conduit bends less than 90 deg. illegal?

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slc410

Electrician
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Madison wi
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Electrician
I was told that in one bend of a conduit, I couldnt have more than 90 degrees. Meaning an acute angle bend is illegal. I couldnt find anything in the NEC confirming this. Any comments?
 
I would see no problem as long as the conduit is not kinked.
We make special bends all the time for outdoor fixtures. Sometimes they are 180 deg.
 
Your thread title should read "conduit bends more than 90? illegal". But that's a quibble and should go no further.
But there is nothing in the Code that prohibits their use. However, it should be pointed out that this will make the pull harder. The objective is to make the pull easier by limiting the amount of bends.
If it were illegal, what is to prevent you from doing your 90?, going straight for 1" or 2" and then your addition bend in the same direction. But why would you want to do this?
I"ve seen one bend by first year [or quarter year] apprentices that was like 160? but that was underground and that's the way the trenches were laid out and they didn't want to dig another trench. But I didn't have to pull it.
~Peter
 
Bending pipe more than 90? is legal, as long as the entire run does not exceed 360?.

In fact, "Shepherd's Hooks" or "Bo-Peeps" are not uncommon.

ShepherdHook.jpg
 
I'm confused, are you asking about making a single bend of more than 90 degrees or less? The title of this thread seems to ask about less than 90 degrees. :-?
 
It doesn't matter what "they" say, the code is clear in 344.26.

344.26 Bends - Number in One Run.There shall not be more than the equivalent of four quarter bends (360 degrees total) between pull points, for example, conduit bodies and boxes.

xxx.26 is reserved for Bends - number in One Run, as is xxx.24 Bends - How Made.

I believe this goes back to the first code .
 
480sparky said:
Bending pipe more than 90? is legal, as long as the entire run does not exceed 360?.

In fact, "Shepherd's Hooks" or "Bo-Peeps" are not uncommon.

ShepherdHook.jpg
Click to expand...

The term Bo Peep seems to be one of the few electrical slang terms recognized nationwide. I have had J-men in my supervision from all over the country and most have called that a Bo Peep bend
 
I have to disagree. More than 90 degrees is illeagal. The code says 4 quarter bends and 91 degrees is more than 1/4 of 360. All of the inspectors in this area would agree with me. I've seen them fail jobs where "Shepard Hooks" were used.
 
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Microwatt said:
I have to disagree. More than 90 degrees is illeagal. The code says 4 quarter bends and 91 degrees is more than 1/4 of 360. All of the inspectors in this area would agree with me.
Click to expand...

No, the code does not say "four quarter bends" it says,
There shall not be more than the equivalent of four quarter bends (360 degrees total) between pull points, for example, conduit bodies and boxes.
Click to expand...
it does not limit the bends to 90 deg.

Roger
 
Microwatt said:
I have to disagree. More than 90 degrees is illeagal. The code says 4 quarter bends and 91 degrees is more than 1/4 of 360. All of the inspectors in this area would agree with me. I've seen them fail jobs where "Shepard Hooks" were used.
Click to expand...
Ridiculous. What would prevent me from making four 1/4 bends separated by a fraction of an inch?
 
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