( greenhorn alert) HI I was on the last of 1" pvc . Burying them 18'' deep on the way to the shed. for a 80foot run. so i can add my 4 #12 thwn.wires, Now I heard someone mention about water condensation, and that all conduit has water in them,and that you need to add weeping holes ,to keep it drained, I guess that would be on the low end of you conduit run? It sounds like it makes sense?? BUT before I get the drill out ,I would like a pro"s or two opinion on this , and if you have done it and how many, and what size holes? And where? Part 2 while I have You! When you fasten conductors on your fishing tape , Like 12or 10 gauge thwn. How many do you pull at a time? Thank you !:confused: :confused:

The weep holes and be as small as 1/8". I would use 1/4 " . I have pulled as many as 12 #12 THHN wires through 3/4" conduit. 4 of them should be no problem. Just spray a little silicon spray in the end of the conduit when starting the wires through.

Thank You Mr. HandyMan 2007. I'll put a 1/4 " hole, in the bottom of the 90 degree swipe just before it rises to the ub fitting. I'am going to lay it on pea gravel ,maybe keep it from clogging dirt or roots. And I'll try pulling the 4 wires all at once. Thank you for the Help!

Wait a minute, please.

We just went through a similar discussion earlier. There are things you need to consider carefully.

For example, there can be only one entry point for the electric power. Also, for a remote building, you need to put a sub-panel with its own equipment grounding rod system.

If you put in a light, you have also put in at least one GFCI protected receptacle. You also need to put a light at the entry point for the building (Door).

Running multiple #12 AWG into the structure is against code.

Thanks for advise Don! On the entrance light,and sub panel grounging info. But I'd like to ask you if I could run the shed at 120 volts ,but have a forth wire in the conduit not hooked up,so if I wanted to go with 240volts at a later date? I'll have the red wire there ,already to go ? For the future , a dead wire? While I'am pulling wires When I decide to go,or if I go with 240, I won't be to old to pull it ? Thanks for help!!

First off, DO NOT (!! ) drill ANY holes in a conduit run, especially underground. The inside of an underground conduit run IS a wet location. It WILL get water in it. This is normal and is expected.
Weep holes are not needed nor wanted.



Second, Don, you ARE allowed to run a multi-wire branch circuit to a remote structure. For this purpose, a MWBC is considered ONE circuit.
Here is the code reference:

225.30 Number of Supplies
Where more than one building or other structure is on the same property and under single management, each additional building or other structure that is served by a branch circuit or feeder on the load side of the service disconnecting means shall be supplied by only one feeder or branch circuit unless permitted in 225.30(A) through (E). For the purpose of this section, a multiwire branch circuit shall be considered a single circuit.

A sub-panel is NOT mandatory. A grounding electrode is not required unless a feeder is run to a remote building.

The one thing that IS required is a disconnect switch. You DO need a disconnect switch at a remote building.
With a MWBC a double-pole toggle switch is all that is needed.

Here is the code reference for that:

225.31 Disconnecting Means
Means shall be provided for disconnecting all ungrounded conductors that supply or pass through the building or structure.

225.32 Location
The disconnecting means shall be installed either inside or outside of the building or structure served or where the conductors pass through the building or structure. The disconnecting means shall be at a readily accessible location nearest the point of entrance of the conductors. For the purposes of this section, the requirements in 230.6 shall be utilized.

Stan,

I'm having trouble understanding and converting the description of a MWBC into a physical connection.

I'll go back through the code points you reference, but at this point, I'm at a loss to understand the benefit of a MWBC over a Feeder to Subpanel arrangement. To me it seems far safer to run one feeder cable to a subpanel and then fan out the circuits in the remote structure.

Wow! Did I ever make a big mistake!! I guess my mind was wondering when I read this. I will revamp my answer. You have to run a sub panel in the shed. .
I apologize to everyone for my very BAD advice. You must follow NEC for this. The above answers cover it all. FEEZ!! What was I thinking!! I just finished doing an underground feed for a sub panel in a garage!!

Thanks Handyman & Don! I will do a litte more resource,on the sub panel! I should have room to be able to some larger cable, to the sub panel Because , the way it stands ,I was going run 4#12 it in a nice new metal junction box? Inside the shed,then split from there ,I even got a shut off switich first thing So to make a long story short ! What size sub panel would you recomneded with what size cable? Thanks for advise ! Everyone! Cool site!

Stanforty and several others are much better at planning a site that I am.

Stan advocated a MWBC as an acceptable feeder to your room. I have no experience with that particular configuration so I would ask you to wait to give other's a chance give better directions to you.

However, I would first determine how many circuits are needed, Figure out the total amperage you need. For grins let's say that you need about 60 amps of 120/240.
Do you have enough room in the main panel to put a 60 Amp breaker into the panel? From there you 2 #6 AWG as feed conductors, with a #8 as a ground wire. These go to the subpanel. Then you place the configuration of Circuit Breakers that you need to feed the room.

Thank you Mr.Donf. That sounds like a good plan, I need to do more studying , and reading before I tackle that one. What does MWBC stand for? Thank You!

Stan already spelled out MWBC as a Multi-Wire Branch Circuit.

And he explained that a MWBC can feed a separate building, and that a panel is not necessary, as long as the MWBC can serve the circuits and load sufficiently, and that there is a switch, or up to six switches at the separate building to open, or disconnect the power to this building.

Drilling holes in conduit is never allowed. Conduits must be arranged to drain, but holes in conduit is never the answer.

If one were to drill a hole into a metal conduit, the remaining spurs and burrs on the interior of the conduit will damage the insulation of the wire.

If water in an underground conduit is a concern because the conduit entry would allow water to enter an enclosure with live parts, then the conduit can be sealed to prevent water from entering the enclosure,

Or,

An open bottom junction box can be installed, with the handhole at grade level, and the conduit can be broken, and arranged to allow water to drain into the bottom of the junction box, and back into the earth.