Above live parts
- Thread starter Stubby
- Start date
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
Sealing locknuts?
Birken Vogt
Senior Member
- Location
- Grass Valley, Ca
What about regular watertight EMT fittings that come with a gasket for the outside? I thought those were compliant on their own while I see a lot installed into Meyers hubs and I know that is not right.
Greentagger
Senior Member
- Location
- Texas
- Occupation
- Master Electrician, Electrical Inspector
Actually , I believe certain brands of EMT fittings now have compatible threads. Long as the hub listing has caught up to this .
Birken Vogt
Senior Member
- Location
- Grass Valley, Ca
But why do this when the EMT fitting itself is theoretically watertight?
There is no bigger joke in the electrical industry than the rubber gaskets on rain right EMT fittings. By the time you get the locknut tight enough, the tapered shoulder on the connector pushes the gasket out. Give it a year in the sun and they are disintegrating.
I see installs all the time, raintight connectors, installer didn't tighten the fitting all the way so the gasket didn't push out, a year later the gasket has cracked and fallen off from sun exposure, and now the connector is loose and the fitting leaks as much as a set screw connector.
Regardless of the whole ul listing debate over it, I will continue to use raintight connectors threaded into Myers hubs for outdoor applications. People love talking about the "bonding issues" of straight threads into a hub. How is a locknut that is 1/8" thick is a better bonding path than 6-8 threads going into a metallic hub wrench tight?
I see installs all the time, raintight connectors, installer didn't tighten the fitting all the way so the gasket didn't push out, a year later the gasket has cracked and fallen off from sun exposure, and now the connector is loose and the fitting leaks as much as a set screw connector.
Regardless of the whole ul listing debate over it, I will continue to use raintight connectors threaded into Myers hubs for outdoor applications. People love talking about the "bonding issues" of straight threads into a hub. How is a locknut that is 1/8" thick is a better bonding path than 6-8 threads going into a metallic hub wrench tight?
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
Are those only listed for PVC terminal adapters?
Birken Vogt
Senior Member
- Location
- Grass Valley, Ca
How do the threads into the Meyers hub seal anything? Same gasket, same leak.
Gasket from the connector goes right in the trash. Bear down on them with a pipe wrench, the threads will seal the same way rigid does cranking them all the way in. Threads on the connector are still larger than the narrow end of the taper on rigid. Same goes for PVC TAs, never seen one leak threaded into a hub. Most of the time you have to use glue or dope to get them to seat all the way. Connector is thin walled and conforms to the female threads of the hub.
Birken Vogt
Senior Member
- Location
- Grass Valley, Ca
Thanks for the info, I'll put it in my pocket.
Still I have had enough leaks onto my equipment, my first choice is down the side and LL or LR or LB. Even if something leaks up the side, it is not likely to squirt across and hit the bussing.
Still I have had enough leaks onto my equipment, my first choice is down the side and LL or LR or LB. Even if something leaks up the side, it is not likely to squirt across and hit the bussing.