Conduit on fence?

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petersonra

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Location
Northern illinois
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engineer
mtnelect said:
Not just any fence ... a chain link fence.

To me, it looks like a "Cheap" way to run conduit.
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It would likely be "cheaper" to just dig a trench and run UF.

Might be able to run UF or MC inside the top rail where no one would ever see it.

Would you consider it less cheap looking if it was run on a wooden privacy fence?
 
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rambojoe

rambojoe

Senior Member
Location
phoenix az
Occupation
Wireman
infinity said:
Nothing wrong with running it on a fence. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder or in this case the guy paying the bill.
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Beauty is also in the eye of an inspector who knows if he was 40yrs younger he'd be jumping the fence and using the pipe as a pull point..
I.e. a fence at a school? Location is as important as anything...and what grade is below it? Grass? Asphalt? Concrete? Is it a critical system? Small pipe?(i wouldnt care) big pipe?!
 
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petersonra

Senior Member
Location
Northern illinois
Occupation
engineer
rambojoe said:
Beauty is also in the eye of an inspector who knows if he was 40yrs younger he'd be jumping the fence and using the pipe as a pull point..
I.e. a fence at a school? Location is as important as anything...and what grade is below it? Grass? Asphalt? Concrete? Is it a critical system? Small pipe?(i wouldnt care) big pipe?!
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All of those are design considerations and nothing to do with code.

As mentioned above, a trench might end up being the best approach but that is a design decision, and not a code issue.
 
rambojoe

rambojoe

Senior Member
Location
phoenix az
Occupation
Wireman
petersonra said:
All of those are design considerations and nothing to do with code.

As mentioned above, a trench might end up being the best approach but that is a design decision, and not a code issue.
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You are wrong. Put a pipe where it will clearly get yoinked, and watch it fail. Cant figure out which codes will be cited?!
 
James L

James L

Senior Member
Location
Kansas Cty, Mo, USA
Occupation
Electrician
It might depend on whether or not it's on the same side of the posts as the fencing, and the height

In this Google photo, conduit on opposite side and doen low might be asking for people to use the conduit as a foot rail. Screenshot_20220913-210711_Chrome.jpg
 
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Strathead

Senior Member
Location
Ocala, Florida, USA
Occupation
Electrician/Estimator/Project Manager/Superintendent
James L said:
It might depend on whether or not it's on the same side of the posts as the fencing, and the height

In this Google photo, conduit on opposite side and doen low might be asking for people to use the conduit as a foot rail. View attachment 2562126
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This comment isn't directed at you but the picture is a good backdrop. Fences aren't put there for people to climb over, so that shouldn't be a code issue, but as many other considerations, a customer issue. If the posters who are so adamant that it is beneath their quality standards, the they shouldn't install it that way. For the rest of us, it is up to the customer, and the AHJ (to determine the "where subject to damage" clause. We can argue all day long but the AHJ has all the power in this situation. As others have pointed out, the fence construction could have a lot to do with whether it passes AHJ muster. I can think of chain link fences and installations (like the one in this picture) that I would approve and many that I would shoot down.
 
James L

James L

Senior Member
Location
Kansas Cty, Mo, USA
Occupation
Electrician
Strathead said:
This comment isn't directed at you but the picture is a good backdrop. Fences aren't put there for people to climb over, so that shouldn't be a code issue, but as many other considerations, a customer issue. If the posters who are so adamant that it is beneath their quality standards, the they shouldn't install it that way. For the rest of us, it is up to the customer, and the AHJ (to determine the "where subject to damage" clause. We can argue all day long but the AHJ has all the power in this situation. As others have pointed out, the fence construction could have a lot to do with whether it passes AHJ muster. I can think of chain link fences and installations (like the one in this picture) that I would approve and many that I would shoot down.
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For sure.
I would make my own quality/longevity assessment on a case-by-case basis.

That's what I was getting at when I started with "it might depend...." and should have been more clear there. The photo was meant to be an example of how you "might not" want to do it.
 
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letgomywago

Senior Member
Location
Washington state and Oregon coast
Occupation
residential electrician
Playing the what if game gets crazy sometimes. Is an ac disconnect a good foot hold to climb a wall is it rated for a 200lb person trying to hang string lights? What about the heat tape in a gutter someone might hang by the gutter if their ladder falls and if they grab that tape will it hold in the outlet? Outside light fixture could be only rated for 6lbs. Emt even ran low should be alright it will survive weedwhackers and protect wires in any normal situation and if someone steps on it to climb the fence then they are the ones in the wrong.
 
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