[pacamaroman]

Hello Everyone!
Thanks to everyone in advance for your help!

About 4 years ago my wife and I purchased an acre of ground. At the time we decided to set up a mobile home. We had the well drilled about 80 feet away uphill from the mobile home. We encased the water line and wires in 4 inch conduit 40 inches underground from the well to the Home.

We just replaced the home last fall with a stick built home. We had the home built behind where the mobile home was and ran the 4 inch conduit through the basement wall and used foam spray to seal where it comes through the wall.

When they were grading the backyard they struck the conduit. The water pipe and wires were fine but the conduit was broken up. They reburied everything but the conduit was all broke up. Now when it rains the water just pours into the basement through the conduit like a faucet.

What can I do to eliminate this? I dug down to the conduit between the house and the break and am wondering if I can put anything in it to seal it off from the water? Thanks!

 

[Thurman]

First things first- -"We encased the water line and wires in 4 inch conduit". Am I to understand that you put the electrical wiring and the water lines within the four inch (4") conduit? IF SO, I don't know what state you are in, but I bet my sweet bippy you have a major code violation there. My next question would be "How did you get an inspection done on your current, brand new, stick built home with this type of service entrance electrical service?" Or better yet, was it inspected? As far as stopping the water from coming in at this time, I'm sorry but under those conditions I would not even suggest anything other than taking up the four inch conduit and re-doing this all to code. This is for your safety starting today. Thanks, David

 

[pacamaroman]

Hello David,
Thanks for your reply! It was inspected originally when the mobile home was set up and was reinspected when the house was done. The inspector had our builder encase the wiring with grey electrical conduit (in our basement) from where it comes in to the house to the contact switch on the air bladder. The inspector didn't say anything about it outside of the house. And if it was a violation, I would have thought he would have addressed it. He came up with over a dozen other things. Like a handrail being 2 inches too low going into the basement. By the way we live in PA.

Everyone else just runs the waterline with the wires in the ground with no conduit. I thought I was improving the situation when I first decided to go with the conduit. Boy was I wrong!! I guess I'll do what I have to do but I was hoping for this not to be an expensive ordeal. Thanks for your help.

 

[Thurman]

pacamaroman- I went back and read your original post twice. I did indeed mis-read it the first time. I had read, and understood, that your water line and MAIN electrical service had been encased within that four inch conduit. That definitely would be a violation. Now I understand it is the wiring for the water pump that is encased within the four inch conduit along with the water line. Sorry-but I believe that is still a violation of the National Electrical Code. As far as the Inspector catching or not catching this, if this were just a "General Inspector" to approve occupancy, then he probably would not know. A good electrical inspector would catch this, quick. Back to your original problem-I don't like to dig either but, you will have to dig down to find the are that has the broken conduit. You will have to find a section of conduit closest to the house that is not broken and start sealing at this point to prevent rain water from getting into the conduit. Good Luck, David