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Electrical Wiring

sizing PVC Conduit

2 years ago

I need to pull 2 wires of #2 copper, 1 wire of #4 copper and 1 wire of #6 copper through the same pvc conduit. I will pull from the main panel 4 feet straight, then a sharp turn through an LB, and then another foot straight into a subpanel. Both 1-1/4" and 1-1/2" pvc conduit are legal to use. My question: is 1-1/2" conduit significantly easier than 1-1/4" conduit to pull these wires through?

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Comments (5)

Seabornman
2 years ago
It's amazing how much difference that 1/4" will be. I had a long run of wiring and needed last bit to fit through an LB, and even though it was legal size, there was a lot of swearing before it fit.
consed thanked Seabornman
consed
Original Author
2 years ago
That makes sense. Is 1-1/2" easy enough? Or should I even go up to 2"? As you go up the conduit size, there must be some point at which making the conduit larger no longer makes it easier... If the lowest legal size is x, how many sizes above x should one use for ease?
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Seabornman
2 years ago
1-1/2" should be good. I was running 1/0 aluminum.
consed
Original Author
2 years ago
will do! thanks, Seabornman!
rwiegand
2 years ago
Unless you are terribly space constrained for some reason use a bigger conduit. Your life will be much easier and the cost difference is trivial.

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