Telcom conduit size.

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ka6chp

Member
Gentlemen: Can anyone out there advise me as to conduit (PVC) sizes (recommended, if such a recommendation exists) for telco and cable TV ? The local utilities don't want to part with this info willingly, and I need to know as most areas are now inststing on UG TV and Phones for new work. Most of the locals simply say "go to 2-inch, you can't miss". Any decent ideas ? Tnx, Jim in LA
 

tom baker

First Chief Moderator & NEC Expert
Staff member
Location
Bremerton, Washington
Occupation
Master Electrician
Re: Telcom conduit size.

Quest (phone company) requires 4" with 48" radius els, or straight in and out of a pull box. With 4" you can install an inner duct, the fabric type works very well.
 

hbiss

EC, Westchester, New York NEC: 2014
Location
Hawthorne, New York NEC: 2014
Occupation
EC
Re: Telcom conduit size.

2" might be OK for single family residential but again that would depend on the length and number of bends etc. I would recommend that 2" be the minimum in any case.

For commercial or multi-family the cables will be larger. 4" is the nominal size with separate runs for TELCO and CATV. As has been pointed out large radius bends are necessary also.

I would certainly not say "go to 2-inch, you can't miss". I usually hear that from someone who doesn't know anything about communications.

-Hal
 
Location
New York
Re: Telcom conduit size.

Bicsi is the organization that published standards (not codes) that are generally used by the telecommunication industry.

Those standards do have a section on pathways.
 

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
Re: Telcom conduit size.

Originally posted by ka6chp:
The local utilities don't want to part with this info willingly...
I find it both puzzling and troublesome that you've had this experience. The phone and cable utilities in my area give this information out without any trouble, and seem to go out of their way to do so. I had a telco truck stop in a new home under construction to make sure that I was aware of the requirement. For what it's worth, Sprint and Comcast in my area require 2" pipe each for a single family dwelling, and 4" pipe each for larger than a single family dwelling.

[ May 08, 2005, 10:53 PM: Message edited by: mdshunk ]
 

charlie

Senior Member
Location
Indianapolis
Re: Telcom conduit size.

I think the day will come when all of that information will be published in that same manner as our Goldbook and will be easy to find. I believe almost all of the electric utilities have their requirements on the Internet now. :D
 
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