Underground electric/drainage question

[Varmintmist]

Best bet is to ask the elec co, but I dont see why not. It would give extra protection beyond the "OH SH.." tape for the next backhoe operator.
I've dropped a lot of wire in ditches and some are strict, and some arent. The conduit will be PVC, glued, and they better see primer. It isnt for keeping water out, its to keep rocks off and give the ability to NOT dig if there is a problem. You pull the wire through.

 

[ovrszd]

Best bet is to ask the elec co, but I dont see why not. It would give extra protection beyond the "OH SH.." tape for the next backhoe operator.
I've dropped a lot of wire in ditches and some are strict, and some arent. The conduit will be PVC, glued, and they better see primer. It isnt for keeping water out, its to keep rocks off and give the ability to NOT dig if there is a problem. You pull the wire through.

And a member here has a thread where he tried to use conduit that was too small. Always go big.

 

[rv7charlie]

When my power co ran the service underground from the pole, under my gravel driveway to my meter (~25'), they pointedly asked me if I was going to pave the driveway. If I'd said yes, they wouldn't have even used pvc, except down the pole and up the side of my house to the meter base. BTW, metal pipe would be worse than pvc underground. Beyond the rust issue, if it's ever crushed, it's more of a hazard to the wire.

 

[Harry22]

If it is downhill from the transformer, make sure you put a drain in the PVC conduit. I had a situation where during the spring thaw water would come out of the electrical box, so make sure there is an outlet for the water before it gets to the electrical box i.e. don't have it all sealed up.

 

[ovrszd]

If it is downhill from the transformer, make sure you put a drain in the PVC conduit. I had a situation where during the spring thaw water would come out of the electrical box, so make sure there is an outlet for the water before it gets to the electrical box i.e. don't have it all sealed up.

I've never heard of that or saw it. But it's logical. Wow. Scary.

 

[scottdv]

My son is a master electrician, and we just did some runs like these last year. We lined the trenches with clean sand, laid Sched 40 gray PVC pipe, covered the pipe with more sand to protect it from rocks during the backfill, put the warning tape down, and then backfilled. I can't imagine any kind of metal conduit holding up underground, but I can't say what local code might be in other places.

 

[ovrszd]

My son is a master electrician, and we just did some runs like these last year. We lined the trenches with clean sand, laid Sched 40 gray PVC pipe, covered the pipe with more sand to protect it from rocks during the backfill, put the warning tape down, and then backfilled. I can't imagine any kind of metal conduit holding up underground, but I can't say what local code might be in other places.

Can you offer a guide as to conduit size for various sizes of wire? I've never saw anything printed in that regard. Thanks.

 

[rv7charlie]

The Google is your friend. ;-)
conduit size chart
Having linked that, if you're diy-ing, go up a size or two in conduit size. You'll thank me later.

 

[Chuckacon]

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.

Hello yanmars, electrical contractor here. For clarification why are you going 36" for the electric PVC? PS Don't use metal conduit underground. electrical Sch 40 PVC (grey) is correct. What is the distance from transformer to house? 4" is very large but maybe you have a very long distance or want future space.

 

[ultrarunner]

I've never heard of that or saw it. But it's logical. Wow. Scary.

Battle the same in Olympia WA...

The transformer vault is at a higher elevation than the panel in the basement...

Took some doing but PSE did come out and opened the vault and the water line visible inside the vault was the same height as the conduit stub out...

So all the high voltage and transformer submerged as the water level increased making its way to the basement.

Basement sometimes would have an oder and this too was from the open conduit to the panel.

Quick solution was conduit rated spray foam for both ends...

Long-term solution is providing a path for water out of the vault and diverting water "Upstream"