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6 foot limit of liquid tight for hot tub

S

Stevenfyeager

Senior Member
Location
United States, Indiana
Occupation
electrical contractor
One electrical inspector some years ago told me that I used more than 6 foot of liquidtight to a hot tub and that is not allowed. He didn't make me change it but, was he right ?
 
R

rc/retired

Senior Member
Location
Bellvue, Colorado
Occupation
Master Electrician/Inspector retired
680.42(A)(1) in the 2023 code doesn't show a maximum length for flexible conduit.
Do you know the code cycle when the inspector made the comment?

Ron
 
sparky1118

sparky1118

Senior Member
Location
Massachusetts
Occupation
Master Electrician
Stevenfyeager said:
One electrical inspector some years ago told me that I used more than 6 foot of liquidtight to a hot tub and that is not allowed. He didn't make me change it but, was he right ?
Click to expand...
I recall years ago maybe 15 or so I heard the same exact thing about it. No one ever had a code article but many people said the same exact thing.


Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk
 
C

curt swartz

Electrical Contractor - San Jose, CA
Location
San Jose, CA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
2011 NEC Below:

680.42 Outdoor Installations.

A spa or hot tub installed outdoors shall comply with the provisions of Parts I and II of this article, except as permitted in 680.42(A) and (B), that would otherwise apply to pools installed outdoors.
(A) Flexible Connections.

Listed packaged spa or hot tub equipment assemblies or self-contained spas or hot tubs utilizing a factory-installed or assembled control panel or panelboard shall be permitted to use flexible connections as covered in 680.42(A)(1) and (A)(2).
(1) Flexible Conduit.

Liquidtight flexible metal conduit or liquidtight flexible nonmetallic conduit shall be permitted in lengths of not more than 1.8 m (6 ft) external to the spa or hot tub enclosure in addition to the length needed within the enclosure to make the electrical connection.
(2) Cord-and-Plug Connections.

Cord-and-plug connections with a cord not longer than 4.6 m (15 ft) shall be permitted where protected by a ground-fault circuit interrupter.
 
infinity

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
I was correct 3/8" LFMC is limited to 6' for several installations:


350.20(A) Minimum.
LFMC smaller than metric designator 16 (trade size 1∕ 2) shall not be used. Exception: LFMC of metric designator 12 (trade size 3∕ 8) shall be permitted as covered in 348.20(A).

348.20(A) Minimum.
FMC less than metric designator 16 (trade size 1∕ 2) shall not be used unless permitted in 348.20(A)(1) through (A)(5) for metric designator 12 (trade size 3∕ 8).
(1) For enclosing the leads of motors as permitted in 430.245(B)
(2) In lengths not in excess of 1.8 m (6 ft) for any of the following uses:
a. For utilization equipment
b. As part of a listed assembly
c. For tap connections to luminaires as permitted in 410.117(C)
(3) For manufactured wiring systems as permitted in 604.100(A)
(4)In hoistways as permitted in 620.21(A)(1)
(5)As part of a listed assembly to connect wired luminaire sections as permitted in 410.137(C)
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Dennis Alwon

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
I wonder if the inspector was thinking about 250.118 where if you use LFMC as a ground it can't be more than 6' and can't be more than 20 amps.
Obviously not a problem if there is an equipment grounding conductor in the sealtite


250.118 Types of Equipment Grounding Conductors.


Listed liquidtight flexible metal conduit meeting all the following conditions:
  • a.
    The conduit is terminated in listed fittings.
  • b.
    For metric designators 12 through 16 (trade sizes 3⁄8 through 1⁄2), the circuit conductors contained in the conduit are protected by overcurrent devices rated at 20 amperes or less.
  • c.
    For metric designators 21 through 35 (trade sizes 3⁄4 through 11⁄4), the circuit conductors contained in the conduit are protected by overcurrent devices rated not more than 60 amperes and there is no flexible metal conduit, flexible metallic tubing, or liquidtight flexible metal conduit in metric designators 12 through 16 (trade sizes 3⁄8 through 1⁄2) in the effective ground-fault current path.
  • d.
    The combined length of flexible metal conduit, flexible metallic tubing, and liquidtight flexible metal conduit in the same effective ground-fault current path does not exceed 1.8 m (6 ft).
  • e.
    If flexibility is necessary to minimize the transmission of vibration from equipment or to provide flexibility for equipment that requires movement after installation, a wire-type equipment grounding conductor or a bonding jumper in accordance with 250.102(E)(2) shall be installed.
  • f.
    If liquidtight flexible metal conduit contains a stainless steel core, a wire-type equipment grounding conductor or a bonding jumper in accordance with 250.102(E)(2) shall be installed.
Click to expand...
 
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