Can I Run 110 In Schedule 40 Inside A Board-On-Board Fence?

[DerbyDad03]

I have a shed that is wired via grey Schedule 40 PVC that runs underground from a GFCI receptacle under my deck. The shed is up against a wooden board-on-board fence similar to this:

I'd like to add a receptacle on a fence post about 15? from the shed. Can I come out of the shed with Schedule 40 conduit and run the conduit either on top of or underneath the lower horizontal member of the board-on-board fence? This would mean that the conduit would be between the vertical slats of the fence for the full 15?.

If not, is burying the conduit and using a riser stub up my only other option?

[gfretwell]

No problem as long as it is marked U/V protected and it always is. I think I would spray the conduit to match the fence before I put it in there

[DerbyDad03]

Thanks!

[John Grabowski]

*Yes you can. Be sure to use an expansion coupling. As someone else mentioned, painting the pipe would make it less noticeable.

[DerbyDad03]

Please explain the "expansion coupling" comment. I've used Schedule 40 under my deck, underground and up the side of the house before and never dealt with expansion couplings.

Why are you suggesting them for this application? Not pushing back, just trying to learn.

[trader4]

[gfretwell]

If you arrange the conduit so it can shrink and grow without being trapped you can do without the fitting. RNC straps are designed to let it slide and you want to strap the long section at a bend and allow the intersecting part to be somewhat free (strapped ~3 feet away). If you can't assure that, you do need the expansion fitting. The conduit will buckle in the summer and pull apart in the winter. To put this in perspective, PVC will expand close to a half inch (0.406") in 10 feet over a 100 degree swing. That is not unusual between a cold winter night and a sunny day in the summer. (ref table

352.44)

[sam E]

camouflage

[John Grabowski]

*In addition to what Gfretwell said, it is also a code requirement. PVC has expansion and contraction characteristics that can cause it to buckle and warp. Your fence picture reminded me of a PVC conduit installation on a fence in my area that I observe in passing every now and then. When it was initially installed the pipe was of course nice and straight. Several years later it looks like a derailed freight train. The total distance is perhaps 30' - 40'.

[Doug Miller]

DerbyDad03 wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Yes, that's fine, as long as you're using conductors that are rated for the application. Non- metallic sheathed cable ("Romex") is *not* permitted here: it cannot be used in wet locations, and outdoors exposed to rain is a wet location *even inside conduit*. You need to run UF cable or individual conductors of THHN, THWN, etc.

[Doug Miller]

"John Grabowski" wrote in news:xIRAu.266668$kN2.75012 @fx19.iad:

[...]

Not needed on such a short run.

[SteveF]

LOL! No doubt.

[DerbyDad03]

This is interesting. I currently have 3 runs of grey schedule 40 conduit on the back of my house. One runs vertically from the sill plate to the soffit, 2 stories. One runs vertically from the sill plate to the roof line of a one story addition. The third one runs horizontally from the sill plate, under my deck, to a point about 15 feet from the house.

All three runs originate in conduit body fittings and terminate in fixture boxes, either receptacles or lights. None have expansion fittings. As far as I know, none have ever experienced bending or warping or any movement that I know of. Granted, they are on the north side of my house and don't ever get full sun. Temps range from below zero to mid-nineties at the extremes, but not in short periods of time.

Have I just been lucky? Will the fact that you guys brought is up cause my conduit to warp enough to come flying off the house the next the temperatures change?

[gfretwell]

If there is some wiggle room you usually get away with it but I bet if you look in the summer, there is some sag taking up the slack.. I used EMT in my screen cage because I did not like the way PVC looked.

[DerbyDad03]

What's a screen cage?

I painted both vertical runs to match my white house. The grey under the deck is still grey.

One vertical run is for a receptacle box that used to power ice melt wires. This'll be my second winter with a new roof, full soffit vents, ridge vents and rafter bay baffles. No ice melt wires and no icicles last winter. If I don't get icicles this year (or maybe next) I'll probably remove that run. Then again, maybe not...as soon as I do, I'll probably get icicles.

[John Grabowski]

*Maybe not. However in addition to the expansion and contraction of the PVC, the wood fence will be doing it as well. Derby should check Article 352.44.

[jamesgang]

I'm not sure if it's code or not but I'd be tempted to staple a piece of ou tdoor 14/2 to the underside of the lower 2x4. Assuming your board on board is the style with the horizontal 2x4s.

[gfretwell]

UF as long as it is stamped U/V protected is legal as long as you think it is protected from physical damage.