I am located in a chemical plant and we have been question on the need for conduit drains. We have cable trays that run through our process which is rated Class 1 Divison 2 and we come off the tray with rigid conduit. Usually at the low point we will install a conduit tee fitting and the bottom of the Tee we leave open. We have found that the drains made for this application plug up and dont do what they are supposed to do. We do this installation on a couple different applications. We do this on 480 volt motors, and the 120 volt controls. All the cables are tray rated 600 volt insulation and do not get stripped out until the connection box. We also do the same conduit install on our non incendive wiring. My question is, is it acceptable to leave the conduit fittings open to drain? Or by code do we have to install the UL drain in the conduit fitting. Only if the cables are spliced or stripped out do we install the conduit drain into the fitting. Thanks.
Class 1 Divison 2 Conduit Drains
- Thread starter bhicks31
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- MT Vernon, WA
Per 110.12(A) you cannot just leave it open. Have to plug it or use a listed fitting.
....If it's not a sleeve how are you doing the conduit makeup at the connection box,peckerhead or control station?I am looking at the 2011 NEC Handbook and under 110.12 (A) there is a note that says the section covers all unsed openings other than those openings used for mounting, cooling, or drainage to be closed up. But i cant find anything else about leaving the unused opening open spefically for a drain.
Conduit make up is usually made by CGB's or sealtite. We use CGB's if it is a non incendive circuit and a special cable. Everything else is made up with seal tite.
Conduit make up is usually made by CGB's or sealtite. We use CGB's if it is a non incendive circuit and a special cable. Everything else is made up with seal tite.
Well they don't plug up with water from condensation. The plugging solids have to be entering the conduit somewhere, probably where the cables come off the tray. Commonly not, but closing off with duct seal or CGB would probably eliminate the plugging problem.
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