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underground pvc expansion joints?

earlybirds

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 12, 2010
Messages
70
Location
eastern Iowa
I'm planning on using 2" pvc conduit underground between the house and shop for electric service and data wires. I know to use separate runs for each of these and to keep them at least a foot apart. I plan to bury the electric conduit 3 feet deep and the data conduit 2 feet deep.
We have a gravel driveway between the house and shop and the winter frost depth is around 4 feet. The pvc conduits will be buried in this driveway. The length of the run is 195 feet between the house and shop and the run will be "L" shaped. 145 feet on one leg of the "L" and 50 feet on the other leg. The conduits will be underground through the basement wall into the house. At the shop, the conduits will come up about a foot above ground and elbow thru the wall into the shop.
So here are my questions. Do I need pvc expansion joints in the horizontal runs and if so how many? Do I need them for the short vertical risers at the shop?
Thanks in advance for your expertise. I have learned SO MUCH from this forum!
 
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Aceman

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Joined
Jan 28, 2007
Messages
2,513
Location
Eastern Oregon
I have never worried about expansion in the ground. I just installed a 1300' run of 4" with no expansion joints a couple weeks ago.

But, it never hurts to use them coming out of the ground if you're worried about it. They aren't required here, but a couple hours away in another inspectors jurisdiction he requires them because of frost heave.
 
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Gooch

Well-known member
Joined
May 30, 2009
Messages
676
Location
Petersberg, IA
I'm planning on using 2" pvc conduit underground between the house and shop for electric service and data wires. I know to use separate runs for each of these and to keep them at least a foot apart. I plan to bury the electric conduit 3 feet deep and the data conduit 2 feet deep.
We have a gravel driveway between the house and shop and the winter frost depth is around 4 feet. The pvc conduits will be buried in this driveway. The length of the run is 195 feet between the house and shop and the run will be "L" shaped. 145 feet on one leg of the "L" and 50 feet on the other leg. The conduits will be underground through the basement wall into the house. At the shop, the conduits will come up about a foot above ground and elbow thru the wall into the shop.
So here are my questions. Do I need pvc expansion joints in the horizontal runs and if so how many? Do I need them for the short vertical risers at the shop?
Thanks in advance for your expertise. I have learned SO MUCH from this forum!

DO NOT COME INTO THE HOUSE UNDERGROUND!!!!!

Doesn't matter how you seal it, IT WILL LEAK. Come up and LB into the house above grade.
I've never but expansions on pvc underground. Have used slip risers when coming out of ground.
 
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