Burial Depths For Rigid Conduit

[RATLIFF]

We Are Installing Conduit At A New Gas Station
Our Conduit Is Under 6" Of Concrete
The Inspector Rejected Our Installation Due To Depth Of Conduits
He Quoted 300.5 And Tells Me That The Conduits Must Be 24".
My Interpetation Of This Code Is That Under 2" Of Concrete That The Depth Only Needs To Be 6". We Are At An Impass And I Need Some Back Up.
Thank You
Greg

THANKS FOR THE REPLY
I WOULD THINK THAT THE 24" UNDER ROAD WAYS WAS DUE TO THE SURFACE BEING ASPHALT THE CODE DOES NOT SPECIFY CONCRETE OR ASPHALT

 

[roger]

The inspector is right. This is a Driveway and / or Parking Lot in reality.

Roger

 

[ptonsparky]

Doesn't look good.

 

[hillbilly]

I hope that you haven't already poured the concrete.
The inspector is correct.
steve

 

[celtic]

I would tend to agree with your inspector also....if your conduits are in the vehicle area, as opposed to a grassy area for signage, they would need to be at 24" ~ see 300.5....and as a "BONUS" check 514.8 Exception Number 2 (not quite apples to apples, but the intent seems to be there).

 

[hardworkingstiff]

I remember where I learned that lesson. The Texaco station near the old aiport road off of Military Hwy in Norfolk Va., circa 1981. I had to cut the conduits off, take them out, hand dig down to 24" cover (let's not forget, it's 24" of cover, not 24" deep), lucky I was already at 18".

 

[jdouglas]

Driveway Parking lots

Driveway Parking lots

Ok We all know its 24" when you bury conduiot under a drive or parking lot.
So how deep and what is legal to use if I dont bury the conduit.
Im trying to feed a gate from another across a drive and I could dig up the 20" concrete or bore or many other things however I am not giving the inspector the pleasure of doing such. He is holding up a CO on a 50 unit complex because of 4 " and another thing doesnt mulch count for ground cover ?

 

[petersonra]

Ok We all know its 24" when you bury conduiot under a drive or parking lot.
So how deep and what is legal to use if I dont bury the conduit.
Im trying to feed a gate from another across a drive and I could dig up the 20" concrete or bore or many other things however I am not giving the inspector the pleasure of doing such. He is holding up a CO on a 50 unit complex because of 4 " and another thing doesnt mulch count for ground cover ?

I think you need a 4" high speed bump.

 

[celtic]

I don't see where your arguement is....
"we know all it's 24" under a drive"...
"doesnt mulch count for ground cover" ...
What are you proposing? Mulch on a drive as cover???

I think there may be more to the story than you tell us:
"I could dig .. or many other things however I am not giving the inspector the pleasure of doing such. He is holding up a CO on a 50 unit complex because of 4 " ..."

The EI is NOT holding up the CO over 4", you are.

JMO

 

[radiopet]

Ratliff,

Sad to say it looks like the inspector is right. I would venture to say someone looked at the TOP location in the table " All locations not specificed below " when in in fact it was listed below.

Now if you only went 6" because you hit solid rock and poured 2 inches of concrete over it and such then you might have an arguement but as it stands now the inspector is correct.

Wish we had better news for you....

 

[Rockyd]

Ok We all know its 24" when you bury conduiot under a drive or parking lot.
So how deep and what is legal to use if I dont bury the conduit.
Im trying to feed a gate from another across a drive and I could dig up the 20" concrete or bore or many other things however I am not giving the inspector the pleasure of doing such. He is holding up a CO on a 50 unit complex because of 4 " and another thing doesnt mulch count for ground cover ?

He is holding up a CO...

I believe he is enforcing the law. Especially if no communication was made with the inspector prior to installation. Valuable lesson in how to spell a-s-s-u-m-e.

 

[jdouglas]

Didnt say inspector want right asked for solution

Didnt say inspector want right asked for solution

Im asking is it legal to run rigid across the drive, or do you have a simple solution other than diggin the pavement or boring under it?

And the mulch question was seperate. If you are burying conduit does mulch count as ground cover. Had no plans to mulch the drive.

Thanks

 

[roger]

Yes, you can run it above ground, but I'm sure this will be considered subject to physical damage (probably severe in that it will be driven over)

I know that wasn't a help, but unless you can get special permission from the inspector for some type of installation, 24" is the code.

Roger

 

[rbalex]

Cover is defined in Note 1, Table 300.5. It may be sufficiently ambiguous to include mulch. Personally I wouldn?t count on it.

Technically, the wiring method may be laid out on the ground with no cover at all; however you are then constrained to provide whatever protection, support, etc. otherwise required by Chapter 3. The ?main rule? of 300.4 is short and sweet and achieving adequate protection in a trafficked area is difficult especially if the wiring method is actually subject to regular physical contact.