Plastic conduit between two buildings

[phil327]

The Condo is two separate buildings connected by a walkway on each floor. The walkways have an expansion joint that is roughly 1 1/2 inches thick, made from some kind of flexible material. During the concrete renovation more than one section of concrete was completely removed, 2 feet on either side of the expansion joint. Some of the original metal conduit was damaged and had to be replaced. It appears that the original connection had some kind of flexible joint between the buildings.

I looked at the electrical repairs done and the damaged sections have been replaced with plastic conduit, no flexible joint between the two buildings, just a straight piece of plastic. Is this the proper method?

Also the original conduit was metal, providing a proper ground for the circuit. Putting in the plastic removes this ground.

I suspect that whoever did the work, cut the wires to put in the plastic and just ran a single piece of conduit, there is no junction box on these.

[Jerry Peck - Codeman]

Some of the original metal conduit was damaged and had to be replaced. It appears that the original connection had some kind of flexible joint between the buildings.

I looked at the electrical repairs done and the damaged sections have been replaced with plastic conduit, no flexible joint between the two buildings, just a straight piece of plastic. Is this the proper method?

From your description of the expansion joint, no, that is not a proper method as an expansion joint would be required. The expansion joint is to (as you already know) allow the two buildings to move in relation to each other due to expansion and contraction (or for any other reason for that matter) - if the conduit is also not allowed to move (grow or shrink in length) then something bad is going to happen somewhere (conduit will pull out of a fitting, fitting out of a junction box, fitting break, etc.).

Also the original conduit was metal, providing a proper ground for the circuit. Putting in the plastic removes this ground.

You are correct, the plastic (PVC) conduit now breaks the ground path previously provided by the metal conduit.

I would hope that the work was done by an electrical contractor with permits and inspections - I would also hope (but doubt it based on past posts and information) that the contractor removed the old wiring, made the repair to the conduit, then pulled in new wiring ... or at the very least pulled out the existing wiring, made the repair to the conduit, then inspected the old wiring for damage and (upon not finding any damage) pulled the wiring back in.

I suspect that whoever did the work, cut the wires to put in the plastic and just ran a single piece of conduit, there is no junction box on these.

I hope you are not correct as that could create a serious life-safety hazard for electrical shock or, worse, electrocution.

If the work was permitted but not inspected then I recommend contacting the city to reinspect it - and if it was inspected we can only hope the inspector verified the repair was done correctly.