GerryB
Senior Member
- Location
- woodbridge, ct. USA
Any particular reason you used EMT and not PVC?
Bonding EMT on both ends
- Thread starter K8MHZ
- Start date
- Status
- Occupation
- Licensed Electrician
Is there a reason PVC is better? You have the neutral bonded to the meter can and the neutral bonded in the service disconnect; how much difference can a short piece of PVC make?
Looking at it the other way; what harm can a short piece of metal conduit cause?
- Location
- Massachusetts
- Occupation
- Licensed Electrician
I have no bonding issues and I like metal better than plastic.
Call me a classic Tonka Toy kinda guy.
Call me a classic Tonka Toy kinda guy.
K8MHZ
Senior Member
- Occupation
- Electrician
Yes. This is on a farm building in Michigan. It gets direct sunlight for half the day. It also gets real cold in the winter and the meter is on the wall closest to where the tractor used for snow removal is parked. I know for certain that it gets cold enough here for PVC to break if struck by a piece of equipment. If the service was on the wall on the opposite side of the building, I would have used PVC.
K8MHZ
Senior Member
- Occupation
- Electrician
I ran this by two inspectors I know, both very knowledgeable. Both agreed that I did NOT need the bond in the meter can because I had one in the breaker panel. One of them said they even knew the inspector that required 2 bond bushings and was very puzzled about why he would require both of them.
But, that is just how it is in Newaygo (New Waco. PM me if you need an explanation about that). They do things 'differently' there and there isn't much one person can do about it. If the building was 200 feet to the west, it would be in Muskegon Co. and this thread would not exist.
All seems to be well. The POCO connected and everything is working. One of these days I will measure the neutral current on the EMT just for fun.
But, that is just how it is in Newaygo (New Waco. PM me if you need an explanation about that). They do things 'differently' there and there isn't much one person can do about it. If the building was 200 feet to the west, it would be in Muskegon Co. and this thread would not exist.
All seems to be well. The POCO connected and everything is working. One of these days I will measure the neutral current on the EMT just for fun.
- Location
- Massachusetts
Yeah, you have to bond metal and that take parts and time.
As do I for a great many things but I have not hesitated to toss in a short section of PVC to get around the need to bond the raceway and to eliminate neutral current on raceways. I don't lose any sleep over current on raceways but at the same time if it costs less to avoid it .....
- Occupation
- Licensed Electrician
That's OK by me.
De gustibus no es desbutan- In matters of taste there can be no argument.
- Location
- Placerville, CA, USA
- Occupation
- Retired PV System Designer
I think it is more authoritative in the original Latin, but de gustibus non est disputandum. (There is no point in discussing (matters) of taste.)
- Occupation
- Licensed Electrician
Easy for you to translate proper since you had my rough one from memory.Words to live by at any rate right.
- Location
- Placerville, CA, USA
- Occupation
- Retired PV System Designer
Right.
GerryB
Senior Member
- Location
- woodbridge, ct. USA
So just out of curiosities? sake, when you do a service what do you normally use? I would say you can't use emt, would have to be ridgid, pvc, or seu cable. I normally run pvc for the riser and quite often seu from the meter to the panel. If it is a mast service then 2' ridgid, even if it is a 100a service.
K8MHZ
Senior Member
- Occupation
- Electrician
GerryB
Senior Member
- Location
- woodbridge, ct. USA
I was wondering about coming out of the hub on the meter, would you use a compression connector?
K8MHZ
Senior Member
- Occupation
- Electrician
Threaded RMC was used for that. No listing issues if that is where you are going with your question.
GerryB
Senior Member
- Location
- woodbridge, ct. USA
Yeah that is what I meant that I would say you could not use EMT for the riser, but ridgid up and emt down no problem. So did you get the issue resolved yet? or is your friend now an ex-friend
K8MHZ
Senior Member
- Occupation
- Electrician
Yeah that is what I meant that I would say you could not use EMT for the riser, but ridgid up and emt down no problem. So did you get the issue resolved yet? or is your friend now an ex-friend
Yeah, we're good, the inspector left his green sticker and the lights are on.
FWIW, we use EMT going up by screwing a compression style box connector into the flange. The inspectors all allow it. Same with PVC. We screw a box connector into the flange and pipe away.
What we don't do is use SE cable to the top of the meter, even though it's allowed.
GerryB
Senior Member
- Location
- woodbridge, ct. USA
Ok, don't know why I said that because I have used emt outside with compression fittings myself, just never thought of using it for a service. Even used it underground once for a pool and the inspector passed it. I don't use seu cable often. Years ago I had a service where water ran down inside the sheathing, through the meter and into the panel. There was so much water it was seeping out between the breakers. If I do use it now I make sure to put plenty of duct seal in the weatherhead.
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