We install rigid 6" depth underground to detached garages many times and have had them inspected and approved everytime without any issues. This past week I ran into an inspector who said that while rigid can be buried 6" depth it is required to be GFCI protected if it isn't 18" deep. I can't find this in the code nor in table 300.5. I respectfully challenged him and he said that he would call an inspector friend who is an inspector on the other side of the country. He called me back and said his inspector friend also said its required to be GFCI protected at 6" depth. He keeps citing column 4 in table 300.5 but that doesn't make sense because my understanding is that if you meet the requirements of each header of each column then that's your burial depth. If rigid has to be GFCI protected at 6" deep then I feel the code should be more clear. Anyone have any insight on this?
Burial depth of rigid?
- Thread starter aptman3
- Start date
- Status
Coppersmith
Senior Member
- Location
- Tampa, FL, USA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
I run rigid at 6" deep all the time with many types of circuits. There is no GFCI requirement. Make him site the requirement number in the text that say it does. Column 4 is for any type of conduit and direct burial. You are working under column 2 for rigid conduit. And if he really wanted to site column 4, he would have to make you bury the pipe 12" deep.
Last edited:
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Agreed: 6" RGS, no GFCI.
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
I agree too if by "rigid" you mean RMC (rigid metallic conduit) and not PVC (rigid polyvinyl chloride conduit).
- Location
- Simi Valley, CA
Is it running under the driveway? If it is, you're both wrong because then it would be 18" without GFCI protection and 12" with.
GerryB
Senior Member
- Location
- woodbridge, ct. USA
Tell him to look at note 4, says where one of the wiring methods listed in col. 1-3 is used for one of the circuit types in col 4 and 5, the "shallowest depth" of burial shall be permitted. Seems pretty clear. If I was doing the digging and it wasn't too far (or I wouldn't do the digging
), I always used rigid at 6".
), I always used rigid at 6".No mention of a driveway.
- Location
- Simi Valley, CA
That's why I asked, as an inspector, people tend not to tell us everything, so that they get the answer they're looking for.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
If one can't figure it out from the column headings, yes, note 4 tells us column 2 can be used here.Tell him to look at note 4, says where one of the wiring methods listed in col. 1-3 is used for one of the circuit types in col 4 and 5, the "shallowest depth" of burial shall be permitted. Seems pretty clear. If I was doing the digging and it wasn't too far (or I wouldn't do the digging
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