don't call me sparky

Slurry overpour has found its way into 1" pvc for pole base in concrete parking lot. Any tricks or advise on getting it out?

InPhase277

Ohhhh... that sucks. You could try vinegar. I have only heard of that, not sure if it works. I have used muriatic acid to get concrete out of pipes. That stuff is serious and not to be taken lightly. It will burn your skin and cause blindness if you get it in your eyes. When I use it, I flush the pipe from the other end with water where practical, and if not, I pour a lot of baking soda and water solution in the offending end, then use the wet vac to clear it out.

Also, a piece of fishtape run to the obstruction and then chucked into a drill can sometimes beat the concrete loose.

Sparky480

1 7/8" X 4' bit on the hilti drill on an angle from center of the base so it comes out down low and run a new pipe.

480sparky

Usually, the bulk of the stuff is outside the base itself, so can you dig down and replace the pipe itself? Even if there's a little bit in the pipe that's in the concrete base, there won't be much to deal with and a short fish tape in a cordless might be enough to do it.

Using a fishtape in a drill is very unsafe, however, and you should wear eye protection and heavy clothes.

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te12co2w

Vinegar has already been suggested, I have also heard coke works,, you know the stuff you drink.

lectricboy

Run an old peice of fish tape you don't care about down until it hits the concrete. Cut it to length and use it as a drill bit, drill awhile, then hit it with your vac, then repeat until obstruction is cleared. Takes awhile but I have cleaned them out like this in the past.

John Valdes

I can tell you have been around for quite awhile in this business. That how I have always done it. And I have had to do it many times.

220/221

Will an M80 fit into a 1" conduit


This is why I seal off all open ends and pour the bases myself. I will sometimes duct tape the couplings to lesen the chance of separation when the concrete is poured.


I've never had it happen but I would try the vinegar or acid first. If it's just a little bit it may break up and dislodge.

Other solutions?

Determine how far down the plug is. You may be able to expose the conduit underground right at the base and work it from there.

If you have conduit in and out, you may be able to install a jbox and ose only one feed to the pole.

Worst case, you have one feed and it is actually separated. Then it's exposed conduit, drill a tricky hole or a yank it and pour a new base .

william1978

Thats how I would fix the problem.

Frasbee

There is less citric acid in coca cola than in orange juice.

Just sayin'.

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lectro88

Fishtape and drill has worked for me several times, its a hit and miss depends on how much crete and rocks really made it in. You said slurry. The tape will get slurry not too many rocks. Heard of the vinegar many many times in 20 years. Vinegar never was laying around on the jobs.We always had a tape and a drill and a helper, I was the helper several times. But in conversation with Old Schoolers I DO mean that respectfully!! I remember them talking about barrels of vinegar. Big pipes, long runs, parallel in a duct bank that had to be cleared.

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And look at the purdy pictures

brian john

In the 70's when I first started in the trade we used blasting caps for EMT in concrete decks. This only works for small obstructions.

I have heard of all the other methods noted, and all can work depending on the amount of slurry

The only way you will know is to try them starting with the simplest first.

Or do the ultimate and get a shovel if this is feasible.

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I void warranty's

MDShunk

The fishtape in a drill is the standard method.... Right after you ream the guy who didn't tape up the stubs a new anal cavity.

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electro916

I use that stuff all the time cleaning the aluminum on my 4-wheeler.

And for a supplement to "WEED B GONE"

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When somethings broke, I wanna put a bit of fixin on it

william1978

The muriatic acid does work. Had a conduit that got concrete in it and we had to have that conduit and we put the acid in the conduit and let it set for a week and after letting it set for a week we were able to get the wire thru.

william1978

You got that right.

Celtic

...with the drill and fishtape?

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macmikeman

And the vinegar....

don't call me sparky

Thanks to all with advice. Used a combo of all of the above. Fish tape in drill cleared after soak of vineger. Not sure which had most effect but at the time, I didn't much care. Vacuumed and pulled wire. . Thanks again!
By the way, I really was considering the M-80 post!!
Paul

william1978