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#73209 12/19/06 10:58 PM
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 362
Member
What do you guys think of the new PVC risers for underground services?(at least they are new here)

Obsaleet


Choose your customers, don't let them choose you.
#73210 12/19/06 11:24 PM
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 821
S
Member
I'm curious too. I don't do many UG services so I'd like to know what a PVC riser is in the first place.

Is this riser similiar to an expansion coupling?

#73211 12/19/06 11:55 PM
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 449
F
Member
Sched 80 PVC risors have been the norm for UG services around here for 25 years.

#73212 12/20/06 12:20 AM
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 745
E
Member
Rigid aluminum risers were used here until the late 1980's but since then, it's been 2" PVC, furnished and installed by the power company. They also require that the connection be threaded (via hub), not lock nuts, but they do that part anyway. They supply and bury their own 1/0 aluminum triplex buried service lateral for anything up to 300 amps for residential.

For risers on poles, same applies, except they use 4" PVC cable guard ("U" guard) up the pole.

[This message has been edited by EV607797 (edited 12-23-2006).]


---Ed---

"But the guy at Home Depot said it would work."
#73213 12/21/06 08:39 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,391
I
Moderator
Quote
What do you guys think of the new PVC risers for underground services?

In my opinion PVC has no place being used as a riser unless it is than guarded by steel. I live in an area that gets cold. Combine cold with aged brittle PVC and you get something that breaks easily.

Quote
I'd like to know what a PVC riser is in the first place.

It is the part of an underground service raceway that breaks the surface of the ground and runs up the utility pole or building.


Bob Badger
Construction & Maintenance Electrician
Massachusetts
#73214 12/21/06 09:25 AM
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 32
J
Member
Here in Minnesota we use Sch 80 as the norm.
Sure I have seen broken pvc, But I dont think rigid steel would of help in most cases. something else would of broke instead or been bent or sqaushed.
Every job has differant set of differances and all materials have a place. The side of a house and a alley are two differant types of areas and I would use the rigid in the alley.

[This message has been edited by john p (edited 12-21-2006).]

#73215 12/21/06 10:56 AM
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 482
Z
Member
Schedule 80 is commonly used here for running underground feeders from a pole mounted transformer. Lots of the cities that were originally built with service drops from poles are now requiring all new construction to run their new service feeders underground from these same poles (except in completely new communities, where the service network is already planned as an underground installation). I'm assuming this is in the interest of beautification.

Our job is to trench to the pole (from our new service) and install the PVC run up to the pole (with just enough SCH 80 popping out of the ground for them to couple to). The PoCo then installs the ladder jacks on the pole and the SCH 80 for the first 10 feet or so, then usually (but not always) SCH 40 the rest of the way up to the transformer.

Although this PVC may seem like a bad idea on paper, I've actually seen very, very few problems as a result of this type of installation. In an area with freezing temperatures, however, I could not venture a guess as to the durability of the PVC. I've seen impact from cars, and usually the pole takes most of the beating, where as the PVC will usually either dent or just crack. I've yet to see it break away and leave the feeders exposed.

Personally, I have no problem with it at all. If the PoCo wants it, then the PoCo gets it, and we have little choice in the matter.

#73216 12/21/06 09:20 PM
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 806
Member
Check out this link and tell me PVC risers are better!! [Linked Image]

Caution to dial-up users: this is an 8 minute video.


Stupid should be painful.
#73217 12/21/06 10:08 PM
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 362
Member
Fred,
It is now a requirment here. My question is when the conduit drops the joint slides down, what happens to the conductors? They can't move there tied to the lugs.


Choose your customers, don't let them choose you.
#73218 12/21/06 10:12 PM
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 362
Member
http://www.carlon.com/sd-cgi/hsrun....LONTemplateDisplay.run?CatalogObjectId=1 52

[This message has been edited by Obsaleet (edited 12-21-2006).]


Choose your customers, don't let them choose you.
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