[Burbman]

I installed a water feature at the rear corner of my yard and needed to get some power out there. I tapped into the "load" side of a GFI outlet on the shed and ran about 50' of 3/4 Liqui-Tite conduit to the location. I think this is a brand name but it's basically metal BX with a plastic coating that makes it water tight, and the connectors have O-ring seals. Same stuff they use for whips on a/c units, pool filters, etc.

At any rate, I have the conduit zip-tied to a chain link fence about 6" from ground level. My understanding is that you can use this stuff anywhere you can use conduit as long as it's visible? It terminates to an outlet box mounted to a 4x4 post about 6" from the fence. Is this installation up to code?

Anyway, almost a moot point because I'm tired of looking at this setup and thinking of renting a trencher to bury the line. Anyone know if this conduit is rated for direct burial or do I need to go to rigid PVC?

 

[Sliver]

Yes you can if it is marked on the conduit, it should have "direct burial" or "underground." What you have now sound like its ok but probably looks pretty bad.


FYI Liguidtight and BX are different.

 

[Burbman]

Yes you can if it is marked on the conduit, it should have "direct burial" or "underground." What you have now sound like its ok but probably looks pretty bad.


FYI Liguidtight and BX are different.

Thanks and not sure how it's marked. I'll probably just replace with 3/4" PVC conduit, I can re-use the #10 THHN that's in there now. Yeah, it looks kinda cheesy, the wife complianed about it the afternoon I installed it....

I'm installing a backyard post light and renting a trencher for that job, so thought I would do the trench for this and fix it up right while I had the machine. I don't like to do electric that's not up to code, the code is there to protect us, but I don't have to tell you that....

Yes, BX and Liquidtite are different, I was just using that as a reference to try and describe it.

 

[Bigplanz]

You ran 50 FEET of liquitight? Wow, That stuff is expensive. I have seen it used on the ends of EMT conduit runs, maybe the last three feet, where it was connecting to a compressor or some other piece of equipment where it would be a pain to bend the EMT. I rarely see straight runs of it, and have never seen more than five feet of it in one piece.

 

[J. V.]

You ran 50 FEET of liquitight? Wow, That stuff is expensive. I have seen it used on the ends of EMT conduit runs, maybe the last three feet, where it was connecting to a compressor or some other piece of equipment where it would be a pain to bend the EMT. I rarely see straight runs of it, and have never seen more than five feet of it in one piece.

Agree. Too expensive to use it this way. Ty Raps are not listed as a suitable strap either. It cannot be buried. Use conduit

 

[Tuckahoe Sparkplug]

I have seen it used on the ends of EMT conduit runs, maybe the last three feet, where it was connecting to a compressor or some other piece of equipment where it would be a pain to bend the EMT.

It also aides in isolating equipment vibrations from the conduit run.

 

[Burbman]

Thanks guys!

 

[Bigplanz]

While walking this evening, I spotted this example of liqui-tite, both as it is typically used and as it shouldn't be used. I don't know if the liqui-tite strung like a garden hose across the side of the building is code compliant but it sure looks like s**t.