# electric line and gas line



## couch potatoe (Sep 30, 2008)

i'm not sure if this is the right place to post this.well here it goes..
i need to know if i can run my gas line and electric line in the same hole??and what size pipe do i need to put my electric line in for a 200 amp service..and 1 more guestion..does my gas line need to go through a pipe like the electric line..thanks for any info:thumbup:


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## chris75 (Aug 25, 2007)

couch potatoe said:


> i'm not sure if this is the right place to post this.well here it goes..
> i need to know if i can run my gas line and electric line in the same hole??and what size pipe do i need to put my electric line in for a 200 amp service..and 1 more guestion..does my gas line need to go through a pipe like the electric line..thanks for any info:thumbup:


 
Its not an NEC issue to run gas and electric BUT.... its usually a gas issue, and in your case possible a power company issue as well.

As far as the pipe size for the electric, if this conduit is for the utility company than check with them, otherwise its usually 2".


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## couch potatoe (Sep 30, 2008)

thanks alot 4 the info.. i was hoping 2 run in 1 trench both lines out 2 the telephone pole gas line is also right beside telephone pole i guess i will have 2 call and find out if i can run them both in same hole


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## Termite (Apr 13, 2008)

Something to consider is that if this hole is directly above or below your electric panel, the gasline cannot be there. That's dedicated space for electrical. 

If your gasline is galvanized or black iron pipe, you do not need to sleeve it in a pipe. If it is flexible CSST, it will probably need to be need to be in a conduit where exposed outdoors.


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## Silk (Feb 8, 2008)

couch potatoe said:


> and what size pipe do i need to put my electric line in for a 200 amp service..:thumbup:


2 inch is right, but you don't "NEED" to put your service entrance in pipe underground, just where it emerges from the ground (18 inches down).


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## chris75 (Aug 25, 2007)

Silk said:


> 2 inch is right, but you don't "NEED" to put your service entrance in pipe underground, just where it emerges from the ground (18 inches down).


 
Silk, you still do alot of direct burial work?


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## InPhase277 (Feb 9, 2008)

chris75 said:


> Silk, you still do alot of direct burial work?


Not silk, but in my neck of the woods, single phase, the poco comes to you with triplex. I just stick a pipe in the ground with a 90 on it. If it is 200 A or less, the pipe must be 2 1/2" and strapped twice, otherwise they will refuse to hook it up.

Three phase, I go to them.


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## chris75 (Aug 25, 2007)

InPhase277 said:


> Not silk, but in my neck of the woods, single phase, the poco comes to you with triplex. I just stick a pipe in the ground with a 90 on it. If it is 200 A or less, the pipe must be 2 1/2" and strapped twice, otherwise they will refuse to hook it up.
> 
> Three phase, I go to them.


 
Hmm, I have to provide 3" pipe with galv. 90 at pole for single phase UG services, with 1/4" pull rope already installed.

No direct burial at all around here anymore, lots of existing, just no new work done that way.

The funny thing is they own the pipe after I'm done, yet some inspectors want it inspected, I argue every time.


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## Silk (Feb 8, 2008)

chris75 said:


> Silk, you still do alot of direct burial work?


 
Yes, actually it's getting more popular all the time. Nobody wants to have the poles and wires around their house. I didn't realize that it was unpopular in other areas. Is it mostly overhead elsewheres?

It's the utility that is pushing it. They used to run overhead off the pole and then put a meter on the house. They now just put a meter/disconnect on the pole and from that point on it is the homeowners responibility. Probably cheaper for the utility that way. Don't have to worry about downed powerlines.


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## chris75 (Aug 25, 2007)

Silk said:


> Yes, actually it's getting more popular all the time. Nobody wants to have the poles and wires around their house. I didn't realize that it was unpopular in other areas. Is it mostly overhead elsewheres?
> 
> It's the utility that is pushing it. They used to run overhead off the pole and then put a meter on the house. They now just put a meter/disconnect on the pole and from that point on it is the homeowners responibility. Probably cheaper for the utility that way. Don't have to worry about downed powerlines.


I ment direct buried wires from the POCO, the utility could care less if the service is overhead vs underground.


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## Silk (Feb 8, 2008)

chris75 said:


> I ment direct buried wires from the POCO, the utility could care less if the service is overhead vs underground.


 
You asked if "I" do alot of direct burial. My response is yes, now more than ever since the utility has stopped "owning the wire" to the residence. Utilities own less than they used to, and being in a rural area for the most part they mostly just set a transformer within a few hundred feet of the future residence, and they are never heard from again. Which is fine by me since I no longer have to blow 1/2 the day waiting around for those guys.

Underground to the transformer (utility), underground to the house contractor).


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## chris75 (Aug 25, 2007)

Silk said:


> You asked if "I" do alot of direct burial. My response is yes, now more than ever since the utility has stopped "owning the wire" to the residence. Utilities own less than they used to, and being in a rural area for the most part they mostly just set a transformer within a few hundred feet of the future residence, and they are never heard from again. Which is fine by me since I no longer have to blow 1/2 the day waiting around for those guys.
> 
> Underground to the transformer (utility), underground to the house contractor).


 
Sorry for the confusion, You dont mind not using conduit? Not that I have a problem with that, just not how it works around here. Kind of nice actually, I get paid to install conduit on every underground service I do. 

And the utility owns all the way to the meter around here. I supply the meter also. They supply their wire, make line side meter terminations and thats it.


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## Silk (Feb 8, 2008)

chris75 said:


> Sorry for the confusion, You dont mind not using conduit? Not that I have a problem with that, just not how it works around here. Kind of nice actually, I get paid to install conduit on every underground service I do.
> 
> And the utility owns all the way to the meter around here. I supply the meter also. They supply their wire, make line side meter terminations and thats it.


 
Utility owns to the meter here also. The meter is at the pad mounted x-former along with a disconnect so we can hook up.

No, I have no problem with direct burial. Probably because it's always been done that way around here. I suppose if I grew up where it was all in conduit, I would never consider direct burial either. 

Different strokes for different folks.


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## chris75 (Aug 25, 2007)

Silk said:


> Utility owns to the meter here also. The meter is at the pad mounted x-former along with a disconnect so we can hook up.
> 
> No, I have no problem with direct burial. Probably because it's always been done that way around here. I suppose if I grew up where it was all in conduit, I would never consider direct burial either.
> 
> Different strokes for different folks.


I kind of like your situation for the reasons you've stated, not waiting on them to turn the power on.


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## Marvin Gardens (Sep 30, 2008)

I put in gas, electric, water and phone in one trench. Electric has to be on the bottom and 6 feet down, then gas which has to be 12 inches away from the electric, then water which has to be 12 inches away from the gas and then phone and any other low voltage.

I just dig a 6 foot trench.

Electric has to come out and see the wire in the conduit before I can bury it. The rest no one seems to care about.


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## Silk (Feb 8, 2008)

Marvin Gardens said:


> I put in gas, electric, water and phone in one trench. Electric has to be on the bottom and 6 feet down, then gas which has to be 12 inches away from the electric, then water which has to be 12 inches away from the gas and then phone and any other low voltage.
> 
> I just dig a 6 foot trench.
> 
> Electric has to come out and see the wire in the conduit before I can bury it. The rest no one seems to care about.


6 feet, wow! you just floored me.


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## chris75 (Aug 25, 2007)

Silk said:


> 6 feet, wow! you just floored me.


 
Ditto.... That is insane.


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## Marvin Gardens (Sep 30, 2008)

chris75 said:


> Ditto.... That is insane.


I agree, but hey, they write the rules.

What is really ironic is that the county only requires electricity to be 18 inches.

Water has to be at least 3 feet below due to the front line at 18-20 inches.


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