MC change over

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peter

Senior Member
Location
San Diego
You can't have buried boxes.
You can't change from EMT to MC without a box. [Not that I know of]. Perhaps you could run the MC inside the EMT.

There are fittings to change from MC to Flex.
~Peter
 

Jim W in Tampa

Senior Member
Location
Tampa Florida
No it's not a 90.I know it's legal to change MC to EMT with a rigid coupling.Problem is it will need to be hidden behind drywall.Yes i could use a 4 square but prefer not showing a box for looks.
 

aftershock

Senior Member
Location
Memphis, TN
Re: MC change over

Jim W in Tampa said:
Is there any reason i can not conceal an MC to EMT change over behind drywall ?

Im not sure it would be a code violation or not,, but I wouldn't do it only because it would look deceiving to someone who thought they could pull through to the box with the EMT attached and ran around looking for the other end of the run.
 

tshea

Senior Member
Location
Wisconsin
The reason I would not do it is because on one end you'll have a nice piece of EMT connected to a box with a piece of MC coming into the same box with no support! You didn't plan on splicing in the EMT did you? Not sure what kind of fitting would be suitable whre the MC meets the EMT.
I think there is probably a better solution than trying to join EMT & MC.
 

Jim W in Tampa

Senior Member
Location
Tampa Florida
The way we done this in the past is to strip off the jacket of the MC to have enough thhn to finish the run thru the EMT or PVC.A threaded MC connector,rigid coupling,emt connector is all thats needed.There will be no splices as it is not a junction box.I do agree that a future electrician might get confused.However in this case its unlikely as they are small warehouses and this would be on just one wall feeding 2 outlets.Only other options are showing a box or pipe to first box.If this was only 1 unit i would pipe it but there are severall so this could be costly.
 

pierre

Senior Member
300.15(F) Fitting.
A fitting identified for the use shall be permitted in lieu of a box or conduit body where conductors are not spliced or terminated within the fitting. The fitting shall be accessible after installation.
 

JohnE

Senior Member
Location
Milford, MA
You'll find in another thread that the consensus was that you can't strip off the jacket of mc cable and install in conduit. I think. :)
 

colosparker

Senior Member
IMO I would use 1/2" flex rather than MC. Use a 1/2" flex to emt fitting.
I would think an AHJ would not have a problem with that type of installation, as the wire could be re-pulled.
 

Jim W in Tampa

Senior Member
Location
Tampa Florida
If i have this right NEC is a permisive code that if it does not say i cant then i can.While i really dont like this out it seems that it is ok.My key problem is over looks.We are a quality company and looks is everything
A box would be ugly and i rather avoid it,at same time prodject manager wants me to limit emt where possable.Looking for code compliant easy way out.Money is still an object.I dont want much,just looks ,speed, and cost.
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
It does not matter if it is EMT, RMC, IMC etc. changing over to FMC, MC, AC, NM, LFMC etc. the type of raceways do not change the answer to the question of fitting accessibility.

Jim W in Tampa said:
If i have this right NEC is a permisive code that if it does not say i cant then i can.

As Pierre has already pointed out this is directly addressed by 300.15

First start with 300.15

300.15 Boxes, Conduit Bodies, or Fittings ? Where Required.

A box shall be installed at each outlet and switch point for concealed knob-and-tube wiring.
Fittings and connectors shall be used only with the specific wiring methods for which they are designed and listed.

Where the wiring method is conduit, tubing, Type AC cable, Type MC cable, Type MI cable, nonmetallic-sheathed cable, or other cables, a box or conduit body complying with Article 314 shall be installed at each conductor splice point, outlet point, switch point, junction point, termination point, or pull point, unless otherwise permitted in 300.15(A) through (M).

In my opinion the spot where you switch from cable to raceway is a 'pull point' and is required to have a box unless permitted by 300.15(A) through (M).

Now lets look at 300.15(F) as Pierre noted.

300.15(F) Fitting. A fitting identified for the use shall be permitted in lieu of a box or conduit body where conductors are not spliced or terminated within the fitting. The fitting shall be accessible after installation.

So you may be able to find a listed change over from MC to EMT, personally I make them out of three listed fittings, an EMT connector a conduit coupling and a MC connector. If your local inspector accepts that is another issue, I have never been questioned on it.

Jim W in Tampa said:
While i really dont like this out it seems that it is ok.My key problem is over looks.We are a quality company and looks is everything

Looks are not everything code compliance is. :)

If you really do not want the fitting exposed you will have to run the EMT all the way instead of changing to MC.
 

Jim W in Tampa

Senior Member
Location
Tampa Florida
Thanks for the help.What i will do then is install 4 square in wall and put a blank on it.They can paint it and should not be too bad looking.Job i was handed was to do a better looking job than the electric company that did the other building next to it.Everyone wants looks of EMT for price of MC.
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
How about your 4" sq box recessed in the wall with a single gang raised ring that a single gang blank can be placed on after the drywall is installed.

The finished product will be neater than a 4" blank in my opinion. :)
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
Jim W in Tampa said:
Looks are a biggy to our company.At same time i must keep cost to a min..

I understand, you already said a lot with this.

Everyone wants looks of EMT for price of MC.

That is really what is comes down to, everyone says pipe is better until they are asked to pay for it. :roll:

Good luck, Bob
 
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