# Conduit question



## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

pull out your codebook and look at article 358


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## Surge03 (Sep 23, 2012)

wildleg said:


> pull out your codebook and look at article 358



Ok, does not say anything about being buried underground. Only concrete it says it's not permitted and to me its a gray area where it says not permitted where there's excessive moisture, I consider buried under dirt to have a lot of moisture


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## Surge03 (Sep 23, 2012)

wildleg said:


> pull out your codebook and look at article 358


Well it does say it requires protection if buried in soil, so if he wraps with PVC tape ten or 20 mill it should be fine.


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

Surge03 said:


> Well it does say it requires protection if buried in soil, so if he wraps with PVC tape ten or 20 mill it should be fine.


read it again



> 358.10 Uses Permitted.
> (A) Exposed and Concealed. The use of EMT shall be
> permitted for both exposed and concealed work.
> (B) Corrosion Protection. Ferrous or nonferrous EMT, elbows,
> ...


that means your local ahj/inspector approves of it used in that way. It does not mean you can do it any way you want.



> 358.12 Uses Not Permitted. EMT shall not be used under
> the following conditions:
> (1) Where, during installation or afterward, it will be subject
> to severe physical damage.
> ...


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## wendon (Sep 27, 2010)

Fortunately, our state code forbids it!:thumbsup:


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## Surge03 (Sep 23, 2012)

wildleg said:


> read it again that means your local ahj/inspector approves of it used in that way. It does not mean you can do it any way you want.



Confusing crap to me, so that being said do you guys install EMT conduit underground? Soil, concrete etc?


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## daveEM (Nov 18, 2012)

No. 

PVC for underground.


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

^ what he said.


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## drumnut08 (Sep 23, 2012)

Surge03 said:


> Confusing crap to me, so that being said do you guys install EMT conduit underground? Soil, concrete etc?


. Absolutely not ! Whether in soil , or concrete , EMT will start breaking down immediately . Eventually , it will be a collapsed rusted mess with compromised conductors , that you can never pull out , because they become one with the raceway . EMT has no business being below grade or in concrete .


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## elecpatsfan (Oct 1, 2010)

drumnut08 said:


> . EMT has no business being below grade or in concrete .


I like the way you worded that


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## local134gt (Dec 24, 2008)

We run pvc underground where permitted and only come up with rigid 90's and then change over to emt.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Surge03 said:


> Confusing crap to me, so that being said do you guys install EMT conduit underground? Soil, concrete etc?


Nope, nope & nope...

~CS~


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## Surge03 (Sep 23, 2012)

chicken steve said:


> Nope, nope & nope... ~CS~



So the contractor should replace his emt stub up? He's telling its up to code


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## drumnut08 (Sep 23, 2012)

Surge03 said:


> So the contractor should replace his emt stub up? He's telling its up to code


. Stub up out of a slab , with schedule 40 PVC , schedule 80 PVC , rigid , IMC , PVC coated rigid , ENT . Damn near any raceway , I can think of , is a better choice than stubbing out of a slab with EMT . Look at 358.10(B) and 358.12(3) . It can be done legally , but not without an approved corrosion protection used . In other words , it's more trouble than it's worth . Rigid 90's are the way to go . Stronger and won't get burned through when pulling wire like PVC can .


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## one hertz (Mar 6, 2014)

Surge03 said:


> So the contractor should replace his emt stub up?


Just curious, is this an EC you work for?


Surge03 said:


> He's telling its up to code


Who's he telling?


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## five.five-six (Apr 9, 2013)

EMT will be GFO inside of 3 years if buried.


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## Surge03 (Sep 23, 2012)

one hertz said:


> Just curious, is this an EC you work for? Who's he telling?



I am in maintenance at a school district but we are having a contractor do some work for us and he is saying emt underground is up to code.


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## Skipbayless (May 19, 2014)

I've always stubbed up with rigid in concrete slabs. Like a 30" rigid 90, changed over from pvc. Multiple schools, churches, and office buildings while in the union. 

I remember having to bend all those 90's with the machine. 

Sent from my SCH-I535 using electriciantalk.com mobile app


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## Surge03 (Sep 23, 2012)

Skipbayless said:


> I've always stubbed up with rigid in concrete slabs. Like a 30" rigid 90, changed over from pvc. Multiple schools, churches, and office buildings while in the union. I remember having to bend all those 90's with the machine. Sent from my SCH-I535 using electriciantalk.com mobile app



He stubbed up with emt not rmc


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## Skipbayless (May 19, 2014)

I'm sorry, I must have overlooked that. Yeah, that's not the right way to do it. 

Sent from my SCH-I535 using electriciantalk.com mobile app


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## Wirenuting (Sep 12, 2010)

I like people who stub up with EMT out of concrete. 
It gives me someone to hate a few years later.


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## Pete m. (Nov 19, 2011)

Wirenuting said:


> I like people who stub up with EMT out of concrete.
> It gives me someone to hate a few years later.


:laughing::laughing:

Pete


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## Surge03 (Sep 23, 2012)

Wirenuting said:


> I like people who stub up with EMT out of concrete. It gives me someone to hate a few years later.



I'm going to show the contractor everyone's replys to this topic lol


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## drumnut08 (Sep 23, 2012)

Surge03 said:


> I'm going to show the contractor everyone's replys to this topic lol


. Yeah , I haven't heard anyone say " no problem , I stub out of slabs with EMT all the time " , lol ! There's a reason nobody is saying that . About 20 years ago I was on a school renovation job , where we were supposed to use as many existing raceways as possible for new wiring . That worked out good on the overhead , but was a total loss on the underground . Why ? EMT in the slab is why , lol ! Let him do what he wants , it doesn't make it right . What does the inspector think ?


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## five.five-six (Apr 9, 2013)

Surge03 said:


> Ok for years i have been taught to never use EMT as underground conduit as a rule of thumb. Recently a contractor used PVC to emt but the emt went underground to PVC, I told him he had to replace it to emt to an FA PVC before it goes underground. Who's right? Or was I taught wrong all these years


I can't believe that I am the first to point this out but EMT isn't even conduit. It's tubing.


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## Bugz11B (May 12, 2013)

Nope. PVC Underground. To me the code is not leaving it to the AHJ (of course its always up to them) to me there leaving it to the manufacturer, IF I did it and my inspector saw it an said no and I provided manufacturer specs saying its not going to corrode he would pass it. But no just dont do it


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## gilbequick (Oct 6, 2007)

five.five-six said:


> I can't believe that I am the first to point this out but EMT isn't even conduit. It's tubing.


That's because conduit and tubing are the same thing.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

gilbequick said:


> That's because conduit and tubing are the same thing.


They are both raceways, but they are not the same thing.


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## five.five-six (Apr 9, 2013)

gilbequick said:


> That's because conduit and tubing are the same thing.


Really? You sure about that?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## markbrady (Jun 2, 2014)

I have never seen or heard of anyone running EMT underground. Either ran rigid or ran pvc and came out of the ground with a rigid 90 and then changed over to EMT. Exactly what is an approved corrosion system for buried EMT and i would gather most electricians including myself have no clue and because it is simply easier and more cost effective to run PVC underground


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