2

I had 100 amp underground service to my old garage. In 2” conduit PVC SCH 40, 24” trench, code USE wire size, slip joints, etc While building the replacement garage, Contractor poured the new slab in the wrong spot & the supply conduit now exits the ground 18” away from the exterior wall Didn’t really want to dig it up and splice in an 18” section (or just leave some underground loose wire) cause I’m afraid of nicking the insulation on the wire when I cut the conduit

Are there any better/easier ways to get the supply conduit from the ground & through the exterior wall?

Improve this question
2
  • It won't really be practicable to splice the wires inside 2" conduit. The Code answer is to replace all the wire with longer wire, and learn the lesson: "Buy the wire LAST". Only thing I can think is modify the garage's design to extend the walls, but any of that will cost more than replacing the wire.
    – Harper - Reinstate Monica
    Commented Dec 31, 2021 at 20:38
  • And if you replace the wires, use THWN, THWN-2, XHHW stranded wires not cable like USE or USE-2. The pull will go so much easier.
    – Ecnerwal
    Commented Jan 1, 2022 at 20:45

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
2

Pull the cable (USE-2 in conduit? - that was masochistic) back (or out, but back is adequate), cut the conduit, make it go where it should, send the bill to the contractor, pull the cable forward again. You do have to attach a pulling rope to the cable end and not cut that in the process, unless you do pull it all the way out.

Edit: following the last bit of comment (as of this edit) you could dig down to place a hand-hole over the conduit coming up 18" from the building, and (not strictly code compliant, but...) carefully cut the conduit away from the wire just above the bottom of the hand-hole (or more easily, just above where the bottom of the hand-hole will be, when you install it) and install a second, separate run of conduit the short distance from the hand-hole to the side of the building. So if you buy a 12" deep hand-hole, cut the conduit 9" below ground level, install the hand-hole flush with ground level, and either make waterproof splices (to new stranded wires) or pull the uncooperative USE cable the short distance to the building if there's adequate cable to do that. Submit the bill for the hand-hole and new conduit to your concrete contractor.

Improve this answer
8
  • But seemed like a good idea at the time. Took 1/2” rope, my farm jack, and a bottle of lube to pull 100’. I’m not sure I can pull it back. I don’t mind cutting the pvc as long as I can get two hands on it. (Oscillating saw). Brainstorming: Can I transition the sweep to rigid at 6”(?). Or can I use 3/8” allthread rod standoffs? Or for that matter just build a short “wall” off the house?
    – Wray
    Commented Dec 30, 2021 at 23:52
  • Transitioning the sweep to Rigid would add 2 more 90 degree sweeps. The increased pulling forces would be considerable - I doubt 6" of earth is enough to tamp the conduit down against those forces. There's a 360 degree limit so any bends besides the two stub-ups would put you over limit.
    – Harper - Reinstate Monica
    Commented Dec 31, 2021 at 20:20
  • 1
    Looking at nec 2008 314.29 & 30, you cant bury a conduit body EXCEPT when covered by gravel, etc. & not requiring tearing up a sidewalk, etc to get to it. And you mark the box access point. And it’s located so you can’t drive a tractor over it. Presumably a garden gnome would be compliant for marking
    – Wray
    Commented Jan 1, 2022 at 20:13
  • 1
    Unusual to bury a conduit body. For access (such as a pull point or repair splice point) in the buried part of the run, typical to use a hand-hole - there are light-duty plastic ones that will handle a lawnmower, and heavy duty reinforced concrete ones you can drive a truck over. Conduit just stubs up into them (pro tip - stub up with 45's, not 90's) as they have no bottom, just sides and a top. Any splices made in them must be fully waterproofed.
    – Ecnerwal
    Commented Jan 1, 2022 at 20:41
  • 1
    Great idea, thanks!!! I’ve got a few irrigation (lawn sprinkler) control boxes (rated for only 30 v but they have 600 v waterproof conduit inside) in case I can’t find the real deal. No problem with driving over it, it’s on the back wall of the garage under a gravel path. I hear you on the 45s. I do all of my 2” and 3” irrigation work with 45s. Tolerant of misalignment and the joint walls don’t get eroded by the sand slurry they call irr. water here
    – Wray
    Commented Jan 2, 2022 at 0:56

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.