Is the small accompaning about size #10 wire brought in with the community water service lateral (similar to the wire brought to the property with the plastic gas incoming line to outside meter) supposed to be used in bonding? It is an insulated wire, and I wonder what is done with it on the other end during installation by excavating crews. My guess is that the pipe is manufactured with this wire in parallel?
Plastic water pipe from community system
- Thread starter jamesl
- Start date
- Status
jxofaltrds
Inspector Mike®
- Location
- Mike P. Columbus Ohio
- Occupation
- ESI, PI, RBO
Re: Plastic water pipe from community system
This is a trace wire. Pretend that it is not there. Do not connect to it.
Mike P.
This is a trace wire. Pretend that it is not there. Do not connect to it.
Mike P.
charlie
Senior Member
- Location
- Indianapolis
Re: Plastic water pipe from community system
A "trace" wire is used by the water company to put a tone on so their pipe may be located in the future. Plastic pipe can not be located without help.
A "trace" wire is used by the water company to put a tone on so their pipe may be located in the future. Plastic pipe can not be located without help.
- Location
- Bremerton, Washington
Re: Plastic water pipe from community system
If you cut the tracing wire, please splice in a new section....otherwise it can't be traced
If you cut the tracing wire, please splice in a new section....otherwise it can't be traced
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
Re: Plastic water pipe from community system
Charlie,
Don
Charlie,
"Witching Sticks" work great for plastic pipe. I've seen a number of utility locaters find the underground utilities with the sticks when the expensive electronic equipment couldn't.
Don
charlie
Senior Member
- Location
- Indianapolis
Re: Plastic water pipe from community system
Don . . . UH . . . NAH . . . I'll just leave your comment alone. :roll:
Don . . . UH . . . NAH . . . I'll just leave your comment alone. :roll:
bphgravity
Senior Member
- Location
- Florida
Re: Plastic water pipe from community system
I AGREE!
russellroberts
Senior Member
- Location
- Georgia
Re: Plastic water pipe from community system
For what it's worth, I've seen my son find pvc and black plastic waterlines many times with a piece of #12 bare copper in each hand.
He's right about 90% of the time.
For whatever reason, I can't do it,but I've seen it work many times.
Russell
For what it's worth, I've seen my son find pvc and black plastic waterlines many times with a piece of #12 bare copper in each hand.
He's right about 90% of the time.
For whatever reason, I can't do it,but I've seen it work many times.
Russell
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
Re: Plastic water pipe from community system
I never believed that a person could find underground objects with bent metal rods until a few years ago. We were installing a foundation for a 1.2 meg natural gas fired generator in the boiler house of a college. There were 15kV distribution lines below the floor so we hired a locator to find them for us. He used some electronic equipment and marked the floor, but then he pulled out his rods (witching sticks), and double checked. I gave him a hard time about charging us so much money and then doing this. He said that he always double checks with the rods and sometimes finds things that the equipment missed. He handed me the rods and told me to close my eyes. He then walked me around the room a bit and told me to walk slowly keeping my eyes closed and to stop when I felt the rods move. When I stopped, I was directly over one of his marks. He sells locating equipment and teaches classes on how to use the equipment. At each class he also shows off the "witching sticks". At the start of the class most won't believe that the sticks can work, but when he is done everybody believes and about 50% can make them work.
Don
I never believed that a person could find underground objects with bent metal rods until a few years ago. We were installing a foundation for a 1.2 meg natural gas fired generator in the boiler house of a college. There were 15kV distribution lines below the floor so we hired a locator to find them for us. He used some electronic equipment and marked the floor, but then he pulled out his rods (witching sticks), and double checked. I gave him a hard time about charging us so much money and then doing this. He said that he always double checks with the rods and sometimes finds things that the equipment missed. He handed me the rods and told me to close my eyes. He then walked me around the room a bit and told me to walk slowly keeping my eyes closed and to stop when I felt the rods move. When I stopped, I was directly over one of his marks. He sells locating equipment and teaches classes on how to use the equipment. At each class he also shows off the "witching sticks". At the start of the class most won't believe that the sticks can work, but when he is done everybody believes and about 50% can make them work.
Don
- Location
- Bremerton, Washington
Re: Plastic water pipe from community system
Yes Don witching can be effective. I suspect there are folks who are better than others and that is where some of black magic aspect came from.
One time I had to locate a concrete abestos water main (8"), there were three of us who witched it. We found something, but not the water main as I found it the next day with a ditch witch. Of course this was on a friday afternoon.
Yes Don witching can be effective. I suspect there are folks who are better than others and that is where some of black magic aspect came from.
One time I had to locate a concrete abestos water main (8"), there were three of us who witched it. We found something, but not the water main as I found it the next day with a ditch witch. Of course this was on a friday afternoon.
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