EMT Conduit Bending

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kriverswaters

Member
Where in the NEC code book does it mention that you can't bend an EMT conduit over "90" degrees?
All I can find is Table 344.24. If I have a bend at "92" degrees, is it a code violation?
 
iwire

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
Re: EMT Conduit Bending

You can bend up to 360 degrees between pull points.

If you chose to do that all in one bend it is not a violation.

It would be odd but allowed. :D
 
physis

physis

Senior Member
Re: EMT Conduit Bending

I'm not looking it up, so don't trust what I say without checking.

The only limitaion I'm aware of is 180? worth of bends between pulls or junctions.

Edit: Oops, did I say 180? Bob's right, 360?.

[ May 05, 2005, 07:23 PM: Message edited by: physis ]
 
physis

physis

Senior Member
Re: EMT Conduit Bending

I've had to do it before. It's hard to do well. But sometimes it's a better solution.

So, We meet again Bob Badger!

[ May 05, 2005, 06:57 PM: Message edited by: physis ]
 
paul

paul

Senior Member
Location
Snohomish, WA
Re: EMT Conduit Bending

360 is between pull points is correct. You can bend it all in one stick of pipe if you've got back to back to back 90's with a 45?x45? offset. If you do that, please post a picture of it. It's be interesting...especially with a one-shot bender. One guy here locally always says, "No more than two bends in a stick of pipe. After that, use a coupling or else you're wasting time!"

On this note, we had a guy working for us 15 years ago that could make a functional safety-pin shape out of a 10' stick of pipe. I do believe he used a hicky to make it. The guy was incredible with conduit.
 
physis

physis

Senior Member
Re: EMT Conduit Bending

Twisting pipe is definately a form of art. I happen to disagree with 2 90's being some kind of limit. It might be easier on the brain, but that doesn't mean that somebody better at it can't do it faster. Although I will cut my losses to save time when it gets tricky.
 
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hurk27

Senior Member
Location
Portage, Indiana NEC: 2008
Re: EMT Conduit Bending

We call them goose neck bends and are very widely used to go from a horizontal run across an attic to a light box to come into the back.

Edited to add that most conduit bending books even show you how to do this bend correctly.

[ May 06, 2005, 07:40 PM: Message edited by: hurk27 ]
 
P

peter

Senior Member
Location
San Diego
Re: EMT Conduit Bending

When I was beginning, I had to connecy two boxes in the same stud bay on opposite corners [one in the hall and the other in the room]. I couldn't use an offset. So I invented something that looked like a Greek "Omega" [the Ohms symbol]. It went up, bent 30? away, then a 270?, then another 30? to enter the other box. Keith didn't like it but had no better idea. Never heard of box extensions at that time. He replaced it with flex.
~Peter
 
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hurk27

Senior Member
Location
Portage, Indiana NEC: 2008
Re: EMT Conduit Bending

I couldn't use an offset
Click to expand...
Why not? Have you ever used a two piece connector?

2702_2703.gif
 
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dnbob

Senior Member
Location
Rochester, MN
Re: EMT Conduit Bending

Every inspector I have worked with would use the wording from 358.26 ...equivalant of 4 quarter bends... as the bases that no bend greater than 90 degrees is allowed. They also have required a strap within 3' of every coupling. They feel that a coupling is the termination of the conduit.

Bob
 
iwire

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
Re: EMT Conduit Bending

Originally posted by dnbob:
Every inspector I have worked with would use the wording from 358.26 ...equivalant of 4 quarter bends... as the bases that no bend greater than 90 degrees is allowed. They also have required a strap within 3' of every coupling. They feel that a coupling is the termination of the conduit.
Bob
Click to expand...
Well I would say they are wrong on both counts. :p
 
P

peter

Senior Member
Location
San Diego
Re: EMT Conduit Bending

Hurk 27,
I don't think that would help. The wall were maybe 6" deep with 16" O/C studs [14 1/2" space] thus leaving 6 1/2" abailable for a maybe 1 1/2" or so offset. Hence the problem.
~Peter
 
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allenwayne

Senior Member
Re: EMT Conduit Bending

Has anyone ever used a close radius bender ?Back in 1979 i was doing oceanfront condos in boca raton fla.and i remember that we had a 1/2 in close radius bender.
 
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kriverswaters

Member
Re: EMT Conduit Bending

That is what started this conduit discussion with me. I had an Electrical Inspector wite up a violation last week on a 3\4" EMT bend that was a little over 90 degrees. The EMT was not damaged in any way, so I didn't understand this violation. Of coarse, he didn't write the violation code number, because there isn't one.
 
paul

paul

Senior Member
Location
Snohomish, WA
Re: EMT Conduit Bending

Originally posted by allenwayne:
Has anyone ever used a close radius bender ?Back in 1979 i was doing oceanfront condos in boca raton fla.and i remember that we had a 1/2 in close radius bender.
Click to expand...
Yep and I've got it in my van, too.

Originally posted by kriverswaters:
That is what started this conduit discussion with me. I had an Electrical Inspector wite up a violation last week on a 3\4" EMT bend that was a little over 90 degrees. The EMT was not damaged in any way, so I didn't understand this violation. Of coarse, he didn't write the violation code number, because there isn't one.
Click to expand...
The inspector is wrong on this one. I would definately ask for a code reference on this one. The code says that 'there shall not be more than the equivalant of four 1/4 bends (360 degrees total) between pull points.' I read nothing about one bend greater than 90 degrees anywhere in 358.26. It doesn't even mention 90 degrees. Challenge him on it.

Orignally posted by dnbob:

...They also have required a strap within 3' of every coupling. They feel that a coupling is the termination of the conduit.
Click to expand...
WOW...now there's another new one on me. I guess they failed to read the 10' strap rule. By their definition, it would negate any need for a strap every 10' if I put one on both ends of a 10' stick of pipe. Talk about alot of extra time and material. Seeing how 358.30(A) goes on to include such items as an outlet box, j-box, device box, condulet and cabinet, it's easy to see the code is talking about where the conduit terminates, not couples together, for strapping purposes when you figure in the 10' rule and the above examples of terminations. Some guys need to go back to Logic 101. :roll:
 
H

hess

Member
Re: EMT Conduit Bending

paul
every spec book if ever read on a commercial job dictates how to strap conduit
all i have ever read, says 3 feet from a box, 3 feet from a coupling, 3 feet from a bend, then every 10 feet apart.
if you start on a straight run and strap within 3 feet of the box, then install a strap 10 feet from that strap it will be within 3 feet of the coupling
the reason the engineer wants it like that is to keep the conduit straight because if you strap it in the center of the conduit. it would look like a see saw running down the wall.
 
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