"Qualified" electrician of the day.

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acrwc10

acrwc10

Master Code Professional
Location
CA
Occupation
Building inspector
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this is a 200 amp service riser.

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When I told the gentleman this is not an electrical 90, he said it is because he bought it at the electrical supply.
 

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I’m guessing he pulled the wire through as he built it, or else I feel like he would have pulled the house down trying to wrastle it through that.
 
Plumbing fittings are technically not supposed to be used interchangeably with the electrical fittings, as evil things go it's pretty low on the list. Is it any worse than using electrical rigid conduit fittings as water pipe?

Years ago we had a customer that would routinely do this because they allowed their shop to purchase fittings for when they wired up machines. The guy in charge of the shop used to order plumbing fittings cuz they were a lot cheaper than conduit fittings. He probably got a bonus for saving money.
 
Fred B said:
I've heard the associates tell customers to go over to plumbing for different fittings because they didn't have what the customer wanted to use like this one, tight corner.
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I have pro accounts at both Lowe's and HD but I detest having to pass through the electrical section and have to listen to things the "experts" tell the customers.
 
We have a supply house here that also is a plumbing supply house. So the guy in the OP could have the same where he's at. Doesn't make it right, just pointing out how he may have thought it was fine.
 
ptonsparky said:
I worked on a grain bin that had 10/3 NM cable installed with plumbing 90s. The original installers were obviously better field engineers than I. I could not wrap my head around how they did it. Sawzall took it all down.
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It's not too difficult if you assemble the pieces over the cable.
 
petersonra said:
Plumbing fittings are technically not supposed to be used interchangeably with the electrical fittings, as evil things go it's pretty low on the list. Is it any worse than using electrical rigid conduit fittings as water pipe?

Years ago we had a customer that would routinely do this because they allowed their shop to purchase fittings for when they wired up machines. The guy in charge of the shop used to order plumbing fittings cuz they were a lot cheaper than conduit fittings. He probably got a bonus for saving money.
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thank you for the reply but, (nothing nice ever comes after the word but. But I mean this in a nice way :LOL: )
I disagree that swapping plumbing RGS and electrical RGS are "low on the list" of issues. plumbing RGS has an internal weld that is not always smooth, it can have a nasty sharp edge in it that would not effect the flow of water or gas but can cut through the wire insulation. I believe that may be one reason plumbing RGS is usually cheaper than electrical RGS. but if cost is the issue, use IMC.
 
petersonra said:
Plumbing fittings are technically not supposed to be used interchangeably with the electrical fittings, as evil things go it's pretty low on the list. Is it any worse than using electrical rigid conduit fittings as water pipe?

Years ago we had a customer that would routinely do this because they allowed their shop to purchase fittings for when they wired up machines. The guy in charge of the shop used to order plumbing fittings cuz they were a lot cheaper than conduit fittings. He probably got a bonus for saving money.
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I would put plumbing fittings high on the list, and personally not use, well once I used a electrical coupling when I was first starting as a maint man
Using a RMC coupling in a water line will leak as the threads are not tapered.
Water pipe is rougher on the inside and has a seam, and is not designed to be bent.
 
tom baker said:
Water pipe is rougher on the inside and has a seam, and is not designed to be bent.
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I would agree as far as pipe goes, but sneaking in an occasional plumbing pipe fitting instead of the correct RGS fitting is pretty low on the list of things I worry about. Not ideal, but there are a lot of things I have seen that are much worse.
 
Saw a Air Conditioning Chiller piped in with 2" #40 pvc conduit. Noticed it because of the gray color and the bell couplings.

This was out in the sticks.

I confess to having used a piece of schesule 40 conduit on an AC condensate drain once. The hardware store in town had that but no PVC plumbing pipe and I wasn't going to drive an hour round trip.

It's probably the same stuff out of the same factory, just doesn't have the correct markings LOL
 
Something is not adding up about this post.

A new service riser would involve the power company.
A new service would also require inspection prior to connection.
Plus,
We're not seeing the entire picture.

Seems odd a DIY'er would have the piece of mind to use strut and strut straps but not a sweep elbow.

JAP>
 
tom baker said:
Water pipe is rougher on the inside and has a seam, and is not designed to be bent.
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I suspect it depends on the standard to which it is designed. QUALITY pipe ... as used in industrial applications, " ASTM A53 pipe (also referred to as ASME SA53 pipe) is intended for mechanical and pressure applications and is also acceptable for ordinary uses in steam, water, gas and air lines. It is suitable for welding and for forming operations involving coiling, bending, and flanging, subject to certain qualifications."

A53 is made in both welded and seamless. It is available in Schedule 160 and in XXS. I __THINK__ that A106's major advantage is in high temperature applications. We used A53 in hydraulics up to 10,000 psi, but we "never" exceeded 250F.

It is definitely designed to be bent, either cold or hot. Tighter bends and coils are much easier to do hot.
 
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