Sched 80 - Electrical (Gray) Water (White) Yes or No?

[William A. Rosario]

Looking for a support document on any standard and/or regulation which states that PVC Conduits, including Schd 80, for water applications is white or blue and for Electric applications is gray.

[Paul W. Abernathy]

William,

I think the color is something we have come to except versus looking at the actual rating and listing of the pipe itself.

Electrical Conduit ( PVC SCH. 80 ) will be listed in accordance with 2001 UL white book and will be listed and will have this listing on the conduit itself.

While plumbing drain, waste and vent piping will have their ASTM standard stamped on it as well.

While general plumbing pipes will have to meet the third party certification standards of the NSF 14 and 67 respectfully .

And taking that one furthur...the fittings for plumbing fixtrues and so on would be stamped with their standard ASME and ANSI respective stamps as well.

It is accepted that electrical piping is grey...but not sure it lists it as such...atleast not in Art 352 of the NEC

[Paul W. Abernathy]

Here is a NICE read for you on PVC and the ratings...

http://www.ppfahome.org/pvc/faqpvc.html

UV is an issue for all plastic products. Fortunately there are additives that are added to plastics to make the material UV resistance. Listed Schedule 40 and 80 PVC conduit utilizes these additives and are UV resistant. The sunlight resistance test is found in UL Standard UL651. Listed product will have an indefinite life period.

[William A. Rosario]

Nice artcicle, Great Site for Reference.

Base on my experience at some construction project, as Project Manager, that Gray conduits were used for electricity or power, and white or blue were used for water, either potable/sanitary. Sometimes other water applications, in manufacturing processes could used some different colos but they were labeled.

The situation arised last night while discussing with a group topics on plumbing. One of the presents mentioned that he has a Purified Water System and the Health Department here ask them to have some of the conduits in SCH80 Gray Color because was the only color in which these conduits were available. And here we start the interesting discussion which brings me to start looking for correct answers since I want to provide answers not necessarily based on my knowledge/experience but with some type of support.

[Paul W. Abernathy]

William,

If I am not mistaken I believe the SCH.40 and SCH 80 also come in the PVC versions for water systems as well...just not gray in color.

I believe in one of the links I posted it explains the rating and in fact you can get SCH. 40 and SCH 80 PVC rated for water systems...

I think the COLOR has just become the accepted standard and may have something in the UL but I dont have it handy.....chances are it does not.