SOOW through conduit

[overkill94]

I'm doing an inspection on a large piece of equipment that has a conduit drop from the ceiling with SOOW cord pulled through it. I wrote them up for the conduit fill being exceeded (10/4 SOOW through 1 1/2" RMC) and they're planning on stripping the outer insulation and pulling the conductors through the conduit without the outer jacket. Is there anything in the code restricting the use of SOOW cord through conduit in general? If not, would this be an acceptable solution?

 

[augie47]

Does the install comply with 400.14 ? If not it might be a violation of 400.8(6)

 

[GoldDigger]

Chances are that the individual conductors will not be marked, and probably are not a recognized Article 300 wire type. So, no, it would not be acceptable.
Why not just use "real" wire instead?

Tapatalk!

 

[overkill94]

Chances are that the individual conductors will not be marked, and probably are not a recognized Article 300 wire type. So, no, it would not be acceptable.
Why not just use "real" wire instead?

Tapatalk!

It's seemingly a pretty long cable run so I guess they just don't want to have to pull wires that far.

So you're saying that once the outside insulation is removed, the internal insulation is not acceptable through a conduit?

 

[jusme123]

...I agree with gold

 

[zbang]

Not sure how you get a fill violation (10/4 isn't that big), but removing the outer jacket is a no-no. Could the RMC be considered a sleeve (probably not). Unless the machine actually has to move, I'd also call it a 400.8 violation, both (1) and probably (6).

 

[eric9822]

It's seemingly a pretty long cable run so I guess they just don't want to have to pull wires that far.

So you're saying that once the outside insulation is removed, the internal insulation is not acceptable through a conduit?

All conductors must be marked with max rated voltage, type of wire, AWG, etc. per 310.120(A). It is doubtful that the individual wires are marked. If they are, they probably aren't the type required per 310.10. Stripping the jacket off of SOOW seems like an awful lot of work to avoid pulling the correct wire, especially if it is a long run.

 

[Jraef]

Man, that must have taken some SERIOUS lube to pull 10-4 SOOW though ANY size conduit!

But anyway, I believe that unless they can find some other obscure code section allowing this, putting flexible cord in conduit violates 400.8 (6).

 

[winnie]

I won't comment on the general use of SO cord in EMT. The devil is in the details.

But IMHO a 10-4 SO cord in a 1.5" RMC is not an over-fill situation.

Cable assemblies are to be treated as single conductors for the purpose of conduit fill.

A _single_ conductor is permitted to occupy 53% of the conduit by area.

The OD of 10-4 SOOW is about 0.72"

The ID of nominal 1.5" RMC is 1.62"

This gives a fill of (0.72/1.62)^2 = 20%

-Jon

 

[overkill94]

I was just going by visuals when doing the inspection and it sure looked like there was only about 1/8" gap.

 

[Jraef]

I was just going by visuals when doing the inspection and it sure looked like there was only about 1/8" gap.

(10/4 SOOW through 1 1/2" RMC)

So perhaps did you mean "10/4 SOOW though 1 each, 1/2" RMC"? Because I think we were all reading that as 1-1/2" (inch and a half) RMC. If it was 1/2 conduit. definitely over filled, and over filled with cord that is probably not allowed to be used in conduit in the first place.

 

[eric9822]

So perhaps did you mean "10/4 SOOW though 1 each, 1/2" RMC"? Because I think we were all reading that as 1-1/2" (inch and a half) RMC. If it was 1/2 conduit. definitely over filled, and over filled with cord that is probably not allowed to be used in conduit in the first place.

I did read that as 1-1/2" conduit. I can't even imagine pulling 10/4 SOOW through 1/2" conduit. If that is the case I am sure there were a few choice words uttered during that pull.