PVC coupling/MA used for LFMC

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Electron_Sam78

Senior Member
Location
Palm Bay, FL
I came across an installation where a sub-contracted "electrician" used a section of LFMC transitioning from PVC and just stuck the LFMC into a PVC coupling and then the same thing at the panel with a PVC male adapter.

I found 350.6 that says fittings must be listed but that seems a bit weak. Is there any other code section I can cite for this situation?
 

lakee911

Senior Member
Location
Columbus, OH
I came across an installation where a sub-contracted "electrician" used a section of LFMC transitioning from PVC and just stuck the LFMC into a PVC coupling and then the same thing at the panel with a PVC male adapter.

I found 350.6 that says fittings must be listed but that seems a bit weak. Is there any other code section I can cite for this situation?

Sounds like the electrical equivilent of plumbing up spaflex. Did a plumber do this install?
 

CopperTone

Senior Member
Location
MetroWest, MA
I was waiting in line at dunkin donuts in the drive thru and was stopped in front of the main service going into the building - 4 in rigid conduit was coming out of the ground and a 4 in emt die cast connector was on the end of it going into the through. I will take a pic and post it next time I stop there.

is that legal?
 

LEO2854

Esteemed Member
Location
Ma
I was waiting in line at dunkin donuts in the drive thru and was stopped in front of the main service going into the building - 4 in rigid conduit was coming out of the ground and a 4 in emt die cast connector was on the end of it going into the through. I will take a pic and post it next time I stop there.

is that legal?

How did they get a 4" EMT DIE Cast connector on 4" RMC:-?

is that legal? NO WAY!
 

jusme123

Senior Member
Location
NY
Occupation
JW
Originally Posted by CopperTone View Post
I was waiting in line at dunkin donuts in the drive thru and was stopped in front of the main service going into the building - 4 in rigid conduit was coming out of the ground and a 4 in emt die cast connector was on the end of it going into the through. I will take a pic and post it next time I stop there.

is that legal?






st1.JPG



are you sure it wasn't a myers hub
 
Last edited:

LEO2854

Esteemed Member
Location
Ma
Originally Posted by CopperTone View Post
I was waiting in line at dunkin donuts in the drive thru and was stopped in front of the main service going into the building - 4 in rigid conduit was coming out of the ground and a 4 in emt die cast connector was on the end of it going into the through. I will take a pic and post it next time I stop there.

is that legal?






st1.JPG



are you sure it wasn't a myers hub

That is probly what he was looking at:roll:
 

220/221

Senior Member
Location
AZ
I came across an installation where a sub-contracted "electrician" used a section of LFMC transitioning from PVC and just stuck the LFMC into a PVC coupling and then the same thing at the panel with a PVC male adapter.

I found 350.6 that says fittings must be listed but that seems a bit weak. Is there any other code section I can cite for this situation?

I've done this with non metallic sealtite. It's a solid and clean installation. Is the PVC coupling listed for use with the sealtite? Probably not but it fits really well and looks better then an adapter/connector.

I wouldn't do it with metallic sealtite though. It's a completely different animal.
 

hurk27

Senior Member
That is true but was the die cast connector rain tite?

was rain tight required when it was installed, remember rain tight EMT fittings was just put into the code in 2005.

also if there was a female adapter on the end of the PVC and a male EMT fitting and done before the 2005 code adoption in that location then it was possible it was a code compliant installation, the EMT would only have been required to be bonded on one end, so grounding wasn't an issue if it was at the other termination point.

now for the OP, I too am guilty of gluing smurf tubing into PVC fittings, as when this stuff first came available in our area, no one carried the fittings for it, and the local supply houses didn't know it had to have a special listed fitting (or did we) never had a problem with it, and even had one inspector tried to pull it back out, and it didn't budge, but after using smurf a few times (job specs) I started to dislike it very much, wanted to go where it wanted to go, and over all just a pain to deal with, hard to push wire through, and since it came in coils, it wanted to stay in a coil, like wrestling with an alligator, one time when I was trying to cut it with a hacksaw, as soon as it was cut through it sprung up and hit me right in the eye, that was it, I hated ever since. and I never saw any advantage using it.
Pool installers love to use this stuff, but its not allowed exposed to the sun or direct buried, but most inspectors never caught it till I started gluing them in at our IAEI meetings.

But I will say gluing it in a PVC fitting is way much stronger then the junk snap in fittings they have, as it will pop right out when your trying to maneuver it into the studs, or just pulling on it a just little between a box and a stud, one time I was trying to install wire after drywall to a run to a furnace the went into a wall up to the switch and it pushed out of the fitting, had to cut open the drywall to put it back in.

Ok enough ranting:D
 

LEO2854

Esteemed Member
Location
Ma
was rain tight required when it was installed, remember rain tight EMT fittings was just put into the code in 2005.

also if there was a female adapter on the end of the PVC and a male EMT fitting and done before the 2005 code adoption in that location then it was possible it was a code compliant installation, the EMT would only have been required to be bonded on one end, so grounding wasn't an issue if it was at the other termination point.

now for the OP, I too am guilty of gluing smurf tubing into PVC fittings, as when this stuff first came available in our area, no one carried the fittings for it, and the local supply houses didn't know it had to have a special listed fitting (or did we) never had a problem with it, and even had one inspector tried to pull it back out, and it didn't budge, but after using smurf a few times (job specs) I started to dislike it very much, wanted to go where it wanted to go, and over all just a pain to deal with, hard to push wire through, and since it came in coils, it wanted to stay in a coil, like wrestling with an alligator, one time when I was trying to cut it with a hacksaw, as soon as it was cut through it sprung up and hit me right in the eye, that was it, I hated ever since. and I never saw any advantage using it.
Pool installers love to use this stuff, but its not allowed exposed to the sun or direct buried, but most inspectors never caught it till I started gluing them in at our IAEI meetings.

But I will say gluing it in a PVC fitting is way much stronger then the junk snap in fittings they have, as it will pop right out when your trying to maneuver it into the studs, or just pulling on it a just little between a box and a stud, one time I was trying to install wire after drywall to a run to a furnace the went into a wall up to the switch and it pushed out of the fitting, had to cut open the drywall to put it back in.

Ok enough ranting:D

I thought the rain tight fitting for EMT went back a lot farther than than 2005,
1993 NEC 348-8.PAGE 70-252.COUPLINGS AND CONNECTORS. where installed in wet locations,they shall of the rain tight type.:cool:
 

hurk27

Senior Member
I thought the rain tight fitting for EMT went back a lot farther than than 2005,
1993 NEC 348-8.PAGE 70-252.COUPLINGS AND CONNECTORS. where installed in wet locations,they shall of the rain tight type.:cool:

yep it did you are correct my bad.:roll:

but there was no UL listing for any such animal, and no manufacture made any, just concrete tight. big problem around the code tables back then. I remember the manufactures racing to get them out for the 2005, maybe thats where I got mixed up at:confused:
 

Cavie

Senior Member
Location
SW Florida
I came across an installation where a sub-contracted "electrician" used a section of LFMC transitioning from PVC and just stuck the LFMC into a PVC coupling and then the same thing at the panel with a PVC male adapter.

I found 350.6 that says fittings must be listed but that seems a bit weak. Is there any other code section I can cite for this situation?


does the glue have the same effect on the LFMC and the PVC and create a complete welded joint??? Probibly not. I'm guessing you can pull them apart.
 

Cavie

Senior Member
Location
SW Florida
I was waiting in line at dunkin donuts in the drive thru and was stopped in front of the main service going into the building - 4 in rigid conduit was coming out of the ground and a 4 in emt die cast connector was on the end of it going into the through. I will take a pic and post it next time I stop there.

is that legal?


Galv threadless Compresson connector?
 

raider1

Senior Member
Staff member
Location
Logan, Utah
I've done this with non metallic sealtite. It's a solid and clean installation. Is the PVC coupling listed for use with the sealtite? Probably not but it fits really well and looks better then an adapter/connector.

I wouldn't do it with metallic sealtite though. It's a completely different animal.

No, a PVC male adapter or coupling are not listed for use with LFNC.

Just because it seemed to work at the time does not mean that there is not issues with the connection after time.

Chris
 

renosteinke

Senior Member
Location
NE Arkansas
I disagree.

I have seen the documentation that supports that at least one manufacturer has had their PVC fittings listed for direct gluing to LFNMC. That's the 'all plastic sealtite.'

As for the OP ... there are no such connectors for the metal-lined stuff, because the metal parts need to be bonded.
 

raider1

Senior Member
Staff member
Location
Logan, Utah
I disagree.

I have seen the documentation that supports that at least one manufacturer has had their PVC fittings listed for direct gluing to LFNMC. That's the 'all plastic sealtite.'

As for the OP ... there are no such connectors for the metal-lined stuff, because the metal parts need to be bonded.

Can you provide the documentation for that?

Chris
 
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