Electrical Conduit in Pole Barn

[cowboydoc]

Boy you sure are right about preferences and different ways of doing things Fred. I had a master electrician wire my barn and he told me to not use the metal in my barn because of increased chance of shock. He said in a regular construction definitely use the metal but not where the conduit is touching the metal. I'm sure if you went to another one they'd tell you what you are saying. I think a person would be safe either way. If you have animals though I know that the plastic is better. I've had horses and cows chomp on the plastic stuff and no worse for wear. The metal stuff though crimps pretty easily.

 

[GlueGuy]

CowboyDoc,

In situations like that, you'd prabably want to use the heavy duty conduit (AKA rigid), as opposed to standard duty EMT.

The GlueGuy

 

[RichNJ]

I pulled an electrical permit to do this work. Sat down with the electrical inspector for 30 minutes going over the use of the barn and then the how to wire it. Most of the discussion with him centered around the sub-panel and the conduit into the barn since I had never done this before.
Passed the first inspection on the trench. Next inspection is rough wiring then final inpection.
Just got off the phone with the inspector verifying that PVC in the barn is OK because I was originally going to use EMT.
I like the idea of non-corrosive plastic along with it being waterproof.

Everything I am buying is from Home Depot so I can return it if I change my mind.

 

[JATO_RaT]

That would be IMT (intermediate metallic tubing) or Rigid. IMT is threadable as is rigid. . I definitely don't understand the remarks about the metal touching stuff made by someone. PVC is used in the ground by electrcians and is very well suited for this. I have yet to wire a place or yet to see a place wired with PVC exclusively above ground except by do it yourselfers. There is nothing wrong with doing it in all PVC, its safe, just bulky and unattractive. In a barn, all 120V circuits will need to be (in my area but should be done anyway) GFCI protected so electrical shock is very minimal and not dangerous, even if your horse should chew through a piece of conduit and the wires inside. EMT is used above ground in almost all commercial buildings throughout the US. In the ground it is a mixture of PVC and rigid metallic. PVC is nice because wire pulls so easily and very easy to make water resistant (actually, water will be inside of it in no time and I never know how it gets in there) Rat...

 

[Phred]

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr>

Before you buy anything or take advise from anyone, contact your county and see if there is a wiring code they live with and the steps required to wire your building.

<hr></blockquote>


DDl,
I agree completely. However, what you will find in most areas is that the code is not very stringent and that metal conduit would be viewed as overkill for all but comercial construction. The code has a whole set of additional requirements for commercial buildings such as sprinklers, metal studs, and metal conduit.

Fred

 

[kcbarnes]

I can say that all the post to this point have good points.I am a master electrician in michigan and do reafferm that above all, check local codes.As far as emt, pvc or romex, in the national code they are all ok. It is all a matter of preference. You can make emt look the best but it may rust a little. PVC won't rust and will insulate but will expand and contract with temp so in the summer it may bow some. romex is easy to work with but I always worry about rodent chewing the wires.

 

[JATO_RaT]

KC, I am an electrical contractor here in California and what you have said is exactly right. Here in CA, romex would be allowed provided it is protected from physical harm such as sheetrock or plywood. Rat

 

[kcbarnes]

rat, I hope I didn't offend you with the rodent comment

 

[scruffy]

The one thing I didn't see 'covered' in this thread, is the point at which the conduit goes through a stud/post should be covered with a metal sheet/plate to help prevent nails being driven through your conduit/wiring. I don't know if that is a requirement in most areas building codes, or just some thing that I was taught way back when.