john37
Senior Member
- Location
- Riverside, California
I'm trying to figure out if I can use a 1 1/2" EMT instead of a 2" EMT for 4 #1/0 and 1 #6 ground based on these calculations. Instead of using NEC 2008 "Table C.1" I have calculated the maximum capacity of the1 1-1/2" conduit based on "Table 4". This table shows the maximum allowable percent fill on that particular conduit size. The following are my calculations. Please confirm if I am doing this correctly.
"Table C.1 Maximum Number of Conductors or Fixture Wires in Electrical Metallic Tubing (EMT)" on page #70-705 for THHN conductors it allows to install (4)#1/0 in a 1-1/2" or (7)#1/0 in a 2" conduit. Now refer to "Table 4 Dimensions and Percent Area of Conduit and Tubing (Areas of Conduit or Tubing for the Combinations of Wires Permitted in Table 1, Chapter 9)" on page #70-672. "Table 1" states that you are allowed up to 40% of the cross section of conduit and tubing for more than 2 conductors. Now referring back to "Table 4", for trade size 1-1/2" conduit we are allowed up to 0.814 square inch of fill in EMT. "Table 5 Dimensions of Insulated Conductors and Fixture Wires" on page #70-678 lists the approximate area of #1/0 THHN as 0.1885 square inch and #6 THHN as 0.0507 square inch. Using these approximate areas, we get the total approximate area of the #1/0 as 0.742 square inch for four conductors. The total approximate area of the #1/0 THHN plus the approximate area of the #6 THHN equals 0.7927 square inch. This total is below the 0.814 square inch as listed in "Table 4". Based on this calculation, am I still within code and can use 1 1/2" EMT instead of 2" EMT?
The reason why I ask if that I have stacked electrical rooms with very limited space and by using 1 1/2" EMT it should be easier to work with bends, etc.
"Table C.1 Maximum Number of Conductors or Fixture Wires in Electrical Metallic Tubing (EMT)" on page #70-705 for THHN conductors it allows to install (4)#1/0 in a 1-1/2" or (7)#1/0 in a 2" conduit. Now refer to "Table 4 Dimensions and Percent Area of Conduit and Tubing (Areas of Conduit or Tubing for the Combinations of Wires Permitted in Table 1, Chapter 9)" on page #70-672. "Table 1" states that you are allowed up to 40% of the cross section of conduit and tubing for more than 2 conductors. Now referring back to "Table 4", for trade size 1-1/2" conduit we are allowed up to 0.814 square inch of fill in EMT. "Table 5 Dimensions of Insulated Conductors and Fixture Wires" on page #70-678 lists the approximate area of #1/0 THHN as 0.1885 square inch and #6 THHN as 0.0507 square inch. Using these approximate areas, we get the total approximate area of the #1/0 as 0.742 square inch for four conductors. The total approximate area of the #1/0 THHN plus the approximate area of the #6 THHN equals 0.7927 square inch. This total is below the 0.814 square inch as listed in "Table 4". Based on this calculation, am I still within code and can use 1 1/2" EMT instead of 2" EMT?
The reason why I ask if that I have stacked electrical rooms with very limited space and by using 1 1/2" EMT it should be easier to work with bends, etc.
