Electrical service question

Doc

Doc

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I'm still messing with getting electric to my pole building. As I mentioned in another thread, I got the conduit in the ground last Monday. It was a muddy mess but we got er done. It rained Tues and Weds. The inspector gave me the go ahead to cover the conduit, but the rain filled the trench with water.

I'm guessing by now some water has gotten into the conduit. I still have to run a string through the conduit (about 65 ft. ) so they can pull the wire through it. Now I don't know how I'll get that done.

Since it is a straight run with two sweeping L's at each end, I thought I might be able to force some 12 2 through the conduit. Is that likely to work?
Has anyone messed with this kind of stuff before?
 
OhioTC18

OhioTC18

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Doc,
Tie a Walmart bag to the end of a piece of string and suck it through with a shop vac if the conduit is large enough. You'll never push 12/2 that far.
 
Doc

Doc

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Thanks TC. I was hoping you'd have an idea. This is all new to me.......

They told me to use a shop vac to suck the string through but if it got wet I didn't think it would work. A plastic bag should work much better. Rep points for you!!!!! :D :thumb:
 
Will

Will

Member
A little wire lube won't hurt.

blau-wire-lube.JPG
 
L

lb59

Member
Doc said:
I'm still messing with getting electric to my pole building. As I mentioned in another thread, I got the conduit in the ground last Monday. It was a muddy mess but we got er done. It rained Tues and Weds. The inspector gave me the go ahead to cover the conduit, but the rain filled the trench with water.

I'm guessing by now some water has gotten into the conduit. I still have to run a string through the conduit (about 65 ft. ) so they can pull the wire through it. Now I don't know how I'll get that done.

Since it is a straight run with two sweeping L's at each end, I thought I might be able to force some 12 2 through the conduit. Is that likely to work?
Has anyone messed with this kind of stuff before?
Click to expand...
Why didn't you run the wire through each section of the conduit as the the conduit was installed?

== L B ==
 
Bindian

Bindian

Member
OhioTC18 said:
Doc,
Tie a Walmart bag to the end of a piece of string and suck it through with a shop vac if the conduit is large enough. You'll never push 12/2 that far.
Click to expand...
Doc,
At work we use string blown in by an air hose and nozzle. The 100 psi air rushing through the tube causes a low pressure around the string and sucks it through. But we never have tried 65 feet.
hugs, Brandi
 
M

MikeD74T

New member
As mentioned before tie a string to a plastic grocery bag & suck it through with a shop vac. If there's too much mud in the conduit try pushing in a flowing garden hose to disolve & push the mud out. Then suck on the garden hose with the shop vac as you pull it back. A shop vac will pull water out of a conduit thru the garden hose better than just sucking on the conduit it's self. Depending on the conduit length you may want to work from both ends. MikeD74T
 
Doc

Doc

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lb59 said:
Why didn't you run the wire through each section of the conduit as the the conduit was installed?

== L B ==
Click to expand...

That is exactly what the electrical inspector warned me not to do. Something about it getting stuck on excess glue used to hold joints together.

But no matter, the wal-mart bag trick worked like a charm. I did a lot of worrying over something that took about 3 seconds to accomplish, thanks to the hint from Jerry and others. :tiphat:
 
Doc

Doc

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Okay, Mr. Procrastinator back. The guy that was going to wire up my service as a return favor has not gotten back with me and I'm to stubborn to ask again. So, I'm going to try it.

I have 2 2x8's running at 3ft and 7ft running between two 6x6 posts. What is the best way to attach the meter socket to the outside and the service panel to the inside?
 
OhioTC18

OhioTC18

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Doc said:
I have 2 2x8's running at 3ft and 7ft running between two 6x6 posts. What is the best way to attach the meter socket to the outside and the service panel to the inside?
Click to expand...
Find the hole locations for the meter socket. Drill into the siding and install a couple of 2X4's between the 6X6's to catch the screws for the meter socket. You could always mount a piece of plywood inside to mount the panel to.
 
Archdean

Archdean

Member
Doc said:
Okay, Mr. Procrastinator back. The guy that was going to wire up my service as a return favor has not gotten back with me and I'm to stubborn to ask again. So, I'm going to try it.

I have 2 2x8's running at 3ft and 7ft running between two 6x6 posts. What is the best way to attach the meter socket to the outside and the service panel to the inside?
Click to expand...

Will this be an overhead or underground service?
 
Doc

Doc

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Dean, it's an underground service.

Jerry, I was thinking of plywood for the service panel, but was looking for a good way to mount the meter socket and keep it simple. What you suggested does both. :thumb: This part should be a breeze.

How about the connectors for where my sweeping L comes out of the ground, it has to be 80, and what I have left over is a 10' section of schedule 40. I guess I connect it all the way up to the meter socket and run my rope all the way up through .... then I should be all set, I think.
 
Doc

Doc

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Another question. I have 3" pipe coming out of the ground going to the meter socket box. I can go with 2" pipe from the meter socket box to the service panel. But since I'll have to buy a 10" section of 3" to connect the sweeping L to the meter socket I was going to continue with 3" from the meter socket to the panel. Seemed easier. Is there a flaw to this logic. If there is a huge price difference in 3 vs 2" schedule 80 pipe AND I can get shorter pieces of the 3" 80 maybe I could go with 2" to the service panel, but right now I'm thinking 3" would be easier than messing with the two sizes, but now I'm 2nd guessing myself. How would you do it?
 
E

Erik

Member
if you're already using 3" - keep using it - there's no harm in that and you should have a scrap handy. The other nice thing about attaching your panel to a piece of plywood - it gives you something to staple the wires to as an anchor about 2-3" from the box. This also lets you label them with an ultra fine point sharpie. As an additional hint, when you wire the receptacles write the breaker # that they're attached to on the cover plate. This way you don't have to flip all the breakers to see which one your grinder is attached to. And just to be sure - you're using the gray "Carlon" electrical pvc pipe, right? (It's not as UV sensitive as the white stuff)
 
Doc

Doc

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Good tips Erik. And yes, I am using the gray pvc pipe. :thumb:
 
OhioTC18

OhioTC18

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Doc,
I think I'd just stay with the 3". You're probably not going to find smaller than a 10' piece anyway. Make sure the meter socket and panel will accept 3".
 
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