Counduit drain holes ???

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Twoskinsoneman

Twoskinsoneman

Senior Member
Location
West Virginia, USA NEC: 2020
Occupation
Facility Senior Electrician
Ever put drain holes in metal raceway.
I was just thinking of a situation where you had some tubing or pipe going up the side of a building. If the pipe goes straight into the back of a panel it seems any leaks would drain into the panel.

Has this ever happened to anyone?
 
I have drilled weep holes in LBs, weatherproof boxes, and wallpack light fixtures. It seems to me, that the foam gaskets they provide with these items soak water up like sponge, but dont allow it to flow back out.
 
Twoskinsoneman said:
Ever put drain holes in metal raceway.
I was just thinking of a situation where you had some tubing or pipe going up the side of a building. If the pipe goes straight into the back of a panel it seems any leaks would drain into the panel.

Has this ever happened to anyone?
Click to expand...

Happens all the time.

Drain fittings are available for RC cast or malleable fittings. Install one T before entering the side or bottom of enclosure. Mind you these fittings are designed to relieve condensation not driven rain that enters into the conduit system through loose or missing covers. Sometimes these are substituted with drilled plugs, but IMO that is modifying the component in a way that it was not intended to be used.

Never enter and outdoor enclosure from the top is a cardinal rule we practice.
 
weressl said:
Happens all the time.

Drain fittings are available for RC cast or malleable fittings. Install one T before entering the side or bottom of enclosure. Mind you these fittings are designed to relieve condensation not driven rain that enters into the conduit system through loose or missing covers. Sometimes these are substituted with drilled plugs, but IMO that is modifying the component in a way that it was not intended to be used.

Never enter and outdoor enclosure from the top is a cardinal rule we practice.
Click to expand...

If you have 50ft of pipe going up in the air it is conceivable that even coming into the bottom of a panel the water level in the pipe could rise with the head pressure of a filling conduit to the poin the it would enter the panel...Of course this IS assuming some improperly installed fitting/cover/whatever on the pipe.
 
Twoskinsoneman said:
Where in the code is it?
Click to expand...

225.22 Raceways on Exterior Surfaces of Buildings or
Other Structures.​
​
​
Raceways on exteriors of buildings or
other structures shall be arranged to drain and shall be​

raintight in wet locations.

230.53 Raceways to Drain.​
​
​
Where exposed to the
weather, raceways enclosing service-entrance conductors
shall be suitable for use in wet locations and arranged to
drain. Where embedded in masonry, raceways shall be arranged​

to drain.

501.15 Sealing and Drainage.....
​
​
​
(F) Drainage.
(1) Control Equipment.​
​
​
Where there is a probability that
liquid or other condensed vapor may be trapped within
enclosures for control equipment or at any point in the
raceway system, approved means shall be provided to prevent
accumulation or to permit periodic draining of such​

liquid or condensed vapor.

600.9 Location......
​
​
​
(D) Wet Location.​
​
​
Signs and outline lighting system
equipment for wet location use, other than listed watertight
type, shall be weatherproof and have drain holes, as necessary,
in accordance with the following:
(1) Drain holes shall not be larger than 13 mm (1⁄2 in.) or
smaller than 6 mm (1⁄4 in.).
(2) Every low point or isolated section of the equipment
shall have at least one drain hole.
(3) Drain holes shall be positioned such that there will be​

no external obstructions.
 
Twoskinsoneman said:
If you have 50ft of pipe going up in the air it is conceivable that even coming into the bottom of a panel the water level in the pipe could rise with the head pressure of a filling conduit to the poin the it would enter the panel...Of course this IS assuming some improperly installed fitting/cover/whatever on the pipe.
Click to expand...

IMU, the Code provisions do not have allowance for improper installation.
 
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