Vote: leave PVC conduit or switch in EMT for garage feeder

WillK

Alright, so in my other thread I was leaning towards replacing my house end conduit with EMT. I am doing this after I post this.

Feeding a 100 amp subpanel in a detatched garage I have 3 cables of 1/0 aluminum in 2" rigid conduit underground. This goes into an 8x8 junction box at each end inside the building. From the main panel to the junction box in the house, I will have 1-1/2" EMT. On the garage side, I have a straight 1-1/2" PVC conduit run.

Running with this feeder, I also have #8 bare copper ground conductor. It is solid copper, not stranded.

So as part of my house run of EMT I bought a 10' piece, of which I used 17". I have enough EMT and I have fittings. But I also have all my connections finished, and to make the swap I'd have to remove the subpanel.

The question is, would you make the switch to EMT or leave it as is?

I'll probably decide tommorrow morning based on how many responses for each way. My rough inspection will be on Weds.

And if you see anything else wrong in this pic please let me know about that too!

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Please do NOT consider any "before" picture of my house as any kind of endorsement of any particular construction method. In fact, you should probably assume that if I post a "before" picture, I am posting it because I am soliciting advice on a proper replacement for one of MANY things done wrong by a previous owner.

mpoulton

I can think of absolutely no reason to re-work it. What you have is perfectly functional. Replacing it with EMT would just be an annoyance that provides no benefit.

Missouri Bound

Absolutely no reason to change it. Metal conduit can provide a ground but your ground wire does that.

sirsparksalot

Will, I can't tell; do you have your #8 GEC in there?

WillK

It's in there, it goes into the ground bar across the bottom and follows the 1/0 cables into the back of the junction boxes.

I ended up having to wire-nut the #8 inside the house junction box. It just seemed like the easiest way to get a ground connection to the 14-3 NM in the house side for the 3-way switch.

Both J-boxes are bonded by virtue of the bonding of the rigid conduit.

And when I say I wire-nutted the #8, actually I need to get the wire nut tommorrow. But I have the one picked out that is suitable to the application:

http://www.homedepot.com/Ideal/h_d1/...atalogId=10053

I'm attaching the house side box with the EMT conduit run. This part is not finished, I have some more framing to put in for stapling the NM and for drywall enclosure, plus I need to make my splices in the j-box. It's late and I have all day tommorrow plus my wife doesn't have any other plans so I'll have more time.

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__________________
Please do NOT consider any "before" picture of my house as any kind of endorsement of any particular construction method. In fact, you should probably assume that if I post a "before" picture, I am posting it because I am soliciting advice on a proper replacement for one of MANY things done wrong by a previous owner.

sirsparksalot

I thought the idea to replace it was to be able to get the ground in there, but if it's there, then leave it.

J. V.

I sure hope that EMT is going to be covered up. Looks very unprofessional. I mean no disrespect. But when you work in this trade all your life and most of the work included conduit, it's hard not to critique others pipe work.

Whats that J-Box for? Looks like a surface mount Hoffman to me. Not a good choice for residential construction. Is that box going to be flush (outside) with the wall?

WillK

Thanks for the feedback, if you get a chance I'd appreciate a little elaboration on why it looks unproffesional. But yes it is going to be covered up. If it's because it doesn't look straight, I've noticed my camera seems to have a bit of a fisheye effect. The vertical pipes are vertical enough to get a centered bubble on a level as is the panel.

If it's because conduit bodies would look more professional, the decision was purely cost driven... I'm unemployed at this time, so cost is pretty significant in decisions.

I'd just like to know in case there is anything I can do to improve the appearance (and yes I know I'll be cleaning up the mess) because while I know it has nothing to do with code, strictly speaking, I also know it's the kind of impression that will influence the inspector's level of scrutiny.

The J-box is Wiegmann if that answers the question. It's needed because I'm running wires for a 3-way switch in the house to operate an outside light at the garage. Inside the j-box I splice the THWN from the conduit into 14-3 NM, and it goes up to the switch. I had asked the inspector if I would be allowed to run 3-way switch wiring into the panel with the feeders, and he said he'd rather not see that and a J-box would be better.

It is set so the cover will be flush with the drywall.

__________________
Please do NOT consider any "before" picture of my house as any kind of endorsement of any particular construction method. In fact, you should probably assume that if I post a "before" picture, I am posting it because I am soliciting advice on a proper replacement for one of MANY things done wrong by a previous owner.