2"EMT

[fatuus]

I know that (4) 4/0 goes into a 2" EMT. Can I pull the 4/0 and a #4 ground or do I need to upsize to 2.5" EMT? Thanks for your help.

 

[Carultch]

I know that (4) 4/0 goes into a 2" EMT. Can I pull the 4/0 and a #4 ground or do I need to upsize to 2.5" EMT? Thanks for your help.

You have to count the ground in your conduit sizing. 4x 4/0 + #4 ground = 41% fill in a 2" EMT.
Thus you need to upsize to 2.5" EMT, unless your pull is straight and less than 2 ft.

A good trick you can do, is to simply pretend that all wires are the largest size, and still use the table. Even add an extra hypothetical wire, since the strict NEC rules can often be a lot tighter than you really want to build. So look up 6x 4/0, and that is a 2.5" EMT. Good for the field, not good for taking a test. When taking a test, you need to answer straight to the NEC rules, even if you've experienced that it is impossible to pull it in practice.

 

[luckylerado]

What type of conductors are you installing?

 

[roy g]

roy g

roy g

table 4 of chap 9 lists 2"emt at 40% fill of 1.342 sq in..
table 5A of chap 9 (compact strand copper or alum) lists 4/0 XHHW @ .2733 sq in. x 4 = 1.093 sq in and # 4 @ .073 sq in. for total of 1.166 sq in. which allows this to be installed in 2" cond.

also same table allows thhn (total area 1.19 in) to be used. Most wiring supplied by distributors in this area is now compact strand conductors. As stated by others, this may not be answer to question on exam or pratical to install depending ion run, it will meet intent of code

 

[GoldDigger]

...Most wiring supplied by distributors in this area is now compact strand conductors. ....

Does this apply to both Copper and Aluminum? My impression was that compact stranding was more common with Al because it is softer and therefore easier to run through a die to compress the strand bundle. (Or are the strands pre-formed before they are brought together?)

 

[Fulthrotl]

I know that (4) 4/0 goes into a 2" EMT. Can I pull the 4/0 and a #4 ground or do I need to upsize to 2.5" EMT? Thanks for your help.

well, there's an app for that......

2" emt, with thhn.... four 4/0 and one #4 comes out at 35.3% on the app,
but it'll calc the difference between sch. 40, sch. 80, emt, and ent, so sometimes
it'll say you can do something you best not do.

i'd do 2 1/2" unless you have a compelling reason to do otherwise.
you *were* planning on pulling it, yes?

 

[Fulthrotl]

Does this apply to both Copper and Aluminum? My impression was that compact stranding was more common with Al because it is softer and therefore easier to run through a die to compress the strand bundle. (Or are the strands pre-formed before they are brought together?)

no, they are swaged in a carbide die before putting the jacket on.

and it's a fraction of the energy that would be required to swage copper.