# Running conduit from basement to the standalone garage



## sheslostcontrol (Oct 22, 2010)

I have some conduit in the ground between my house & garage.  The garage is new construction and they had the foresight to include conduit elbows in the foundation for just this purpose.   The house is 40's.. dirt/brick foundation. 

12" deep trench (min).  3" conduit and a stretch of 3/4 pex for a spigot on the garage.  






Here's the outside area where I'm thinking of running it in.  The wood panel will be either bricked up or reworked with wood.   It could be an entry point if I decide to run the conduit up out of the ground.





Here's the inside of the same area.





My thought was to remove three bricks along the bottom, between the encased foundation and window frame.   Then the conduit would come inside, and attach to a junction box on the window frame.  

I've read that some prefer bringing it out of the ground to avoid leaks, which is good in a sense.   But if properly sealed, it would be hidden out of sight.  

Are there any "best practices" for pulling conduit inside (both below ground and above ground)?   Other thoughts on how best to get'r done?


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## serpentine5 (Oct 30, 2010)

is pretty much up to you. if you do it underground, seal it up with vinyl patcher. Same with above ground.
Where do you live? Your conduit should be below your local frost line. The frost line here is 18 inches and every local code requires things to go atleast 24 inch deep. 12 is shallow unless you are in a no frost area....


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## speedy petey (Oct 30, 2010)

What is that blue wire? If it is the equipment ground then it must be inside the conduit with the other feeder conductors.





serpentine5 said:


> Where do you live? Your conduit should be below your local frost line. The frost line here is 18 inches and every local code requires things to go atleast 24 inch deep. 12 is shallow unless you are in a no frost area....


It has absolutely nothing to do with frost, or where you live, unless you are talking about running water underground.

It has to do with NEC table 300.5. 
Any outside feeder or circuit conduit can be 18" deep. In a residence there is NO requirement for deeper, unless of course your local codes say so, and this would be very rare.


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## serpentine5 (Oct 31, 2010)

Not rare around here. Everything, water, gas, and electrical is required to be below the frost line around here. Foundations and everything, the only thing not required is low voltage ie telephone or catv. 

The blue "wire" is PEX as he said in his post. Pex is a newer flexible, almost burst proof plumbing pipe. I am in the process of redoing my whole house from the street in with PEX. Is awesome stuff. I did my brothers house last summer and last winter everythign froze up because he left the under side of his house open and did not go back and insulate like I told him to do. I cut a line in two just to see if it was frozen or if there was a clog or something, was solid ice in the pipe and it did expand the pipe a bit, but it did not burst it at all. After he insulated and it warmed up his water was back running without any problems. After seeing that, I love the stuff.


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## speedy petey (Oct 31, 2010)

I am aware of Pex, I just misread his post.

I have never, ever, ever heard of electrical needing to be below frost. Your area is very rare IMO with this requirement. Maybe because frost is so deep in so many parts of the country. The frost line around here is 48".


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## serpentine5 (Oct 31, 2010)

you might be right, the frost line here is only 18 inch, and like I said, everything is required to be below it.


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