I am getting ready to run some Electrical PVC pipe in my front yard for a light at the front of a walk. A friend was over the other day and told me that it was OK to run the electrical PVC but when I got to the light the last 4″ of the run below ground should switch to Metal piping and the junction box above ground should be metal. Is this right? Why? They make electrical PVC junction boxes, can’t I just run all PVC to the light?
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Unless there's some local regulations that require it, there's no reason you have to transition to metal conduit above grade in this application. Having said that, it's sometimes a good idea if the conduit is in a place where it will be subject to damage; for instance, if it's in a place where you'll hit it every time you use your weedwacker or lawn mower, or maybe a shovel or snowblower in the winter.
Any exposed PVC conduit has to be schedule 80 (the thicker-walled stuff). Below ground, schedule 40 is O.K. It's easier to use Sched 80 for the whole thing, for my money.
And that's good advice, to protect any PVC conduit with something (like a 2-by-4) if it's likely to be beat up.
Cliff