I generally run with the bigger stuff.
 
VirutalElectrician said:
No, 4/0-4/0-4/0-2/0. It's what's typically stocked at the big box stores. The supply houses typically have 4/0-4/0-2/0-4.

The former is only about $.60 a foot more than the latter, so I generally run with the bigger stuff.
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I've never seen a mobile home feeder cable with a 2/0 EGC.
For sure no box stores around here carry that. Why would you need that size? A #4 is all that is required for a 200A service/feeder.
 
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