Appropriate use of caulk/putty?

[tonype]

Is this a legit use for metal conduit?

 

[pete m.]

If the intent of the caulk/putty was to mitigate water infiltration then I suppose it was the proper use of the caulk/putty.

Personally I would rather determine the source of the infiltration (bad hub, rusted threads, etc...) and repair it than try to cover it with a tube full of caulk.

Pete

 

[infinity]

I see no problem with it, besides it looking somewhat ugly. :roll:

 

[Cow]

I think they did a nice job...they even painted it to match!

In all seriousness though, why does it matter if they put caulk on top of a connector? With that same reasoning we could ask if it's legal to paint a conduit?

 

[infinity]

For the record that stuff looks like duct seal which is a common installation practice.

 

[kwired]

Seen that install many times. Sad thing is it does not stop the source of moisture inside the raceway or enclosure like they probably intended to do. Condensation and/or an improper drip loop are the real problem.

 

[Strife]

I don't necessary see a problem with the caulking, but is that conduit PVC? I can swear the connector going into the hub is a pvc connector.
In that case I like the low voltage grounding the utility installer got in there.
And it wouldn't be the first time I've seen this done by the phone installers. Seen hundreds of places where the paint is not cleaned and 4-5 places where the installer just clamped it on a pvc conduit.

Is this a legit use for metal conduit?

 

[weressl]

Is this a legit use for metal conduit? View attachment 5933

I always wondered about the use of Ductseal(Monkey-dung) as part of a workmanlike installation. To me it just does not look right. However looking at the picture - and if the backside looks the same - there is no visible point of potential water entry. The connections below are more likely to let water in. The problem with any of the caulking material that it needs to be maintained years down the road, so are gasketing materials. So even if you use a Myers hub or a heat-shrink booted threaded connector, sometime down on the road they will need to be replaced because the gasketing polymer will crack and leak. In our company standards there is a prohibition of outdoor top entry, only bottom and sides, and all outdoor enclosures needs to have a breather/drain installed on the bottom.

 

[dwellselectric]

Looks like duct seal that has dried up..

 

[hurk27]

I don't necessary see a problem with the caulking, but is that conduit PVC? I can swear the connector going into the hub is a pvc connector.In that case I like the low voltage grounding the utility installer got in there.
And it wouldn't be the first time I've seen this done by the phone installers. Seen hundreds of places where the paint is not cleaned and 4-5 places where the installer just clamped it on a pvc conduit.

Look at the size of the hub and the size of the riser pipe, the hub is a 2.5" and the riser pipe is a 2" what your seeing is a reducer bushing, besides that phone bond would serve no use if that was PVC:happyno:

 

[kwired]

besides that phone bond would serve no use if that was PVC:happyno:

That doesn't necessarily stop some installers from doing that - especially satellite TV installers

Looks like it is probably a 2 inch EMT compression fitting to me.

 

[renosteinke]

EMT? That might be a problem ....

EMT fittings have straight threads; hubs have tapered threads. The end result is that the EMT fittings won't go into hub far enough for a good connection - and the putty hides this.

I'm not sure I've seen electrical reducing bushings with wrench flats. Could that be a plumbing fitting?

 

[kwired]

EMT? That might be a problem ....

EMT fittings have straight threads; hubs have tapered threads. The end result is that the EMT fittings won't go into hub far enough for a good connection - and the putty hides this.

I'm not sure I've seen electrical reducing bushings with wrench flats. Could that be a plumbing fitting?

Reducing bushings don't have tapered threads either - at least the ones designed for electrical use do not. Try threading one into a coupling - it will thread all the way through and out the other side - which also means the coupling does not have tapered threads.

I still say unless you are in a very dry climate you will get more water inside from condensation than you will ever get through the fittings. Is also my reasoning in believing the newer raintight EMT fittings are a joke.

 

[petersonra]

It is not attractive but absent some other issue I see no problem with it.