# Concrete in PVC



## don't call me sparky (Aug 28, 2009)

Slurry overpour has found its way into 1" pvc for pole base in concrete parking lot. Any tricks or advise on getting it out?


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## RePhase277 (Feb 5, 2008)

don't call me sparky said:


> Slurry overpour has found its way into 1" pvc for pole base in concrete parking lot. Any tricks or advise on getting it out?


Ohhhh... that sucks. You could try vinegar. I have only heard of that, not sure if it works. I have used muriatic acid to get concrete out of pipes. That stuff is serious and not to be taken lightly. It will burn your skin and cause blindness if you get it in your eyes. When I use it, I flush the pipe from the other end with water where practical, and if not, I pour a lot of baking soda and water solution in the offending end, then use the wet vac to clear it out.

Also, a piece of fishtape run to the obstruction and then chucked into a drill can sometimes beat the concrete loose.


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## Sparky480 (Aug 26, 2007)

1 7/8" X 4' bit on the hilti drill on an angle from center of the base so it comes out down low and run a new pipe.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Usually, the bulk of the stuff is outside the base itself, so can you dig down and replace the pipe itself? Even if there's a little bit in the pipe that's in the concrete base, there won't be much to deal with and a short fish tape in a cordless might be enough to do it.

Using a fishtape in a drill is very unsafe, however, and you should wear eye protection and heavy clothes.


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## te12co2w (Jun 3, 2007)

Vinegar has already been suggested, I have also heard coke works,:whistling2:, you know the stuff you drink.


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## lectricboy (Mar 11, 2009)

don't call me sparky said:


> Slurry overpour has found its way into 1" pvc for pole base in concrete parking lot. Any tricks or advise on getting it out?


 
Run an old peice of fish tape you don't care about down until it hits the concrete. Cut it to length and use it as a drill bit, drill awhile, then hit it with your vac, then repeat until obstruction is cleared. Takes awhile but I have cleaned them out like this in the past.


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

lectricboy said:


> Run an old oeice of fish take you don't care about down until it hits the concrete. Cut it to length and use it as a drill bit, drill awhile, then hit it with your vac, then repeat until obstruction is cleared. Takes awhile but I have cleaned them out like this in the past.


I can tell you have been around for quite awhile in this business. That how I have always done it. And I have had to do it many times.


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## 220/221 (Sep 25, 2007)

Will an M80 fit into a 1" conduit :jester:


This is why I seal off all open ends and pour the bases myself. I will sometimes duct tape the couplings to lesen the chance of separation when the concrete is poured.


I've never had it happen but I would try the vinegar or acid first. If it's just a little bit it may break up and dislodge.

Other solutions?

Determine how far down the plug is. You may be able to expose the conduit underground right at the base and work it from there. 

If you have conduit in and out, you may be able to install a jbox and ose only one feed to the pole.

Worst case, you have one feed and it is actually separated. Then it's exposed conduit, drill a tricky hole or a yank it and pour a new base .


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

lectricboy said:


> Run an old peice of fish tape you don't care about down until it hits the concrete. Cut it to length and use it as a drill bit, drill awhile, then hit it with your vac, then repeat until obstruction is cleared. Takes awhile but I have cleaned them out like this in the past.


 Thats how I would fix the problem.:thumbsup:


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## Frasbee (Apr 7, 2008)

te12co2w said:


> Vinegar has already been suggested, I have also heard coke works,:whistling2:, you know the stuff you drink.


There is less citric acid in coca cola than in orange juice.

Just sayin'.


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## lectro88 (Jul 13, 2009)

Fishtape and drill has worked for me several times, its a hit and miss depends on how much crete and rocks really made it in. You said slurry. The tape will get slurry not too many rocks. Heard of the vinegar many many times in 20 years. Vinegar never was laying around on the jobs.We always had a tape and a drill and a helper, I was the helper several times. But in conversation with Old Schoolers I DO mean that respectfully!! I remember them talking about barrels of vinegar. Big pipes, long runs, parallel in a duct bank that had to be cleared.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

In the 70's when I first started in the trade we used blasting caps for EMT in concrete decks. This only works for small obstructions.

I have heard of all the other methods noted, and all can work depending on the amount of slurry

The only way you will know is to try them starting with the simplest first. 

Or do the ultimate and get a shovel if this is feasible.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

The fishtape in a drill is the standard method.... Right after you ream the guy who didn't tape up the stubs a new anal cavity.


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## electro916 (Jan 16, 2009)

InPhase277 said:


> Ohhhh... that sucks. You could try vinegar. I have only heard of that, not sure if it works. I have used muriatic acid to get concrete out of pipes. That stuff is serious and not to be taken lightly. It will burn your skin and cause blindness if you get it in your eyes.


I use that stuff all the time cleaning the aluminum on my 4-wheeler. 

And for a supplement to "WEED B GONE":whistling2:


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

InPhase277 said:


> I have used muriatic acid to get concrete out of pipes. That stuff is serious and not to be taken lightly. It will burn your skin and cause blindness if you get it in your eyes. When I use it, I flush the pipe from the other end with water where practical, and if not, I pour a lot of baking soda and water solution in the offending end, then use the wet vac to clear it out.


 The muriatic acid does work. Had a conduit that got concrete in it and we had to have that conduit and we put the acid in the conduit and let it set for a week and after letting it set for a week we were able to get the wire thru.


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

MDShunk said:


> ...... Right after you ream the guy who didn't tape up the stubs a new anal cavity.


 You got that right.:thumbsup:


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

MDShunk said:


> The fishtape in a drill is the standard method.... Right after you ream the guy who didn't tape up the stubs a new anal cavity.




...with the drill and fishtape? 

:laughing:


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Celtic said:


> ...with the drill and fishtape?
> 
> :laughing:


 And the vinegar....:blink:


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## don't call me sparky (Aug 28, 2009)

Thanks to all with advice. Used a combo of all of the above. Fish tape in drill cleared after soak of vineger. Not sure which had most effect but at the time, I didn't much care. Vacuumed and pulled wire. . Thanks again!
By the way, I really was considering the M-80 post!!
Paul


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

Celtic said:


> ...with the drill and fishtape?
> 
> :laughing:


 :laughing::laughing:


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

don't call me sparky said:


> By the way, I really was considering the M-80 post!!


Honest to God, guys use these little things called "squibs" to pop out a little crete jiuce too. They're like a blasting cap. I have no idea where you buy them. I was on a large job some number of years ago and a guy was walking around with them in his shirt pocket. I thought that was pretty dumb. They look like firecrackers.


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

It's not always one of your guys that forgets to tape the pipe. I have seen other trades purposely pour some in, finishers can rub it off with their pant legs on stubs and all kinds of reasons. Kinda like the Mexican that sh#ts in the corner of a closet. How he wipes his ass I have no idea, nor do I know who actually is responsible for the clean up. I usually gag and run screaming like a girl.


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