PVC conduit repair question

We just had a local internet company bring a fiber line to our house. Whil e they said the line could be buried directly in the ground, I opted to dig a trench and lay 3/4" pvc electrical conduit for extra protection of the c able. It all went very smoothly. The cable goes into our house via an LB j unction, and cable goes into the pipe (that is sticking straight up out of the ground) at the closest pole on our property (from which our electric se rvice and phone are also suspended to the pole and then go underground to t he house). I plan to use something like spray foam (something weatherproof ) at the end of the pipe where the cable goes in to seal it from the elemen ts. I don't want water getting in there, freezing in the winter and bursti ng the pipe.

What's the problem? Well, as I'm filling in the trench and tossing some of the larger rocks into the woods, one of the rocks slips a little (they're muddy from the recent rains) and wouldn't you know it, is a direct hit on t he vertical section of conduit at the pole. I guess it's a good thing the conduit was there, or it would likely have severed the fiber. But now ther e is a lovely crack in the conduit, through which water could infiltrate. T he crack is extensive, probably extending 270 degrees around the pipe - but only about 3 inches in length along the pipe

It would be a huge hassle to remove the cable and fix this properly, and re ally I just want to repair it to the point of being impervious to the eleme nts, and I'm wondering what the simplest way to do this would be. This is not an electrical line, and I'm pretty sure there is no building code that needs to be met for this repair. And the conduit was not even necessary in the first place! But the crack is a no-go.

I was thinking of these possible solutions: 1) some kind of sealant like fl ex-seal, or heck, maybe just some silicone caulk 2) bonding a pvc sleeve (p ipe of a larger diameter) over the cracked portion using pvc solvent - thou gh the sleeve would have to be cut lengthwise to get around the cable. Ano ther possibility I just thought of is 3) using nylon string to cut the pipe below the crack and simply seal the entrance to the pipe there. This may be the best solution - the only drawback is that it protects the wire (whic h technically does not need protection) to a slightly lower height. I just have to remember not to throw any heavy, muddy rocks at it in the future ;- )

I guess I'm looking for the "best" solution that optimizes cost/ease of rep air/durability.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

-J

Reply to
J
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Epoxy putty.

See:

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Reply to
Stormin' Norman

That would work. If you want extra protection put a half section of pipe over top of the crack with the epoxy.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

I was just poking around looking at sealants, considering the best way to actually seal the end of the pipe and came across epoxy putty. Do you think it would work to seal the 3/4" diameter end of the pipe (where the wire comes out)?

-J

Reply to
J

...

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+1

Or, to add even some more durability, split a coupling lengthwise and use the epoxy to glue it around the split location...

Reply to
dpb

I'd probably leave the whole responsibility to the cable company but pvc glued to pvc is best bet for maintaining seal.

I was surprised with the durability of optical cable. Installation in neighborhood was a bloody mess. They even left it over a neighbors driveway for a week or so and he was driving over it. I did not get it as I have Comcast cable. It was good for maybe 25 years before they had to bury a new one.

Verizon switched my old copper lines to fiber and what a screw up that was. The cable layers buried the fiber to the wrong part of the house and when the installers showed up, they had to call them back to rebury it. It must only be 6 inches under meandering through the front lawn. Fortunately I have no plans to plant anything there.

You'll get gouged for the cost of internet over the years, let the supplier take responsibility.

Reply to
Frank

To seal the end of the pipe, if you need to do so, I would use duct sealing compound. It is putty that does not harden, it lasts forever and is cheap. That way, if in the future, a new cable needs to be pulled through the conduit, you can do so without breaking, cutting or digging it up.

See:

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By the way, your approach of putting it in conduit is a good idea, at least you give it some protection from an errant shovel blade in the future.

Reply to
Stormin' Norman

Frank and Oren,

Regarding fiber optic cable: sadly, it ain't what you think...

We live in a rural locale in central NY. Population density along our road is low enough that there is no cable, no DSL, no nothin'. A small local in ternet company got some matching grants from NY state to bring point-to-poi nt wireless to the hinterlands - but due to tree cover and topography, ther e was no way for any of the residents along our road to get signal. The on ly viable internet solutions for us had previously been via satellite or Ve rizon wireless, both of which were sub-optimal for various reasons.

The company that was bringing point-to-point wireless (6mpbs) to the area h ad put a tower up on the top of the hill (not line of sight for us, but not that far away). So, the residents of our road and the internet company wor ked out a cost-sharing deal where they would bring fiber down the road from their tower and connect our houses. So, after 16 years of living there (lo nger for others) we finally have a viable internet solution. Price and band width comparable to the cable internet available in our area where you can get it (well as of a year or two ago, the cable companies have been boostin g their bandwidth without actually raising rates) - which is to say, pricey and not that fast (compared to what is available in more densely populated areas). We now have the option of 20,50, or 100 mbps. But even the 20mp bs service costs us what a city dweller would pay for a much faster speed. The truth is that internet in our country is sucky if you're a rural resid ent. It's not particularly profitable for internet companies to bring serv ice to low population density areas, and when they do, they are an effectiv e monopoly in those areas giving them the ability to price-gouge.

So, this is not fantastic. But compared to the speed and cost of Verizon w ireless it's a dramatic improvement.

As for the actual cabling, like my electric service, I own the wiring from the pole to my house, so it is not technically the internet company's probl em. Sadly, they will be gouging me over the years, but the terms of the con tract state that the cable from the road to the house is not their responsi bility.

-J

While they said the line could be buried directly in the ground, I opted to dig a trench and lay 3/4" pvc electrical conduit for extra protection of t he cable. It all went very smoothly. The cable goes into our house via an LB junction, and cable goes into the pipe (that is sticking straight up out of the ground) at the closest pole on our property (from which our electri c service and phone are also suspended to the pole and then go underground to the house). I plan to use something like spray foam (something weatherp roof) at the end of the pipe where the cable goes in to seal it from the el ements. I don't want water getting in there, freezing in the winter and bu rsting the pipe.

e of the larger rocks into the woods, one of the rocks slips a little (they 're muddy from the recent rains) and wouldn't you know it, is a direct hit on the vertical section of conduit at the pole. I guess it's a good thing the conduit was there, or it would likely have severed the fiber. But now there is a lovely crack in the conduit, through which water could infiltrat e. The crack is extensive, probably extending 270 degrees around the pipe - but only about 3 inches in length along the pipe

d really I just want to repair it to the point of being impervious to the e lements, and I'm wondering what the simplest way to do this would be. This is not an electrical line, and I'm pretty sure there is no building code t hat needs to be met for this repair. And the conduit was not even necessar y in the first place! But the crack is a no-go.

e flex-seal, or heck, maybe just some silicone caulk 2) bonding a pvc sleev e (pipe of a larger diameter) over the cracked portion using pvc solvent - though the sleeve would have to be cut lengthwise to get around the cable. Another possibility I just thought of is 3) using nylon string to cut the pipe below the crack and simply seal the entrance to the pipe there. This may be the best solution - the only drawback is that it protects the wire ( which technically does not need protection) to a slightly lower height. I j ust have to remember not to throw any heavy, muddy rocks at it in the futur e ;-)

repair/durability.

Reply to
J

Thanks for the links Stormin'

-J

Reply to
J

My pleasure, good luck. By the way, with the epoxy putty, during the period in which it is curing, you can work it smooth with your hands wetted with water.

Reply to
Stormin' Norman

u think...

NY. Population density along our road is low enough t hat there is no cable, no DSL, no nothin'. A small lo cal internet company got some matching grants from NY state to bring point-to-point wireless to the hinterla nds - but due to tree cover and topography, there was no way for any of the residents along our road to get signal. The only viable internet solutions for us had previously been via satellite or Verizon wireless, bo th of which were sub-optimal for various reasons.

ss (6mpbs) to the area had put a tower up on the top o f the hill (not line of sight for us, but not that far away). So, the residents of our road and the internet company worked out a cost-sharing deal where they wou ld bring fiber down the road from their tower and conn ect our houses. So, after 16 years of living there (lo nger for others) we finally have a viable internet sol ution. Price and bandwidth comparable to the cable int ernet available in our area where you can get it (well as of a year or two ago, the cable companies have bee n boosting their bandwidth without actually raising ra tes) - which is to say, pricey and not that fast (comp ared to what is available in more densely populated ar eas). We now have the option of 20,50, or 100 mbps. But even the 20mpbs service costs us what a city dwel ler would pay for a much faster speed. The truth is t hat internet in our country is sucky if you're a rural resident. It's not particularly profitable for inter net companies to bring service to low population densi ty areas, and when they do, they are an effective mono poly in those areas giving them the ability to price-g ouge.

to the speed and cost of Verizon wireless it's a drama tic improvement.

e my electric service, I own the wiring from the pole to my house, so it is not technically the internet com pany's problem. Sadly, they will be gouging me over th e years, but the terms of the contract state that the cable from the road to the house is not their responsi bility.

bring a fiber line to our house. While they said the line could be buried directly in the ground, I opted to dig a trench and lay 3/4" pvc electrical conduit fo r extra protection of the cable. It all went very smo othly. The cable goes into our house via an LB junctio n, and cable goes into the pipe (that is sticking stra ight up out of the ground) at the closest pole on our property (from which our electric service and phone ar e also suspended to the pole and then go underground t o the house). I plan to use something like spray foam (something weatherproof) at the end of the pipe where the cable goes in to seal it from the elements. I do n't want water getting in there, freezing in the winte r and bursting the pipe.

Well, as I'm filling in the trench and tossing some of the larger rocks into the woods, one of the rocks s lips a little (they're muddy from the recent rains) an d wouldn't you know it, is a direct hit on the vertica l section of conduit at the pole. I guess it's a good thing the conduit was there, or it would likely have severed the fiber. But now there is a lovely crack in the conduit, through which water could infiltrate. Th e crack is extensive, probably extending 270 degrees a round the pipe - but only about 3 inches in length alo ng the pipe

ove the cable and fix this properly, and really I just want to repair it to the point of being impervious to the elements, and I'm wondering what the simplest way to do this would be. This is not an electrical line, and I'm pretty sure there is no building code that ne eds to be met for this repair. And the conduit was no t even necessary in the first place! But the crack is a no-go.

lutions: 1) some kind of sealant like flex-seal, or he ck, maybe just some silicone caulk 2) bonding a pvc sl eeve (pipe of a larger diameter) over the cracked port ion using pvc solvent - though the sleeve would have t o be cut lengthwise to get around the cable. Another possibility I just thought of is 3) using nylon string to cut the pipe below the crack and simply seal the e ntrance to the pipe there. This may be the best solut ion - the only drawback is that it protects the wire ( which technically does not need protection) to a sligh tly lower height. I just have to remember not to throw any heavy, muddy rocks at it in the future ;-)

ptimizes cost/ease of repair/durability.

nks in advance for any suggestions.

o the cable company but pvc

et for maintaining seal.

the durability of optical cable. Installation in

neighborhood was a bloody mess. They even left it ove r a neighbors

driving over it. I did not get it

ast cable. It was good for maybe 25 years before they had

y old copper lines to fiber and what a screw up that

g part of the house

up, they had to call them back to rebury

must only be 6 inches under meandering through the fro nt lawn.

hing there.

internet over the years, let the

ponsibility.

Considering your circumstances that is probably the best thing to do.

We were stuck for y ears living on a hillside with poor TV reception, be fore internet. Then Comcast or its predecessor came i n and gave service to those with above ground servic e in our neighborhood but would not bury the cable t o us newer houses with underground.

We were sufferi ng the same too much distance between house issue. It was our state representative that solved the proble m by threatening the cable company that the state mi ght make it mandatory for them to give those such as us the service. So they gave it to us.

Funny when FIOS came in we were among the first to get it. A fr iend in a neighborhood similar to ours cannot get it because service is above ground. Strange.

Compe tition is great. My neighbor across the street switch es between Comcast and Verizon every couple of years when initial offer runs out. FIOS begs me to take th eir offer and I told them I would accept it if I got it for life. Fat chance.

Only people like this ge t away with it. I compare it to buying a car at an interest payment rate of so much for a couple of years than a higher interest payment in the latter years but they will not tell you what it is up front.

Reply to
Frank

Why not go for the simple solution. If it is truly only a crack, open up t he crack and use the PVC cement inside the crack, release and you should ha ve a complete seal. Realize that PVC cement is really only a solvent that causes the two pieces to fuse. That will work on a crack too. Let it drip into the crack to get to the entire area and push together. This should c ompletely seal it.

Dan

Reply to
dansabrservices

You can fix it if it keeps you up at night but underground conduit always end up full of water. That is why "wet location" conductors are required.

BTW the code addresses the "rock" thing. You are not allowed to backfill with rock in the first place.

Reply to
gfretwell

the crack and use the PVC cement inside the crack, release and you should have a complete seal. Realize that PVC cement is really only a solvent tha t causes the two pieces to fuse. That will work on a crack too. Let it dr ip into the crack to get to the entire area and push together. This should completely seal it.

+1

That's what I would do too.

Reply to
trader_4

Saturate the crack with PVC cement. Then split another peice og PVC pipe that just fits over it -spread it enough to get it over the fiber (use heat if necessary) and clue it over the cracked portion, perhaps using hose clamps to clamp it on. This makes it equivalent to a cat80 instead of cat40 in protection - yhen seal it up with a good shot of LOW EXPANSION foam. The regular stuff COULD split the pipe again.

Reply to
clare

snipped-for-privacy@aol.com posted for all of us...

service and phone are also suspended to the pole and then go underground to the house). I plan to use something like spray foam (something weatherproof) at the end of the pipe where the cable goes in to seal it from the elements. I don't want water getting in there, freezing in the winter and bursting the pipe.

The crack is extensive, probably extending 270 degrees around the pipe - but only about 3 inches in length along the pipe

be the best solution - the only drawback is that it protects the wire (which technically does not need protection) to a slightly lower height. I just have to remember not to throw any heavy, muddy rocks at it in the future ;-)

+1 I was waiting for this...
Reply to
Tekkie®

duct sealing compound is great stuff, too.

Reply to
Diesel

I've done this before to do a repair where it wasn't feasable to redo the section of pipe and/or the wiring inside. It works well.

Reply to
Diesel

FWIW, you're not the first one to do this...which is why our local code prescribes backfilling with six inches of sand to protect the pipe.

Reply to
ralph

Yup, that's why I mentioned it above..... ;-)

Reply to
Stormin' Norman

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