conduit body cover instalation wet location "help please"

[stickycreationz]

HI all. In industrial electrical it is common practice to install LB's, LL's, LR''s with covers facing either down or side ways but never up. (For drainage) I cannot seem to come across it in the NEC. Does someone have any in site you can provide me with thank you.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

I am not aware of any such requirement in the NEC. The NEC, in 225.22, requires exterior conduits to be arranged to drain. 314.15 requires the conduit body to be suitable for use in wet locations. That almost always requires the use of a gasketed cover, so the position of the cover does not really make any difference.

 

[iwire]

HI all. In industrial electrical it is common practice to install LB's, LL's, LR''s with covers facing either down or side ways but never up. (For drainage) I cannot seem to come across it in the NEC. Does someone have any in site you can provide me with thank you.

I have never worked anywhere with such a rule and tome it makes no sense at all.

As Don pointed out gasketed covers are required and in all cases conduits in wet locations must be arranged to drain. I will often put some sort of drain hole in the lowest boxes, sometimes a drilled hole other times I notch the bottom of a gasket.

 

[Carultch]

HI all. In industrial electrical it is common practice to install LB's, LL's, LR''s with covers facing either down or side ways but never up. (For drainage) I cannot seem to come across it in the NEC. Does someone have any in site you can provide me with thank you.

There is no requirement to face the cover in any particular direction, provided that the assembled conduit body is listed for use in a wet location. Most listed wet location conduit bodies will have a gasket for the cover, in some form or another.

The one particular requirement that should concern you, when arranging a conduit body, is that the cover has to be accessible after the entire installation is complete. It is incorrect to orient a conduit body such that other raceways/equipment obstruct access to the cover, or to face the cover downward when there are only a few inches between the finished roof surface and the cover. Even if you install the wire before you obstruct its access.

 

[Fulthrotl]

HI all. In industrial electrical it is common practice to install LB's, LL's, LR''s with covers facing either down or side ways but never up. (For drainage) I cannot seem to come across it in the NEC. Does someone have any in site you can provide me with thank you.

not a requirement per NEC.

as iwire mentioned, in severe situations, (food prep wash down area)
sometimes people will drill a hole at the lowest point in a condulet,
to let seepage out, however, they usually plug with minerals and debris
in short order.

as these sort of areas are usually robroy or similar, drilling holes for
drainage is unwise. it'll just rust badly, and rust trails in a food prep
area make folks freak out.

and if there is water in a conduit, it's not really any worse than an
underground conduit filled with water, as is usually what happens.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

not a requirement per NEC.

as iwire mentioned, in severe situations, (food prep wash down area)
sometimes people will drill a hole at the lowest point in a condulet,
to let seepage out, however, they usually plug with minerals and debris
in short order.

The 2017 NEC will require the minimum size of this drain hole to be 1/8" for that reason. The maximum size will remain at 1/4" as it is now.

as these sort of areas are usually robroy or similar, drilling holes for
drainage is unwise. it'll just rust badly, and rust trails in a food prep
area make folks freak out.

Then you would use an actual drain fitting designed for the purpose and screwed into a hub on a conduit body at a low point.

and if there is water in a conduit, it's not really any worse than an
underground conduit filled with water, as is usually what happens.

But if the conduit is on an exterior of a building or structure, the code requires the conduit to be installed in a manner that permits drainage.

 

[Fulthrotl]

The 2017 NEC will require the minimum size of this drain hole to be 1/8" for that reason. The maximum size will remain at 1/4" as it is now.


Then you would use an actual drain fitting designed for the purpose and screwed into a hub on a conduit body at a low point.


But if the conduit is on an exterior of a building or structure, the code requires the conduit to be installed in a manner that permits drainage.

sigh. wrong on all accounts.
note to self. don't bother posting when you have the flu. it doesn't go well.

back to bed.