I-Beam up in the new shop, and 320 amp service set-up

[LD1]

Thanks for the link. I did some more reading and the only thing I can really find is that the only difference is the way that they are tested. PVC is pressure rated. Conduit is not. Other than that, I found several places that state " there is no code of color for PVC".

Some places say that the conduit sinc it isnt pressure rated is or can be made with a thinner wall by the MFG. But the stuff we get around here is just as thick. Sch 40. And other notes that PVC shouldnt be used with CPVC due to different make-up and glues.

So...as far as I can tell, there isnt any harm in using white for electric. But you arent supposed to use the grey (light grey that is) for water as it isnt pressure rated.

 

[hr3]

LOL.. LD1.. Yes no code for the color but "has" to be electrical conduit.. and DVW is not .. To me the fittings are more the issue.. A 2" 45deg DWV fitting has a radius of 4.25" and an electrical conduit 45deg. is 9" the max bending radius of 4/0 wire is 7".. are you beging to see the problem,,??

A few years back we went on a burn job.. The insurance inspector was there looking at the damage,, he saw DWV pipe and fittings used in the area that was burned,, He called in the state electrical inspector to have a look and sure enough,, it was DWV.. We made the place safe power wise and didn't hear from the contractor for a while so I asked him what ever happened to that burn job,, The contractor told me the owner was going to tear it down himself.. Insurance didn't go through because the problem started with the DWV fittings that were used,,,

 

[LD1]

LOL.. LD1.. Yes no code for the color but "has" to be electrical conduit.. and DVW is not .. To me the fittings are more the issue.. A 2" 45deg DWV fitting has a radius of 4.25" and an electrical conduit 45deg. is 9" the max bending radius of 4/0 wire is 7".. are you beging to see the problem,,??

A few years back we went on a burn job.. The insurance inspector was there looking at the damage,, he saw DWV pipe and fittings used in the area that was burned,, He called in the state electrical inspector to have a look and sure enough,, it was DWV.. We made the place safe power wise and didn't hear from the contractor for a while so I asked him what ever happened to that burn job,, The contractor told me the owner was going to tear it down himself.. Insurance didn't go through because the problem started with the DWV fittings that were used,,,

That makes sense.

What is the bend radius of 2-2-4 URD though?? Thats what I used for my 100A service in my shop. I did use the grey "conduit" though. But just wondering if white "small bend radius" pvc would have been acceptable (bend radius wise).

 

[hr3]

Cable Type Minimum Bending Radius
as a Multiple of Overall Cable Diameter
Single or Multiple Conductor Cables
without Metallic Shielding
8 times the overall cable diameter
Single Conductor Cables
with Shielding
12 times the overall cable diameter
Multiple Conductor Cables with
Individually Shielded Conductors
12 times the individual cable diameter or
7 times the overall cable diameter -- whichever
is greaterPortable (Mining) Cables 6 times for cables rated 5000 volts or less,
8 times for cables rated over 5000 volt
Fiber Optic Cables 10 times overall diameter for multimode cables,
20 times overall diameter for singlemode cables
Interlocked Armor or Corrugated Sheath
(Type MC) Cables
7 times overall cable diameter

Small radius = DWV not for use in electrical systems.. The bottom line is You use plumbing pipe and fittings for plumbing,,

 

[DJ54]

If you will notice, these are long turn 45's, not short radius, plus on the one run 22.5's added to soften the turns. Quite a bit of difference if you hold them side by side, on the 45's. Those el's literally rattled over the 4/0 cables, so no sharp turns.

The real sharp turns were in the LB boxes, but no one seemed to catch that....!!

I used the 2" gray conduit LB box inside, just like the certified electricial contractor used on the outside to enter the breaker type disconnect, for the 4/0 wire. Hmmmmm.....

 

[Raspy]

Those "conduit" fittings, as hr3 has pointed out, are not long radius, or even conduit fittings at all. No electrician would do that, and for good reason. If you were to get inspected you'd surely get called on those fittings. I'm not saying they are a problem, but they are not electrical conduit. They look like vacuum cleaner tubing. Extremely thin and the weakest of all PVC fittings. In my place I had to use sch 80 PVC or steel conduit up to a certain distance above ground for mechanical damage protection. No matter how you slice it, those are not long radius or rated for electrical service. However, they are fine as long as there is no problem, and better than nothing at all.

It's not good practice to pick a product because it's similar to something else. Just get the thing rated for what you want to do. Sometimes we can build better than code, and that's good thing. Sometime there are glaring code problems that inspectors can see a mile away that make them curious about what else might be wrong.

Those fittings would be fine for low voltage wiring where there is no code. If any inspector wanted to find something else he'd call you on the romex running on the surface with no mechanical protection. Again, it will work fine, but code doesn't allow it. And it would have been so easy to run MC or flex cable instead, which is rated for that use, and much better for mechanical damage resistance.

Since it's your shop, I think you should do it the way you want to. But saying it's the same because it started out as the same kind of plastic doesn't cut it in an inspection or after an emergency. With inspectors it's the rating printed on the product that counts. You are only kidding yourself if you say they are the same. Again, if you like it, that's the way it should be. It looks neat.

I struggle with this all the time. Not only in building my own house, but with work I've seen others do that affect me in some way. Just use common sense, don't cut corners and use products in ways that they are intended to be used. Sometimes there really is a good reason for it.

 

[Dr Dave]

I like the indicator light idea. We have one like that on a 4' pole near the well pit. At 200' from house its easy to see when the pump is running.
Dave

 

[chopped]

DJ I want to comment on how good your taking all the comments about the electrical.Its a double edged sword on here. Its nice to get some discussion on it so we all learn.But to not take it to personal is a good thing your able to do.Good Attitude..

If you will notice, these are long turn 45's, not short radius, plus on the one run 22.5's added to soften the turns. Quite a bit of difference if you hold them side by side, on the 45's. Those el's literally rattled over the 4/0 cables, so no sharp turns.

The real sharp turns were in the LB boxes, but no one seemed to catch that....!!

I used the 2" gray conduit LB box inside, just like the certified electricial contractor used on the outside to enter the breaker type disconnect, for the 4/0 wire. Hmmmmm.....

 

[LD1]

DJ I want to comment on how good your taking all the comments about the electrical.Its a double edged sword on here. Its nice to get some discussion on it so we all learn.But to not take it to personal is a good thing your able to do.Good Attitude..

Well put

 

[hr3]

Well put

Agreed here too.. very well put..