HDPE for branch circuits?

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Cow

Senior Member
Location
Eastern Oregon
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Electrician
We're getting ready to start a new project with a fair amount of underground and the thought had crossed my mind that HDPE might be a quicker alternative to pvc. The thought of putting a big reel at the edge of the site and pulling in all my runs a little long, one at a time, and then trimming to length when doing the stubup, seems like it'd go fast. I've used cable-in-conduit HDPE before for irrigation pivots in crop circles but have never used the smaller stuff 3/4", 1", etc for the typical branch circuit conduits. My concerns are availibility in UL listed HDPE as well as how smooth it lays in an open ditch. Some of that cable-in-conduit lays in the ditch pretty wavy, it looks like a snake sometimes. I'd hate to think I'd spend all my time trying to keep the waves out of it, just so I can pull through it later after its buried under concrete. Smurf tube is out because we put our runs in the dirt under the concrete just to avoid future saw cutting when repairs may happen.

Comments?

Thanks.
 
Cow said:
We're getting ready to start a new project with a fair amount of underground and the thought had crossed my mind that HDPE might be a quicker alternative to pvc. The thought of putting a big reel at the edge of the site and pulling in all my runs a little long, one at a time, and then trimming to length when doing the stubup, seems like it'd go fast. I've used cable-in-conduit HDPE before for irrigation pivots in crop circles but have never used the smaller stuff 3/4", 1", etc for the typical branch circuit conduits. My concerns are availibility in UL listed HDPE as well as how smooth it lays in an open ditch. Some of that cable-in-conduit lays in the ditch pretty wavy, it looks like a snake sometimes. I'd hate to think I'd spend all my time trying to keep the waves out of it, just so I can pull through it later after its buried under concrete. Smurf tube is out because we put our runs in the dirt under the concrete just to avoid future saw cutting when repairs may happen.

Comments?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
Not that you can't lay it in open trench, but the stuff kind of was intended to be bored or plowed in, you don't have the "waviness" troubles when installing via those methods.

I'd think you would have less trouble with "waviness" when installing on a hot day then on a cold day as well.
 
kwired said:
Not that you can't lay it in open trench, but the stuff kind of was intended to be bored or plowed in, you don't have the "waviness" troubles when installing via those methods.

I'd think you would have less trouble with "waviness" when installing on a hot day then on a cold day as well.
Click to expand...

That was my thought as well. We are rolling into summer, so I'll have to think this over a little. Maybe I can get a shorter reel around 2-3000' to try before I commit to a bigger one. You know, just in case this idea goes south on me, at least I wouldn't have a ton of it to get rid of.

tom baker said:
HDPE is basically an exterior or UG wiring method, so make sure you check the rules in the HDPE article
Click to expand...

I glanced through the article, it seems what I'm trying to do won't be an issue.

I'm still curious if anyone else has used this stuff so I can get some feedback before I try being the guinea pig? I have a feeling there are probably a select few who use a ton of it, but the majority of folks don't or have never used it at all. I could ask the HDPE salesman how user friendly this stuff is, but he might be a little biased!:)
 
Cow said:
That was my thought as well. We are rolling into summer, so I'll have to think this over a little. Maybe I can get a shorter reel around 2-3000' to try before I commit to a bigger one. You know, just in case this idea goes south on me, at least I wouldn't have a ton of it to get rid of.
Click to expand...
Summer helps a little. Probably not as much as you'd like. It has substantial memory from being on a reel. I don't recommend using right off the reel for open trench unless you bury as you go... at a depth that at least counters the memory.
 
ptonsparky said:
How do you transition from the HDPE to PVC?

We use the larger stuff on occasion and manage in various ways but have wondered what the real way is. A good share of the irrigation guys just bring it up into the box with maybe a hose clamp to keep it from sliding out.
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E-loc coupling

http://www.carlonsales.com/pdfs/HDPE/2F51-Accessories.pdf

Southwire also has 'em, I think. I was going to post a link but I wanted to verify first and it appears their site is currently down.

Their may be others manufacturers.
 
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