Underground electric/drainage question

[yanmars]

From the transformer an underground electric line is going to be ran to the house. It will be in 4 inch schedule 40 PVC. It needs to be at least 36 inches underground. The area it runs tends to get wet. After the electric line is it reasonable above the PVC to place a 4 inch perforated plastic farm drainage tile? I would already have the trench open and could easily place the farm drainage tile in and connect to other tile to help drain the area. I could put some fill material between the two.

 

[Bill Guenthner]

I thought the national code required metal conduit, but in any case the conduit should be sitting on and covered with #2 crushed rock and then cloth and hazard tape and then the top soil so that anyone digging will hit the rock and see the tape before they hit a live wire. The rock will act as a French drain and keep water out of the conduit.

 

[jyoutz]

I thought the national code required metal conduit, but in any case the conduit should be sitting on and covered with #2 crushed rock and then cloth and hazard tape and then the top soil so that anyone digging will hit the rock and see the tape before they hit a live wire. The rock will act as a French drain and keep water out of the conduit.

All good ideas. I’m not aware there’s a national code requirement for metal conduit. My lines are in schedule 40, and that’s all I see contractors using.

 

[yanmars]

The farm tile would be above all of the others. Maybe only 2 feet deep to also help in drainage of the area, not just the electric line.

 

[Bill Guenthner]

All good ideas. I’m not aware there’s a national code requirement for metal conduit. My lines are in schedule 40, and that’s all I see contractors using.

It wouldn't surprise me. I just know they put in metal with PVC risers when they did mine.

 

[Bill Guenthner]

The farm tile would be above all of the others. Maybe only 2 feet deep to also help in drainage of the area, not just the electric line.

Can you grade a shallow swale to keep water from standing where the line is?

 

[CobyRupert]

It doesn’t matter if conduit or cables get wet, or ends up being flooded.
Unless you need to install drainage for some other reasons, it’s unnecessary.
Plus, will tile above the conduit really effect the water table under it?

 

[hube2]

Plus, will tile above the conduit really effect the water table under it?

That's what I was thinking when I read OP. Might help drain the area but it won't affect anything below the level of the pipe. The drain pipe would need to be below it.

 

[yanmars]

I am trying to drain the area above the electric line, just have easy access to do it when they trench for the electric. Did not want to do a separate dig in the same area.

 

[grsthegreat]

5” pipe.. seriously. I have never seen 5” pipe and ive been an electrical contractor for over 30 years. PVC pipe is used underground here . Metal pipe would rot away In our soils…..not even allowed to be used. Guess different states could require different materials. How many amps are we talking here.

just for the heck of it, i checked my supply house for 5” pipe…..$160 per 10 foot stick. Yeiks.