Raceways and Enclosures

[Jered]

Hi, I am a new EE, have just started my first job (hopefully my last) yesterday, and this is the first forum that I have joined. So, thank you for your expertise and advice, in advance. Here we go...

The system was designed for indoor use. The customer stores it outside and wants a retrofit under warranty. It is getting murky for me with the NEC definitions for "enclosures", "energized", and "raceways". Part of the product has conduit and a pull-box. The customer's tool specification states that all enclosures shall be NEMA 4X rated. I consider the p-box to be a raceway, as per the NEC definition, and not an enclosure. OK, good for me.

Conversely, would a raceway be considered an "enclosure"? That would be bad for me. That is my question I would love some feedback on from people who know a lot more the me! Thanks again!

 

[infinity]

Unless it's a wireway a pull box is not a raceway, it's a pull box. Also it's not an enclosure if it's being used as a pull box. A pull box would be covered under Article 314.

Welcome to the Forum.

 

[augie47]

Welcome.
FWIW, I rarely see the term "enclosure" used in NEC discussion especially in regard to wiring methods (raceways, boxes, etc) and from the definition in Art 100 that, to me, makes sense.
Cabinets (Art 312), Junction and pull boxes (Art 314), Raceways (Art 384-8), and Conduits (various Articles) are more commonplace terms.

 

[petersonra]

Hi, I am a new EE, have just started my first job (hopefully my last) yesterday, and this is the first forum that I have joined. So, thank you for your expertise and advice, in advance. Here we go...

The system was designed for indoor use. The customer stores it outside and wants a retrofit under warranty. It is getting murky for me with the NEC definitions for "enclosures", "energized", and "raceways". Part of the product has conduit and a pull-box. The customer's tool specification states that all enclosures shall be NEMA 4X rated. I consider the p-box to be a raceway, as per the NEC definition, and not an enclosure. OK, good for me.

Conversely, would a raceway be considered an "enclosure"? That would be bad for me. That is my question I would love some feedback on from people who know a lot more the me! Thanks again!

I suspect the customer had an expectation that the unit was suitable for putting outside and it was not made that way. You can claim that your unit met the bare minimum requirements of what the spec actually said if enclosures were made type 4X and nothing else was suitable for an outdoor environment but you will likely lose a customer over it, as you should. This kind of weaseling will annoy a customer to no end.

 

[jim dungar]

Pay attention to the wording of the specifications. Using 'slang' can get you into trouble.
NEMA 4X rated equipment and enclosures can be metallic (e.g. stainless steel or galvanized) or non-metallic (e.g. PVC is quite common especially for raceways).

 

[Jered]

This my third day on the job, so I'm still trying to get up to speed. The following is the part of the customer's tool spec in question:

"All enclosures, exposed control devices and external enable and E-stops shall be NEMA 4X"

The customer is saying the pull-box is an enclosure. That was my confusion as I started going through NEC definitions in the NFPA 70 (2017) and NFPA 79 (2015).

If the tool was designed for a wet environment, then the conduit and pull-box should have been modified for this condition iaw NEC Article 314.15 and NFPA Article 13.5.1.3 (drain holes).

I don't think we are trying to weasel out of anything, it almost seems like the customer is trying to cover their butts. It is my understanding that this design was approved and the tool accepted a year ago. There were two different groups involved on the customer's end where the miscommunication happened. Additionally, the mechanical design of the tool was handled by a different outfit and was not designed for the wet environment. That's all I know about it.

We definitely don't want to lose a customer over this, but we don't want to get screwed either.

From all of your feedback, it seems like we should be able keep the pull-boxes in place, but modify them for the environment.

I feel like a fish out of water right now, so I REALLY appreciate everyone's time, feedback, and experience! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

 

[infinity]

It's a pull box but that would still need to comply with 314.15.

II. Installation
314.15 Damp or Wet Locations. In damp or wet loca-
tions, boxes, conduit bodies, and fittings shall be placed or
equipped so as to prevent moisture from entering or accu-
mulating within the box, conduit body, or fitting. Boxes,
conduit bodies, and fittings installed in wet locations shall
be listed for use in wet locations. Approved drainage open-
ings not larger than 6 mm ( 1 ⁄ 4 in.) shall be permitted to be
installed in the field in boxes or conduit bodies listed for
use in damp or wet locations. For installation of listed drain
fittings, larger openings are permitted to be installed in the
field in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions.

 

[Carultch]

Hi, I am a new EE, have just started my first job (hopefully my last) yesterday, and this is the first forum that I have joined. So, thank you for your expertise and advice, in advance. Here we go...

The system was designed for indoor use. The customer stores it outside and wants a retrofit under warranty. It is getting murky for me with the NEC definitions for "enclosures", "energized", and "raceways". Part of the product has conduit and a pull-box. The customer's tool specification states that all enclosures shall be NEMA 4X rated. I consider the p-box to be a raceway, as per the NEC definition, and not an enclosure. OK, good for me.

Conversely, would a raceway be considered an "enclosure"? That would be bad for me. That is my question I would love some feedback on from people who know a lot more the me! Thanks again!

If job specifications call for all "enclosures" to be NEMA4X, then this means any time you use a product sold as an enclosure no matter what the application in your project, it has to be NEMA4X. This is true whether it is a pull box, junction box, transition box, or a housing for manufactured product.

 

[petersonra]

If job specifications call for all "enclosures" to be NEMA4X, then this means any time you use a product sold as an enclosure no matter what the application in your project, it has to be NEMA4X. This is true whether it is a pull box, junction box, transition box, or a housing for manufactured product.

As an aside, NEMA enclosure types still exist but for the most part have been superseded by UL types with the same designation. There are a few enclosures out there that are designated UL type XX but not with the same NEMA type. You see NEMA type is something determined by the manufacturer and requires no 3rd party certification or testing. Just a statement by the manufacturer that it meets the standard. A UL type enclosure has been 3rd party tested.

I don't recall if NEMA enclosure specs say anything about openings in the box but the UL specs require them to be closed appropriately. If they are not closed in the ways UL allows for a specific type enclosure, it can affect the actual rating of the enclosure. For instance, if you use EMT on a type 4X box, per UL I think the box rating changes from type 4X to type 1.