Installing conduit for a pool light

[Simbilis]

The ground has unfrozen, and it's time to finish the electrical hookup for my pool. I spent the winter reading NEC 680, so I'm an expert on this now and nothing can possibly go wrong...

The builder ran 1 1/4" PVC conduit from the pool light shell. The end of the conduit is now sticking out of the earth backfill, tightly taped closed with the wiring running out to a coil on the ground. I had planned to re-bury the conduit 18" deep and attach more conduit to extend it to a junction box on a post. Trouble is, the wiring shouldn't have been installed until the conduit run was completed, to prevent getting PVC solvent on the insulation.

Is there a usual way to finish the conduit run? My default approach is to just be really careful with the PVC solvent.

Thanks,

Sim

 

[JasonLion]

I don't know what your layout is, just remember that you don't want that junction box too far from the pool. You will need to be able to pull the light cable through it every time you change the fixture.

If you are moving the junction box, pull the cable out first. You can either replace the cable with a string now, or fish it later when it is complete. Then pull the cable through again when everything is in place.

 

[mart242]

I wish I had done a conduit like this when they installed my pool. All they did was put 90 degree straight up PVC that goes above water level and then run the wires in the sand which is then covered by concrete all the way to my shed which is at the end of the pool. There's no way for me to fish a wire if something goes wrong.

 

[jasonknox]

Simbilis - I would have don it the same way that you suggested. I would probably wrap the electrical cable where the PVC joints will be to help guard the cable against the glue. Don't put to much that it would bind inside the pipe should you ever have to replace the light.

 

[Just-a-PB]

Just pull the wires out, and repull them in after you have it finished.
Since it is GFCI protected you can go 12" deep on the conduit, unless local codes are different.

 

[Simbilis]

Just pull the wires out, and repull them in after you have it finished.

The niche is under a couple feet of water, so all I have to work with is the conduit end. I don't think I can stuff the wires far enough down the conduit without damaging something.

[attachment=0:2kk6dwsn]ConduitAndWire.png[/attachment:2kk6dwsn]

The post with the junction box will be about 5 feet from the edge of the deck. With 1 1/4" conduit and due care I don't think it'll be a problem to pull the extra cable out for fixture changes.

 

[jasonknox]

Glue the remainder of you conduit together like you would normally. Use a vacuum cleaner to suck nylon mason twine (you can tie a piece of cloth to the end to help creat suction) thru the newly assembled conduit. Once you have the string going thru the conduit you can use it to pull the pool light cable thru the conduit. Once it is pulled thru you can glue up the joint between the original conduit and the new conduit. IMPORTANT: don't forget to put the coupling on before you pull the string thru the conduit.

 

[Just-a-PB]

don't forget to put the coupling on before you pull the string thru the conduit

Is that experiance talking :lol:

 

[Simbilis]

don't forget to put the coupling on before you pull the string thru the conduit

If I had a nickel for every time I'd done something like that...

 

[racket]

Just pull the wires out, and repull them in after you have it finished.
Since it is GFCI protected you can go 12" deep on the conduit, unless local codes are different.

18" TTT (to the top) is the depth required for plastic conduit when not covered by concrete. I don't recall having a gfci changing that.

 

[Just-a-PB]

18" TTT (to the top) is the depth required for plastic conduit when not covered by concrete. I don't recall having a gfci changing that.

Not that this would change how you do your installs, I know you are over the top on quality.

I believe it is NEC 300-5.
Residential branch circuits rated 120v or less with GFCI protection and Maximum overcurrent protection of 20A. 12" deep. 6" deep under 2" min concrete, 4" deep under 4" min of concrete (non driveway) This goes for direct burial cable, and Non metallic conduit.

heck up to 22Kv can be buried only 18" down.