New Home Begins

[tkappeler]

Next week, after it dries out a little, I will be putting in the underground electric. So, what's the best way for putting (3) 4-0 aluminum conductors into a 2 1/2" conduit, 110' long. Pull the three through the assembled conduit or lay the wire out and push the conduit down the line a section at a time, gluing as I go?

 

[dstig1]

Might go easier if you got it as a cable assembly, no matter how you do it. And if this is for a subpanel/outbuilding, I think you also need the ground. Our local Menard's and Home Depot carry a 4/0 Alum x 3 plus a 2(?)ga ground (also alum) as a cable assy, priced per foot. You may want to find something similar. Use cable pulling lube for one... You could use the tractor to pull the wire too... and let us know how it went, as I will need to do the same things in a couple months!

 

[tkappeler]

Might go easier if you got it as a cable assembly, no matter how you do it. And if this is for a subpanel/outbuilding, I think you also need the ground. Our local Menard's and Home Depot carry a 4/0 Alum x 3 plus a 2(?)ga ground (also alum) as a cable assy, priced per foot. You may want to find something similar. Use cable pulling lube for one... You could use the tractor to pull the wire too... and let us know how it went, as I will need to do the same things in a couple months!

This is the main line running into the home, so I do not need the extra ground along with neutral. If I pull it through with lube, I will certainly use the tractor to pull it. I am going to one of the bigger electrical supply outfits to see what they have. I can't use the normal service wire the local big box carries as local utility does not allow the shielded to be installed inside conduit and also does not allow direct burial (no conduit).

I will let you know what I decide and how it goes.

 

[955Lincoln]

This is the main line running into the home, so I do not need the extra ground along with neutral. If I pull it through with lube, I will certainly use the tractor to pull it. I am going to one of the bigger electrical supply outfits to see what they have. I can't use the normal service wire the local big box carries as local utility does not allow the shielded to be installed inside conduit and also does not allow direct burial (no conduit).

I will let you know what I decide and how it goes.

Yeah, you don't want to use a cable assembly in conduit. Normally, wiring before the meter is owned by the utility and not subject to NEC code but I don't know how it works in this case where you are supplying it. If you have to follow NEC code, they don't allow pulling the wire while piecing the conduit together. I think it has to do with the (not completely dried) glue damaging the insulation on the conductors and possibly they want to make sure that wires can be pulled (in a difficult run) in the future if need be.

IMO, piecing it together doesn't make it any easier because in the end you are still pulling just as hard as you would in a completed conduit unless you are feeding the conduit over your already layed wires. I would REALLY WORRY about the glue in this case. However, the added end sweep and pulling in a vertical direction is a bit of a pain if that is what you are doing. 110' through 2 1/2 should be a breeze if it's a fairly straight run. Use plenty of lube and ***a good strong pusher***. The pusher is very important for an easy pull.

 

[tkappeler]

Yeah, you don't want to use a cable assembly in conduit. Normally, wiring before the meter is owned by the utility and not subject to NEC code but I don't know how it works in this case where you are supplying it. If you have to follow NEC code, they don't allow pulling the wire while piecing the conduit together. I think it has to do with the (not completely dried) glue damaging the insulation on the conductors and possibly they want to make sure that wires can be pulled (in a difficult run) in the future if need be.

IMO, piecing it together doesn't make it any easier because in the end you are still pulling just as hard as you would in a completed conduit unless you are feeding the conduit over your already layed wires. I would REALLY WORRY about the glue in this case. However, the added end sweep and pulling in a vertical direction is a bit of a pain if that is what you are doing. 110' through 2 1/2 should be a breeze if it's a fairly straight run. Use plenty of lube and ***a good strong pusher***. The pusher is very important for an easy pull.

The local utility (PSE&G) would NORMALLY own all before the weather head. Unfortunately, not in our case. Since the street is overhead service, ALL aspects of underground are my responsibility. If they did underground at the street, they would do underground to the house. Anything different from what is provided at the street is customer responsibility.

When they come out to inspect, they will not care if the wire is already in the conduit or not. They are inspecting for trench depth, schedule 40 in ground, schedule 80 where it emerges and 10' up the pole.

As for distance, it 96' from the pole to a 90 degree bend, then another 12' to the house. Obviosly, another 90 degree at each end.

 

[955Lincoln]

I have to leave for work but real quick, does it have to be a 90 in your run? Can you change to like a 45 or something? If stuck with 90 make sure it has a large radius.

 

[tkappeler]

I have to leave for work but real quick, does it have to be a 90 in your run? Can you change to like a 45 or something? If stuck with 90 make sure it has a large radius.

I was thinking about that as I was writing the post. I will see about two 45s with a straight run in between. Of course, if I had one of those heaters for conduit, I'd just bend it to what I needed.

 

[955Lincoln]

I was thinking about that as I was writing the post. I will see about two 45s with a straight run in between. Of course, if I had one of those heaters for conduit, I'd just bend it to what I needed.

It sounds like you need to go around a corner? I'm not sure if two 45's would be better than a large radius sweep 90. Maybe someone else here has experience pulling large conductors through a buried 90. If it's a problem I suppose you could pull the straight part normally and then piece the rest of it together being careful with the glue. Actually, I think glue is way overrated in electrical conduit if you don't overdig your trench depth (settling) and it's deep enough (frost). It just holds everything together until you backfill. Even if every joint is perfectly sealed it will still eventually fill with water from condensation.

 

[tkappeler]

We have been able to get a lot done over the past few days.

We have been able to get the front door in. Since these pictures were taken, my wife has stained it and put one coat of varnish on. Two or three more coats to go. Now that school ends tomorrow for her, she can spend more time there to knock it out.



Now that the porch slab is done and since the above pictures were taken, we have almost finished the siding around the door. Maybe two hours to finish that but I have to wait for some more J-channel to come in.

We have primed and painted the kitchen and installed the cabinets. I still need to put the refrigerator panels and over-ref cabinet in. I have to trim down some filler strips between some of the cabinets but my big tools are still in storage, so I will have to go the cabinet shop I help out in sometimes to cut them down. Living like a gypsy sucks



We have primed and painted the ceiling in 1/2 of the bedroom spaces and hope to finish that this week.

Later this week, I will rent a trencher for the 2 1/2" conduit to carry the 250MCM wire from the pole to the meter. They are calling for scattered storms for the first 1/2 of the week, so it will wait till the later part and schedule both the utility and local inspections for Thursday.

 

[tkappeler]

One more thing. We have to pull the trigger on flooring and it may come down to a coin toss. 4" white oak, #1 common, 3'-10' lengths or 4" maple, 2nd grade (#1 common equivalent), 3'-10' lengths.