Mitigating white PVC plumbing pipe under fresh asphalt

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brycenesbitt

Senior Member
Location
United States
Just looked at a job where the property manager was very proud that they'd run conduit under a parking lot in just the right spot.
Unfortunately it was not quite the right spot, I can't prove how deep it was burred, and it's white PVC.

Other than painting it gray above ground, what are my options?

I see negative comments about installing direct bury cable inside unlisted conduits - but is there an actual rule that would preclude it? If so what rule would that be?
Given that steel conduit degrades, is there a reason to be worried about white PVC conduit degrading faster than listed steel would?
 
IMHO if you use a cable assembly that would be compliant without a conduit, then you would be kosher with any sort of mechanical sleeve underground.

The problem will be bending radius, burial depth, and the transition to listed electrical components.

My thought: use direct burial cable. Dig out the ends to remove any 90s, and if the straight run is deep enough, use it rather than trenching.
 
Technically you can only use it as a sleeve for a direct burial cable or conductors. It cannot be used as a raceway.
 
I agree that it is fine as a sleeve.
Reminds me of a story many years ago. Inspector told the homeowner that white pvc is not allowed for electrical wiring. The homeowner asked what he should do and the inspector told him to paint it gray. :eek:
 
Its probably the same stuff anyhow.

I was at a job once where the customer had replaced some 3" pVC piping on a Chiller. They did a nice job except I looked at the pipe and it was Carlon electrical conduit!!

I have used 3/4" Carlon to pipes AC condensate drains when that's what I had on the truck or ran out of the white PVC
 
kwired said:
White pvc underground will last seemingly forever if undisturbed. above ground it may deteriorate quicker due to not being UV resistant.
Click to expand...
Correct standard plumbing PVC is not UV resistant. They do make UV resistant plumbing pipe. We see around here for exterior sewer clean outs and water main valves.
 
brycenesbitt said:
I see negative comments about installing direct bury cable inside unlisted conduits - but is there an actual rule that would preclude it?
Click to expand...
Since it's not being used as a raceway and only a sleeve there is no listing required. Direct buried conductors get installed in unlisted dirt all of the time and are code compliant. :)
 
Has an inspection where the inspector was being a real jerk. I had put up a piece of 3/4 EMT on a concrete ceiling to zip tie some MC to. At first he probably thought it was an electrical raceway, but when I told him it was just a piece of pipe, he said it needed to be listed for the purpose . Okay, let me run to home Depot and get some 2x4s for running boards that are listed for MC support 🙄. Can't remember, are those in the electrical aisle or the lumber aisle?
 
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