Rain Tight vs Wet Location

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waynebeach

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There is now a big push to use "Raintight" fittings. Since 2002 UL de-listed Compression fittings for outdoor use and we see fittings now that are listed "RainTight". Raintight only shows up in the NEC book in Definitions but in NEC Art. 358.42 for EMT it says fittings must be listed for "wet locations". This may be semantics but the question has come up from a couple of Inspectors. Should the term "RainTight" be included in the "Wet Locations" Definition? it does show up in the NEC Handbook notes.........
 
I don't see the need for the change. Wet location means raintight fittings and the standard compression connectors and couplings are not considered raintight. There are, as you know, listed connectors for emt that are compression style but they are also raintight.
 
waynebeach said:
There is now a big push to use "Raintight" fittings. Since 2002 UL de-listed Compression fittings for outdoor use and we see fittings now that are listed "RainTight". Raintight only shows up in the NEC book in Definitions but in NEC Art. 358.42 for EMT it says fittings must be listed for "wet locations". This may be semantics but the question has come up from a couple of Inspectors. Should the term "RainTight" be included in the "Wet Locations" Definition? it does show up in the NEC Handbook notes.........
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The difference is whether you expect the fitting to be submerged in water, or simply subject to minor amounts of water that will easily drain off of it.

You can use raintight fittings outside on a wall, but you cannot use them outside underground where water will accumulate. Unless they are otherwise listed for a wet location.
 
Does anyone have a picture of the 2 types, 1 being compression for wet locations and the other that is compression, raintight?
I didnt know there were 2 types.
 
One has a gasket both on the thread end and also in the compression end.



steel_emt_comp_rt_conn_insul.jpg
 
Carultch said:
The difference is whether you expect the fitting to be submerged in water, or simply subject to minor amounts of water that will easily drain off of it.

You can use raintight fittings outside on a wall, but you cannot use them outside underground where water will accumulate. Unless they are otherwise listed for a wet location.
Click to expand...

Emt is listed for direct burial depending on soil conditions so I suspect the RT fittings would also be listed for that install but I am not certain.
 
Ive seen it in both concrete and direct burial, and it doesnt last very long (in Michigan). We have been using the rain tight fittings for a couple years but I haven't found one that I really care for. It seems that thw threads will hand start easy enough but then cross thread before they are really tight. Most supply houses are stocking the Bridgeport brand and the really frustrate me. I almost think they make the new rule counter productive. Has anyone found a better brand? What ever happened to "arrange to drain" I am a believer that mother nature will eventually win, so make sure there is a weap hole to let the water out. "Caulk the top and drain the bottom".
 
Does the NEC greatly differentiate between wet locations and raintight definitions?

Location, Wet. Installations underground or in concrete
slabs or masonry in direct contact with the earth; in loca-
tions subject to saturation with water or other liquids, such
as vehicle washing areas; and in unprotected locations ex-
posed to weather.
Click to expand...
Raintight. Constructed or protected so that exposure to a
beating rain will not result in the entrance of water under
specified test conditions.
Click to expand...
 
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