rain tight mitigation/extended pull body

Ken Forest · Aug 10, 2023

i need some wise man's advice out there on these two mess-ups....

Brought an inspector to see our job yesterday, he did not like all the compression couplings/connectors i run because they were not 'RAIN TIGHT'.
i have known this code for a while but since no other inspectors had said anything about it for years it had slipped away from me... now this guy is serious about this (314.15./358.42). I get that. it is my fault. i am trying to fix it now.
my question is that if i used XHHW-2 wires (for wet location), would that be ok without having to fix the fittings to 'rain tight' the raceway?. I m not sure... maybe not.
second, he mentioned about heat shrink around the fittings to 'rain tight' so that we don't have to pull all wires out and replace them all... seems it is still time consuming as well. Or if you have any better way to solve this mess.

other issue i had with him was 3"LBs. i put 'regular LBs' and he asked me what the wire size gonna be, i said '500kcmil'... then he said i have to use larger LBs so that the wires run is not 'damaged with too much bent (314.28/314.28A.3). i looked into it and they are not cheap. and out of stock in many places. Should i replace with nema 3R junction box? i am running two parallel run of 3". any advice on this?

Thank you guys for your feedback. appreciate it as always.

electrofelon · Aug 10, 2023

I feel your pain, that RT fittings thing was one of the most horrible ridiculous code changes/additions - a solution in search of a problem. Conductors are already required to be wet rated and raceways are required to drain, etc. RT fittings leak all the time, they don't even work. Unfortunately, I don't see any way to make it compliant without replacing the fittings, but maybe ask the inspector if he will accept one of your ideas, ya never know .

Regarding the LB's, they almost always have less conductor capacity than the raceway, so you have to be careful with that. In general, I kinda hate LB's and prefer just using a box and it's usually cheaper too.

Strathead · Aug 10, 2023

Ken Forest said:
i need some wise man's advice out there on these two mess-ups....

Brought an inspector to see our job yesterday, he did not like all the compression couplings/connectors i run because they were not 'RAIN TIGHT'.
i have known this code for a while but since no other inspectors had said anything about it for years it had slipped away from me... now this guy is serious about this (314.15./358.42). I get that. it is my fault. i am trying to fix it now.
my question is that if i used XHHW-2 wires (for wet location), would that be ok without having to fix the fittings to 'rain tight' the raceway?. I m not sure... maybe not.
second, he mentioned about heat shrink around the fittings to 'rain tight' so that we don't have to pull all wires out and replace them all... seems it is still time consuming as well. Or if you have any better way to solve this mess.

other issue i had with him was 3"LBs. i put 'regular LBs' and he asked me what the wire size gonna be, i said '500kcmil'... then he said i have to use larger LBs so that the wires run is not 'damaged with too much bent (314.28/314.28A.3). i looked into it and they are not cheap. and out of stock in many places. Should i replace with nema 3R junction box? i am running two parallel run of 3". any advice on this?

Thank you guys for your feedback. appreciate it as always.

I agree with electrofan regarding the wet location. Regarding the LB's, that is the code. When I first got busted for this, my reaction was, "Why do they make them too small to fit the wires in, then?" I have never found a good answer to that, but as I thought about it, I can't recall a good electrician that didn't complain about trying to pull big wire through an LB, or using a 2x4 to get that last kink in the hole. So, the code is a good one, and every jurisdiction should follow it. I promise you they do in my region of Florida.

Ken Forest · Aug 10, 2023

Thanks for your sympathy.
live and learn... at least my boss feels my pain.

AC\DC · Aug 10, 2023

I don’t think I have seen a compression coupler that was not rain tight

Halex 1 in. Electrical Metallic Tube (EMT) Rain Tight Connectors 62511 - The Home Depot

Get the Halex 1 in. Raintight EMT Connectors (5-Pack) 62511, galvanized steel to fix EMT conduit to steel outlet boxes, load centers or other metal enclosures where wet at The Home Depot

www.homedepot.com

Is this like what you used.

To be honest outside at the beach it’s always pvc. I don’t do emt outside

LarryFine · Aug 10, 2023

Strathead said:
When I first got busted for this, my reaction was, "Why do they make them too small to fit the wires in, then?" I have never found a good answer to that, but as I thought about it, I can't recall a good electrician that didn't complain about trying to pull big wire through an LB, or using a 2x4 to get that last kink in the hole.