Which Conduit to bury in concrete...

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blackmountain

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Northern California
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General Contractor with electrical and plumbing classifications.
Hi,

I'm doing a small electrical job as part of a larger project. I'm very familiar with electrical, except I've never had to run conduit through what will become a sidewalk on someone's side yard. They're putting in a new concrete walkway and stairs, and I need to run my conduit through the concrete forms.

Should/Can I use PVC, or do I have to use rigid? It will be buried in less than 1 foot of concrete.

THANK YOU!
 
This thread had been temporarily moved to an area accessible only to the Moderators. This action was taken because the nature of the question and the occupation shown in the Original Poster's profile raised a concern that this may have been an attempt by a Do It Yourself person to obtain "how-to" information.

In an exchange of Private Messages, the Original Poster has provided assurances that he is a licensed electrician or electrical contractor, and that the question had to do with a business issue. Therefore, the thread is being returned to the active area. I offer an apology to the OP for the inconvenience and the delay.
 
chetwynd said:
~through what will become a sidewalk on someone's side yard. They're putting in a new concrete walkway and stairs, and I need to run my conduit through the concrete forms.

Should/Can I use PVC, or do I have to use rigid? It will be buried in less than 1 foot of concrete.

THANK YOU!
Click to expand...

See Table 300.5 Minimum Cover Requirements

The big questions would be - What is this conduit for - Utility? Vehicular traffic? Concrete encases for its entire length? A safe answer not knowing that particulars would be min 18" cover in a sand bedded 24" trench with schedule 40 PVC, and above ground portions in Steel RMC.
 
A sidewalk in the typical residential yard is normally only 4-5" deep. I question why you're running the pipe through the forms? With the minimum burial depths for most types of pipe and cable, it seems like you'd be well below the forums.
 
more..

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I ended up calling a local inspector and he said that as long as it's covered by at least 4" of concrete, I'm good to go. Is that correct? I'm only running it through (or under) the to-be-poured concrete for a few feet until it turns up a hill in a deeper trench. But the more I think about it, the more I agree that yes, barring something unforeseen under the sidewalk (that the concrete guys are going to pull up and redo), I should be 18"+ deep everywhere.
 
chetwynd said:
I'm only running it through (or under) the to-be-poured concrete for a few feet until it turns up a hill in a deeper trench.
Click to expand...

This could get interesting. Are you going to do something to prevent water from running downhill inside your conduit and coming into the box/enclosure?
 
We routinely install PVC conduit sleeves under sidewalks and driveways before they are poured for future landscape lighting wiring. Something to make it easier to get a piece of UF from one side of the walk to the other.
 
chetwynd said:
Hi,

I'm doing a small electrical job as part of a larger project. I'm very familiar with electrical, except I've never had to run conduit through what will become a sidewalk on someone's side yard. They're putting in a new concrete walkway and stairs, and I need to run my conduit through the concrete forms.

Should/Can I use PVC, or do I have to use rigid? It will be buried in less than 1 foot of concrete.

THANK YOU!
Click to expand...


How do you propose to remove the forms? Along with the 300.5 considerations
 
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