Any Solutions to running PVC conduit in a Curved path?

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Any Solutions to running PVC conduit in a Curved path?
I'm running 2" conduit up here the PNW (Pacific Northwest). I need to veer away from my Electrical Source because there are communication lines in the area and then turn and come back and head to my Destination.
If I did it, I would just use 90 degree or 45 degree elbows and get there eventually and hope the backhoe doesn't mind the funny path.


Out of curiosity is that the way its done professionally?
Thank you in advance.
 
The longer it is the easier it bends.
Once you've glued a few sticks together it starts to bend a pretty decent curve.
 
Can't tell from the drawing but if that isn't too sharp of a bend back towards your destination, the conduit should make that bend with no problem. Like was mentioned, glue a few (maybe all) the sticks together then place it in the trench. You will have to help it around the bends but since it is now effectively one long piece, it will bend easier.
 
Looks like you could one or two 45s in the long curved section., and one at the last bend.

Though less popular, there are probably 30s and 22.5s available like they are in metal, or bend your own conduit.

A long curve is harder to dig but easier to pipe, while straight sections between bends are easier to dig.
 
Installer said:
Out of curiosity is that the way its done professionally?
Thank you in advance.
Click to expand...

I don't know if it's the professional way to do things but the smart way to run conduit is never put more degrees of bend in the conduit than you have to. Try to never turn a sharp corner if it can be rounded. A long sweep is easier to pull than a sharp bend.
 
If you need to route around an area, why the need for the conduit to be ran in a "question mark" type route, rather than just a gradual curve from one area to another.

Over here, we wouldn't bother with going around an area, and then bringing the conduit back into a straight line between the two fixed points like you have shown. We also don't use elbows underground except at the stubup locations unless absolutely necessary. We would bow the conduit.
 
Installer said:
Any Solutions to running PVC conduit in a Curved path?
I'm running 2" conduit up here the PNW (Pacific Northwest). I need to veer away from my Electrical Source because there are communication lines in the area and then turn and come back and head to my Destination.
If I did it, I would just use 90 degree or 45 degree elbows and get there eventually and hope the backhoe doesn't mind the funny path.


Out of curiosity is that the way its done professionally?
Thank you in advance.
Click to expand...

Back when I was working for a company that (collectively) didn't know a lot about what they (we) were doing, our field crew learned the hard way that it's not a great idea to put 90 degree bends in buried PVC conduit.
 
Cow said:
If you need to route around an area, why the need for the conduit to be ran in a "question mark" type route, rather than just a gradual curve from one area to another.

Over here, we wouldn't bother with going around an area, and then bringing the conduit back into a straight line between the two fixed points like you have shown. We also don't use elbows underground except at the stubup locations unless absolutely necessary. We would bow the conduit.
Click to expand...
+1

A gradual arc will likely have easier conductor pulling than the "question mark" shaped run.

It is unavoidable to not have a 90 degrees of bend at ends, unless one end emerges into a basement wall or similar, but otherwise one should keep bends as minimal as possible. One extra 90 degree bend often makes a big difference between easy or reasonable pull and difficult pull.
 
Are you avoiding communication lines because they also run to the pole or other structure you are starting at, and apparently veer off in a different direction once they get further from that point?

Depending on what is there, what the cost may be if damaged, as well as how easy it may be to hand dig to expose them, I might try to carefully expose them and still run straight shot with my conduit. Some areas I work in are sandy soil and easy to dig, those I definitely do that.
 
hbiss said:
And that picture looks like a farmer's field.

-Hal
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That don't change electrical theory in any manner. I run electrical lines across farm fields quite often. Might be a good idea to bury things deeper than code minimums though. Soil erosion over time and deep tillage type operations have a way of finding even a code compliant 18 inch deep conduit and damaging it.
 
Cow said:
If you need to route around an area, why the need for the conduit to be ran in a "question mark" type route, rather than just a gradual curve from one area to another.

Over here, we wouldn't bother with going around an area, and then bringing the conduit back into a straight line between the two fixed points like you have shown. We also don't use elbows underground except at the stubup locations unless absolutely necessary. We would bow the conduit.
Click to expand...

X2

I try add degrees for what would be intentional bends to get from a to b, but my ditches are never exactly level. Any distance to the pull...OVERSIZE the conduit.
 
Thank you everyone.

Thank you everyone.

Thank you everyone. I'm glad Mr Holt doesn't charge for this Forum because it helps me a lot.
Out here in the PNW (Pacific Northwest) everything in these small towns
lasts so long by the time we do our projects we are dealing with electrical installations from the 1950's.
The previous cable was Direct Bury and it was Two Wire!.

I didn't know PVC Conduit could be bowed or curved.
We will up size it, or Put some Pull Boxes along the path.
BTW this typical of the way we've been finding Pull Boxes
Pull Box.jpg
 
Installer said:
Thank you everyone. I'm glad Mr Holt doesn't charge for this Forum because it helps me a lot.
Out here in the PNW (Pacific Northwest) everything in these small towns
lasts so long by the time we do our projects we are dealing with electrical installations from the 1950's.
The previous cable was Direct Bury and it was Two Wire!.

I didn't know PVC Conduit could be bowed or curved.
We will up size it, or Put some Pull Boxes along the path.
BTW this typical of the way we've been finding Pull Boxes
View attachment 22754
Click to expand...
Fill it with gravel or other non caking loose fill. will still need to clean it out when you want future access, but that cleans out easier than whatever will silt into it.
 
Installer said:
Thank you everyone. I'm glad Mr Holt doesn't charge for this Forum because it helps me a lot.
Out here in the PNW (Pacific Northwest) everything in these small towns
lasts so long by the time we do our projects we are dealing with electrical installations from the 1950's.
The previous cable was Direct Bury and it was Two Wire!.

I didn't know PVC Conduit could be bowed or curved.
We will up size it, or Put some Pull Boxes along the path.
BTW this typical of the way we've been finding Pull Boxes
View attachment 22754
Click to expand...


The larger the trade size the harder it is to bend. For 2" or larger conduit bends over short distances may require heating the PVC.
 
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