Repairing a pipe with a wire in it

[MiamiCuse]

Hi I have a 1-1/2" PVC pipe that goes underground. Inside of it carries an electric wire (looks Romex). It runs under the pool deck from one side of the house, deck is a concrete slab and brick tiles on top.

It runs under a small planter area about 3'x3' in size. My wife wants to plant some herb in there so I asked the landscape guys to remove all the existing fern looking plants in the planter area, they pulled them out quickly but had to use a pick axe to get to the roots. In the process they broke this small PVC pipe with the wire in it.

Now, I have dug up the dirt and wanted to repair this pipe.

The only thing is, I can cut out a 6" section of this pipe, there is a wire running through it, so it is in the way of me putting in a new section of the PVC pipe "sleeve". I cannot think of a way to repair it without cutting this wire, then insert the sleeve, the move the sleeve to one side, then mend the wire, the put the sleeve back.

I kept thinking, there must be a gadget I am not aware of that can do this. Do they have any plastic sleeves or pipes that are actually two half pipes that you can fit and glue together or something like that?

Thanks,

MC

[Wayne Whitney]

It shouldn't be Romex, as that is not approved for underground use. So double check the cable type--if it is Romex, you need to replace the whole cable, in which case your conduit repair problem is much easier.

Cheers, Wayne

[dpb]

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I'm not aware that there are any manufactured for the purpose, but that doesn't say there aren't and someone else may point you directly to one.

For electrical conduit, though, that doesn't have to be pressure-tight as plumbing, I would make my own and glue it in place rather than introduce a splice into the buried conductor (assuming they didn't break it as well which I gather from the post they didn't or you wouldn't have the problem as stated... :) ).

You should be able to split a couple of connectors closely enough that with some work can make a couple pieces fit adequately and with liberal glue it would hold well enough. Note that plastic electrical conduit is _not_ the same material as plumbing so you'll want to get the proper fittings from the electrical section, not plumbing.

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[Edwin Pawlowski]

True, but if it is gray and looks like Romex and is marked UF, it is the right wire for underground work.

[Jeff Wisnia]

I'd think it best to avoid cutting the existing wire.

Can you see any markings on that wire?

If so, check it out, it may be a type rated for direct burial underground use, in which case it wouldn't matter if the repair does not end up completely waterproof.

I don't think you'll find a "split pipe" repair piece like you described as an "off the shelf" part.

But, you could do this:

Go to a local Auto Zone or similar car parts place and find the body repair area.

Buy some fiberglass cloth and some of the fiberglass resin/hardner which is used with it. Bondo is one brand of such stuff.

Dig out the hole to give you good working access. Wash the dirt off the broken pipe and wipe the outside down with acetone.

Stuff and/or tape something like pieces of corrugated cardboard into the gaps in the pipe to bulk it out to somewhere near it's original diameter.

Pretending you are a medical technician, use the fiberglass repair materials to "wrap a cast" over the area, building the fiberglass cloth up to about 1/4" thickness and overlapping the unbroken parts of the pipe by three or four inches.

Wait for the resin to cure, backfill the hole, and try not to think too ill of your landscapers, who likely weren't warned about that pipe.

HTH,

Jeff

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Yes, do a Google search for conduit repair and you will find them. I was looking for a repair of a 2 1/2" metal conduit connector but could not find one but I did see material for underground plastic. This is going to be a real PITA for me with 300 feet of conduit on a wall with 480V 3 phase in it. .

[dpb]

Sounds like...what happened?

I should have added for Miami to go to his local "real" electrical distributorship -- they'll undoubtedly have just what he needs in stock.

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[BobK207]

MC-

How big is the damaged area? Cracked? Puncture?

Check out this product

Click on the Snapper button (~ mid page, lefthand side)

cheers Bob

[MiamiCuse]

Thanks,

It looks like romex color is black. I cannot see any markings due to the short section it's broken off and I hesitate to break off more just to see where it may have markings.

[dpb]

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I wouldn't sweat/worry about it -- being as you're in an area w/ code, I'd assume proper material would have been used...

As noted in another reply to Edwin who says he saw repair fittings for plastic, go to your local electrical distributor and get what you need...

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[Jeff Wisnia]

Applause please!!!

Jeff

[dpb]

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I don't recall...are dimensions for water and electrical pvc same? I was sorta' thinking they weren't although maybe close enough????

Been too long since did any wiring that used conduit other than EMT...

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[RBM]

While they do make split pvc repair kits, If it's just for physical protection, I would take a short piece of 3/4 PVC a few inches longer than the broken section, cut it in half lengthwise, then fuse the two halves together over the broken section

[John Grabowski]

Here's a couple of links to companies that make or sell conduit repair kits. You could try going to an electrical supply company as well.

[Joe]

Easy done. Just get a piece of the next lat\\rger size of PVC and make a long enough sleeve, then slit it lengthwise. Glue one piece on the bottom, one piece on the top and fill up the small gap (saw cut width) with any handy sealant. The cable is probably type UF and doesn't need any other special protection. HTH

Joe

[BobK207]

I have always considered PVC pipe & PVC Rigid Conduit to be dimensionally identical (at least with manufacturing tolerances).

I suggested the "pipe repair" fitting so that the conduit could be made watertight to keep water & dirt out of the conduit.

cheers Bob

[MiamiCuse]

Thanks!

[MiamiCuse]

This may work. Thank you very much!

[MiamiCuse]

***** Applause *****

[MiamiCuse]

Thanks for all your help. I am sure one of those would do the trick or the one suggested by BobK207.