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Use electrical conduit for irrigation

Roger Stover

Active Member

Posts: 10

Location: USA

1

Sunday, October 14th 2007, 10:27pm

Use electrical conduit for irrigation

Is it possible to use electrical conduit for residential water irrigation systems? The electrical conduit has the advantage of being sun resistant and cheaper than the white pvc piping. Also it looks nicer than the white piping when exposed in a garden.

Code compliance is not an issue because the systems I install are built in a rural location and never inspected.

jimmyburg

Advanced Member

Posts: 52

Location: USA

2

Monday, October 15th 2007, 3:32am

are you talking about for sleaving?
Jimmy
Texas Lic. Irrigator
Landscape Irrigation Auditing & Management
Texas Lic. Backflow Tester

Roger Stover

Active Member

Posts: 10

Location: USA

3

Monday, October 15th 2007, 5:01am

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by jimmyburg</i>
<br />are you talking about for sleaving?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

no - using for piping from the valves leading to drip hoses

jimmyburg

Advanced Member

Posts: 52

Location: USA

4

Monday, October 15th 2007, 5:17am

conduit is not used for water, because it not rated for pressure, you can use it for drains, sleaves, and elect.. I use reg. pvc for wiring, but i spray paint the pipe. conduit in not rated for water pressure, it will not hold under pressure.
Jimmy
Texas Lic. Irrigator
Landscape Irrigation Auditing & Management
Texas Lic. Backflow Tester

Roger Stover

Active Member

Posts: 10

Location: USA

5

Monday, October 15th 2007, 6:27am

I understand a professional like yourself would not use electrical conduit for irrigation piping. And I understand it is not rated for water pressure. And I understand that standard white pvc is not rated for sun exposure. But I have standard white pvc which we have used in our nursery fully exposed to Southern California sun for 15 years with no problem. So I wonder how many, if any people have actually used uv-proof electrical conduit for exposed low pressure water lines from valves to drip lines with no problem.

Wet_Boots

Supreme Member

Posts: 4,102

Location: Metro NYC

6

Monday, October 15th 2007, 6:30am

In theory, you could glue together sch 40 conduit for water pipe, since the dimensions match, and your backflow protection would make non-potable pipe a non-factor. I think I've heard of it being done, but don't blame anyone if it doesn't hold up. The 'approved' way to get grey pipe would be to use sch 80.

But underground PVC could also be SDR 21 or other, thinner-than-schedule-40, grades.

jimmyburg

Advanced Member

Posts: 52

Location: USA

7

Monday, October 15th 2007, 6:54am

I agree
Jimmy
Texas Lic. Irrigator
Landscape Irrigation Auditing & Management
Texas Lic. Backflow Tester
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