Go BottomAll in the same ditch trench
 | lbrown59
Join Date: Posts: 1 
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2007-05-27 142510
All in the same ditch/trench
Should an electric and phone line running in the same ditch be ran through a separate conduit for each or would running then both in one larger diameter conduit be OK?
How about a gas line in the same trench with them?
PS
The electric lines would be for branch circuits from the entrance panel not for main 200 amp service line(s) coming in from the pole.
I'm talking about a 15 Amp and a 20 Amp run.
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 | kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 5764 NW Oregon 
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2007-05-27 142511
Code may have something to say about this, but I'd recommend keeping a 12" distance between AC and low voltage runs. AC can induce noise on low voltage lines and if you use them for phone or computer it can make a difference. You could put them in the same trench but put the AC in first, backfill a foot, then lay the low voltage conductors. Since you're going to the trouble you might use cat-5 or better cable which could be used for either phone or data at a minimal increase in cost. ....
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| hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 3583 iowa
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2007-05-27 142513
We've did this with electric and phone cable in the same trench, but we did keep them apart a bit, no noise on the phone so far. Just as a safety factor the last couple of service wires we buried I ran a yellow caution tape about a foot above the wires. I think that is code now in some places. Frank. ....
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 | earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2007-05-27 142518
I trenched a 400' line for a plumber/electrician. He literally zip-tied a gas line, data line and a water line bundled together to 4" drain tile. Then dropped the whole works in the trench. Local inspectors told him that was not allowed. But he being the guy who he is---took the issue up with head state inspector and agreed with him. ....
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 | JasonR
Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 142 Northern Indiana
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2007-05-27 142522
Metal conduit? If so, that will help greatly, if not - the conduit doesn't give any path to ground for the noise (i.e. shielding).
Two other factors in calculating the distance between the electric and phone: Amperage of the AC line, and the length of the trench. The higher both of them are, the greater the distance required to reduce/eliminate noise.
I don't know of any formulas - but 12" minimum distance (6" in metal conduit) would be good. Unless you're pulling a ton of amps, you shouldn't see any noise.
- Jason ....
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| hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 3583 iowa
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2007-05-28 142524
Just another lesson learned from the "Frank's Blunders" list. If you are going a short distance 50-75 ft. or less with a tench in someones front yard especially if it is your own and the wife gets upset real bad anytime she ses a machine that can destroy her lawn AGAIN. Plastic electrical conduit is free compared to facing the "WHY the H*** are you tearing up my lawn again" thing and cold suppers for a week. Just toss in an empty conduit or even two, it just makes for a cozy relationship. Happy diging. Frank. ....
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| earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2007-05-29 142581
Good point Frank! ....
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| lbrown59
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2007-05-29 142585
<<
I've decided to go with one trench about 12 to 15 feet long for
2 elect lines 20 amp breaker: feeds from garage breaker box.
1 elect line 15 amp breaker-from house breaker box.
1 phone line.
What I'm undecided on is Should I go with a separate conduit for each of the 4 lines, or can I just run the phone line in one small conduit and run the 3 electric lines in one larger Conduit?
The Gas line will be in a separate trench/ditch any where from 1 up to 2 feet away from the trench with the elect and phone lines.
>>
....
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 | cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000 Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York 
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2007-05-31 142642
Very common to bury gas and electric in the same trench, code in this area is a 12 inch separation last I knew. When I ran the electric to my barn, a 400 foot job, I laid conduit for each utility, used an over-sized conduit for the URD and inserted an extra pull in the electric duct for future "emergencies. ....
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