- Location
- Windsor, CO NEC: 2017
- Occupation
- Service Manager
Please settle a bet. 
358.30(A) - Settle A Bet
- Thread starter George Stolz
- Start date
- Status
mjf
Senior Member
- Location
- Massachusetts
No, not now, and maybe never the intent but the wording used to require it.
I cannot remember what code cycle it was when the wording was changed from 'fitting' to 'termination'.
Gregg Harris
Senior Member
- Location
- Virginia
- Occupation
- Electrical,HVAC, Technical Trainer
(A) Securely Fastened. EMT shall be securely fastened in place at least every 3 m (10 ft). In addition, each EMT run between termination points shall be securely fastened within 900 mm (3 ft) of each outlet box, junction box, device box, cabinet, conduit body, or other tubing termination.Please settle a bet.
A coupling would be a tubing termination would it not
Section 358.30(A) requires EMT to be “securely fastened” at the prescribed intervals, as illustrated in Exhibit 358.1.
mjf
Senior Member
I would classify it as a tubing continuation, not termination
Last edited by a moderator:
- Location
- Massachusetts
I can see your point, heck I have even argued that point.
But then someone pointed out they had removed the word 'fitting' and replaced it with 'termination' so that you would not need a support withing 3' of a coupling.
It becomes, at least to me, a question of NEC minimums vs good solid design. I prefer to place supports near couplings but no longer believe it is NEC required.
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
A coupling is not a termination but an E type conduit body would be.
chevyx92
Senior Member
- Location
- VA BCH, VA
A coupling is not a termination but an E type conduit body would be.
I agree, a coupling doesn't terminate anything, it couples so the run can continue.
- Location
- Simi Valley, CA
I can see your point, heck I have even argued that point.
But then someone pointed out they had removed the word 'fitting' and replaced it with 'termination' so that you would not need a support withing 3' of a coupling.
It becomes, at least to me, a question of NEC minimums vs good solid design. I prefer to place supports near couplings but no longer believe it is NEC required.
I'm right there with you and when I had the first argument (while I was still wearing the tools) I had missed the code change.
I pesonally always put one within three feet of either side of the coupling, but then I worked alone a lot and it just made it easier to run pipe that way. So it became more habit, then anything else.
Volta
Senior Member
- Location
- Columbus, Ohio
Yup, 1990 was the last year they said fitting. 348.12.
ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
I still try to maintain the 3' but no longer loose any sleep over it.
- Location
- Massachusetts
hardworkingstiff
Senior Member
- Location
- Wilmington, NC
I agree with this 100%! Putting supports near the coupling is a good practice IMO.
Actually a freebie.... construction crew left it behind.Good thing you bought that used supercomputer to run those calculations.
david
Senior Member
- Location
- Pennsylvania
What happens when you put a saddle in that 10? stick?
Well, when I said support every 10', it meant measured by the conduit run pathway.
- Location
- Lockport, IL
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrical Engineer
A coupling would not be the termination of the conduit run. But it is the termination of one section of conduit, and the beginning of the next section. That could be used as the basis for including a coupling in the list of things that need a support within three feet. That is the basis for my "yes" vote. But I voted before reading the thread. The fact that a change was made from "fitting" to "termination" tends to imply that the intent of the code was not to require a support within three feet of a coupling. Oh well, not the first time I voted for the minority cause. :happyno:
I can see your point, heck I have even argued that point.
But then someone pointed out they had removed the word 'fitting' and replaced it with 'termination' so that you would not need a support withing 3' of a coupling.
It becomes, at least to me, a question of NEC minimums vs good solid design. I prefer to place supports near couplings but no longer believe it is NEC required.
...can you define termination? If two wires pass strait through a box, but are spliced, is that a termination?
you have a conduit with a bump in it.
- Status