Wire pulling, easier through 2 45's or 90 deg elbow?

[Raisedonadeere]

My trench exits my garage footer perpendicularly, then makes a 90 degree turn to run parallel to the footer past corner of garage then on to the panel on my meter base. There will be four 38' wires of 3 ga thwn through 1-1/2" pvc conduit and I planned on using three 90 degree elbows. Wire goes down vertically through concrete floor and footer into one 90 elbow, then within two feet does a 90 degree turn through another 90 degree elbow to continue horizontally in the trench 24' and then goes vertical through the third 90 degree elbow.

I am wondering about the middle elbow. The wire has to bend in a different direction after exiting the elbow under the footer. Would it be better to put two 45 deg elbows there instead of the 90, maybe separate them a bit. I have room in the ditch. Come to think of it I might be able to just make that middle elbow one 45 without having to remove too much more dirt from under the footer.

I am not particularly anxious about this pull but all my past pulls have been down into a 90 elbow to make the horizontal run, then turn up through a second 90 deg elbow.

 

[Bert_]

45's are good. A sweep with a 24 or 36 inch radius is better.

 

[PugetDude]

^^THIS^^

I'd put in a sweep if you can, otherwise 2 45's with a short section of pipe in between.
3 30's would be better than the 45's if you can get them.

 

[Innovate1]

I found 1.5" long sweeps almost impossible to find. 2" are fairly easy to find. I ended up bending up my own. Getting an even bend on a long piece I thought would be difficult with a heat gun or other methods suggested so ran a bit of steam from a tea kettle through a 2" PVC pipe. About 3 or 4 minutes with just a little steam and it's nice and flexible. Pull it out and bend it quickly. You only get one shot as it won't go back into the pipe for a second try. But it doesn't cool super quick so you have a little working time. Might want to clamp a board to the outside pipe as mine started to sag after a couple uses.

 

[Bert_]

I found 1.5" long sweeps almost impossible to find. 2" are fairly easy to find. I ended up bending up my own. Getting an even bend on a long piece I thought would be difficult with a heat gun or other methods suggested so ran a bit of steam from a tea kettle through a 2" PVC pipe. About 3 or 4 minutes with just a little steam and it's nice and flexible. Pull it out and bend it quickly. You only get one shot as it won't go back into the pipe for a second try. But it doesn't cool super quick so you have a little working time. Might want to clamp a board to the outside pipe as mine started to sag after a couple uses.

True. Keeping in mind all he's pulling is some #3 I would use the 45's or even a standard 90 and not worry about it.

 

[nadogail]

Using a lot of lube will make the pulling easier.

 

[alfredeneuman]

Getting an even bend on a long piece I thought would be difficult with a heat gun or other methods suggested so ran a bit of steam from a tea kettle through a 2" PVC pipe.

Using heat guns, torches, vehicle exhaust pipes, and such to heat the conduit technically is a Code violation.
352.24 Bends — How Made. Bends shall be so made that the conduit will not be damaged and the internal diameter of the
conduit will not be effectively reduced. Field bends shall be made only with identified bending equipment.

 

[Bert_]

Using heat guns, torches, vehicle exhaust pipes, and such to heat the conduit technically is a Code violation.
352.24 Bends — How Made. Bends shall be so made that the conduit will not be damaged and the internal diameter of the
conduit will not be effectively reduced. Field bends shall be made only with identified bending equipment.

I get that the wording is there but who cares how you do it as long as you don't reduce the diameter or damage the conduit.

 

[Raisedonadeere]

Considering what has been posted so far I am going to do something to improve on a standard 90 for that middle elbow. If the 45’s don’t help I like the tea kettle idea. I will get the homeschooled grand kids to help me pull it off.

But considering that 1-1/2” is roomy for the 3 gage I am not expecting much trouble.

 

[alfredeneuman]

I get that the wording is there but who cares how you do it as long as you don't reduce the diameter or damage the conduit.

That's why I said "technically"

 

[mc4life27]

I get that the wording is there but who cares how you do it as long as you don't reduce the diameter or damage the conduit.

Just throwing this others but how is the wording there. It just says identified bending equipment is used. It doesn’t say you have to use a specific type or even all of the tools used to bend it. So couldn’t you just you a heat source that is the same
And one that is used normally witch I have seen some pvc bending kits that use a troch and a bend guide/ shield. So couldn’t you use a torch? Just keeping a the internal diameter the same. Plus if your worried about an inspector, he’s not sitting there watching you bend it. So as long as it looks normal and correct without signs of burns or flat spots no one is going be able to tell you didn’t bend it
Correctly. I’m all for using the correct tools (reasons to buy new toys) but in the long run of true job gets done with the correct out come and it’s safe and nothing was structurally damaged, then it’s doesn’t matter how you get there. Correct? Well 99% of the time that is


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