Are LB’s legal

[jap]

If it's not too far and if I can, I'll pipe it and pull individual conductors.

I think wire bending space in any LB and lug orientation in any residential meter, meter/main or loadcenter lack a lot to be desired.

You might get spoiled by the location of lugs in an offset meter every now and then but not very often.

Jap>

 

[jaggedben]

I'm not sure why you would want to fight a #4/0 SE cable into any conduit body. In many cases you can just use an elbow. I redid my 200 amp service where I ripped out the 2" LB and used 2" PVC with an elbow instead.

I see a lot of cable brought through the crawl and then into an LB where it goes outside to go up into the exterior meter/main. An elbow does not work for that. But a box and a oversize nipple works better, and also makes it much easier for me (the guy who comes after) to cleanly add or relocate circuits.

 

[jaggedben]

Many such details? What other repercussions are there attributable solely to having upsized the LB to larger than the conduit? I mean, you'll need reducers, but that's obvious. The support requirement is not obvious.

It's just that while there are some cases where upsizing the conduit body one size meets the requirements, there are also many where it does not. Either due to the standard conduit body size not changing enough, or the max fill markings, or for example that it wouldn't allow the use of LLs, LRs, etc, only LBs.

 

[infinity]

I see a lot of cable brought through the crawl and then into an LB where it goes outside to go up into the exterior meter/main. An elbow does not work for that. But a box and a oversize nipple works better, and also makes it much easier for me (the guy who comes after) to cleanly add or relocate circuits.

Yes there are times when an elbow won't work but there many times that it will, most guys use the LB with the violation anyway.

 

[tortuga]

He never said that it was code compliant. I'm guessing that it being a violation was his point.

Yeah my point exactly, its a fairly common around here to see 4/0 - 4/0 - 2/0 and a #4 Al pulled thru a 2" LB.
I think even without the #4 EGC I'd be at 0.8584 so still a violation.
I am guilty of doing it also.
Ordering upsized LB's is a good habit to get into, if your the one doing the ordering.

 

[mtnelect]

You can't use this type of condulets in the service conductors.

 

[tortuga]

You can't use this type of condulets in the service conductors.

Thats interesting, man its really different here, why do you guys in California put a conduit reducer before the weatherhead and again before the meter? I also would not build it into the wall, rather on the siding exterior.


Here we don't use reducers unless its like 3" PVC form a underground into a 200A meter can.
I see LB's and conduit bodies used here on service conductors after the utility meter, typically on old farms and ranches.
For example a farm will have a meter (and thats it no main) on the pole closest to the main road, then the conductors from that pole to the different buildings are what I call service conductors, as they don't land on a breaker till they enter each building. I know some guys call everything after the meter a feeder, but I go by the code definitions.
After the utility meter can the poles or underground conduit or whatever you have are the customers responsibility POCO has no say in what happens.

 

[mtnelect]

Thats interesting, man its really different here, why do you guys in California put a conduit reducer before the weatherhead and again before the meter? I also would not build it into the wall, rather on the siding exterior.

View attachment 2574164
Here we don't use reducers unless its like 3" PVC form a underground into a 200A meter can.
I see LB's and conduit bodies used here on service conductors after the utility meter, typically on old farms and ranches.
For example a farm will have a meter (and thats it no main) on the pole closest to the main road, then the conductors from that pole to the different buildings are what I call service conductors, as they don't land on a breaker till they enter each building. I know some guys call everything after the meter a feeder, but I go by the code definitions.
After the utility meter can the poles or underground conduit or whatever you have are the customers responsibility POCO has no say in what happens.

This is out of the realm of the NEC (National Electric Code) ... They don't want people stealing electricity.

 

[mtnelect]

Electric Utility Service Equipment Requirements Committee (EUSERC) was formed in 1983 when the Southern California group PUSERC (formed in 1947) and the Northern California group WUESSC (formed in 1950) merged. At this time there were approximately 40 utilities involved. There are now 80 utilities involved in EUSERC from 14 states. The purpose of the organization is to promote uniform electric service requirements among the member utilities, publish existing utility service requirements for electric service equipment and provide direction for development of future metering technology. EUSERC's goal is to support the development of metering and service equipment that is safe and cost effective to the serving agencies and their customers, and to establish manufacturing and installation requirements for metering and service equipment that are acceptable to all member utilities.

 

[mtnelect]

If you are "Straight Arrow" ... you don't want anyone stealing electricity.

 

[LarryFine]

. . . why do you guys in California put a conduit reducer before the weatherhead and again before the meter?

For the strength of the greater diameter for the mast, I imagine.

 

[Fred B]

they have 2 different types of lb not sure if either makes any difference for bend radius
one sold as a service LB

and more typical lb

 

[augie47]

I damaged conductors more than once before I discovered the Mogul LBs.
Difference is night & day IMO. Used some moguls on a run of 750AL. was more like laying the conductors in a raceway.

 

[jaggedben]

Thats interesting, man its really different here, why do you guys in California put a conduit reducer before the weatherhead and again before the meter? ...

I'm in northern California and I've never ever seen that. Maybe it's a soCal thing. I have heard that PG&E doesn't want LBs on the line side of their meter, make stealing electricity harder.

 

[jaggedben]

I damaged conductors more than once before I discovered the Mogul LBs.
Difference is night & day IMO. Used some moguls on a run of 750AL. was more like laying the conductors in a raceway.

Didn't know about those. Learn something new ever day.

 

[jap]

I damaged conductors more than once before I discovered the Mogul LBs.
Difference is night & day IMO. Used some moguls on a run of 750AL. was more like laying the conductors in a raceway.

Same here.
Never got to use a Mogul LB but they seem to be the ticket.
Our company would never flip the bill for them nor did they ever seem to have the correct size in stock.

I have used a 4x4x24" gutter a time or two through the long side if it was inside.
Long story short, I try to avoid LB's on the larger wire runs.

Jap.

 

[Dsg319]

Trouble with getting wires in an LB? Get your self a 2x4, a three pound sledge, and a torch for those real cold days when the wire don’t like to bend.

Just tell the inspector you’ve got to help the carpenters a bit if he sees you with those tools in your hands.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Yes there are times when an elbow won't work but there many times that it will, most guys use the LB with the violation anyway.

Yep, remember seeing a two by four and a sledge hammer used to to get 500 kcmil into a LB

 

[jap]

Trouble with getting wires in an LB? Get your self a 2x4, a three pound sledge, and a torch for those real cold days when the wire don’t like to bend.

Just tell the inspector you’ve got to help the carpenters a bit if he sees you with those tools in your hands.

The bad thing is the inspector has no say on how I get my wire in the pipe, and, He also won't be there to help when is shorts out and we have to replace everything.

Jap>

 

[LarryFine]