Residential Post Light

J

Jimmy7

Senior Member
Location
Boston, MA
Occupation
Electrician
I have to install some residential post lights that have aluminum poles. The hole at the bottom of pole is approximately 1 1/4” , and we were planning on running UF cable. I may need to use concrete at the base as well because the soil is very sandy in this area. What would you use for a bushing where it enters the 1 1/4 access hole, or would you even use one? You can’t obviously get a locknut inside the pole for a fitting. I’m guessing that UF can’t be put in concrete, so that may be an issue as well. What have you done in the past?
 
Aluminum poles should be coated before being installed in concrete. As Tom stated just slip a short piece of PVC, LFNC, or an elbow through the hole and out past the edge of the concrete.
 
It appears that one of our guys went ahead and wired one of the poles. They put the uf cable straight into the pole and secured the pole with some concrete. Since the project isn’t completely done I’m not sure if we should chip up the concrete and replace the piece of Uf that was in the concrete. Would you replace it or leave it?
 
Jimmy7 said:
It appears that one of our guys went ahead and wired one of the poles. They put the uf cable straight into the pole and secured the pole with some concrete. Since the project isn’t completely done I’m not sure if we should chip up the concrete and replace the piece of Uf that was in the concrete. Would you replace it or leave it?
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Seems this would be a violation. If you desire to misdirect and conceal related to an inspection you could try to leave it, or opt to comply with the code.
340.12 Uses Not Permitted
Type UF cable shall not be used as follows:
  • (8) Embedded in poured cement, concrete, or aggregate, except where embedded in plaster as nonheating leads where permitted in 424.43
As far as the first question if you are running it into the light base with a section of PVC conduits a bell end added at the open end of the PVC or bushing would be required. I would just use the bell end adapter.
 
Jimmy7 said:
14-2 uf can fit in 1/2 pvc or lfnc with no problem, correct?
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Sure. If it's only a sleeve then as long as you can get it in you're good.

I had a post lamp that I removed last year with UF embedded in the concrete that was there for 27 years.
 
infinity said:
Sure. If it's only a sleeve then as long as you can get it in you're good.

I had a post lamp that I removed last year with UF embedded in the concrete that was there for 27 years.
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I've seen successfully back stabbed devices that were that old. Definitely open splices in an attic older than that. Direct buried NM, etc, etc.
 
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