What Cement Should Be Used on Electrical PVC?

PVC Solvent Cement

• PVC solvent cement is a type of liquid cement that welds the PVC pieces together. Ensure that the solvent cement is specifically designed for use with PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, as opposed to another material such as ABS, or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, for the cement to be properly compatible. Because some solvents are flammable and highly volatile, follow the manufacturer's warnings about protecting your skin and working in well-ventilated areas. Don't smoke around the cement.

Preparing the PVC

• Electrical PVC is often sold in 10- and 20-foot parts. If any parts of the PVC need to be cut to length, use a fine-tooth saw to create a square cut on the tubing. After this, the end of the PVC is probably rough and jagged. Fix this before you apply the cement to it. Use a utility knife to deburr the cut end of the PVC, as well as to round out the end's inside edge. Also, use a clean, dry rag to wipe down the PVC.

Applying the Cement

• Read and follow the particular solvent cement manufacturer's instructions to apply the cement correctly. Normally, you will stir or shake the cement before you apply it. Apply a liberal, uniform coating of the cement onto the end of the PVC tubing that you will insert into a fitting, covering a length equal to the depth of the fitting. Also, you often apply a coat of cement inside the fitting.

Connecting the PVC

• When you connect the electrical PVC conduit, ensure that you push it all the way into the fitting. After this, rotate the conduit a quarter-turn so that the cement is distributed evenly. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for how long to wait before disturbing this cemented joint to allow it the proper amount of time to set. This time is normally about one hour, but can vary, depending on the temperature.