supporting EMT

[bori]

Hi,358.30. A contractor doing work in the building tells me that a pipe Two Feet long leaves a Jbox, a coupling installed. on the other side of coupling One foot away a strap. He tells me that the piece between the box and the coupling does not need support, and that he can also go as far as Three Feet from coupling if pipe from box is a less then Two Feet. Is this piece of raceway considered before a termination and does it need a support. Thank You

 

[petersonra]

Hi,358.30. A contractor doing work in the building tells me that a pipe Two Feet long leaves a Jbox, a coupling installed. on the other side of coupling One foot away a strap. He tells me that the piece between the box and the coupling does not need support, and that he can also go as far as Three Feet from coupling if pipe from box is a less then Two Feet. Is this piece of raceway considered before a termination and does it need a support. Thank You

Is there any requirement to support EMT at some minimum distance on either side of a coupling?

I think he can go 3 feet regardless of how long the chunk is attached to the box.

 

[bori]

358.30(A)..EMT must be securely fastened within 3 ft. of termination fitings and at intervals not exceeding 10 ft.

 

[petersonra]

358.30(A)..EMT must be securely fastened within 3 ft. of termination fitings and at intervals not exceeding 10 ft.

so we agree the support can be 3 feet from the box?

 

[don_resqcapt19]

It needs a support no matter how short it is. There is nothing in the code that says the conduit termination, itself, can be used as a support.

 

[infinity]

Something like this, doesn't matter where the coupling is in the run:

 

[Smart $]

358.30(A)..EMT must be securely fastened within 3 ft. of termination fitings and at intervals not exceeding 10 ft.

Where a coupling is located in the run has no bearing on securing and support distance requirements. The run must be secured at not more than 3 feet from the box (i.e. the run terminus).

 

[bori]

so if a pipe is 2.5 ft, it does not need a support before coupling?. Thank you for all of your help. Understanding the NEC is a great instructional tool. :thumbsup:

 

[Smart $]

so if a pipe is 2.5 ft, it does not need a support before coupling?. Thank you for all of your help. Understanding the NEC is a great instructional tool. :thumbsup:

Do you see any mention of coupling in the requirement?

358.30 Securing and Supporting. EMT shall be installed
as a complete system in accordance with 300.18 and shall
be securely fastened in place and supported in accordance
with 358.30(A) and (B).


(A) Securely Fastened. EMT shall be securely fastened in
place at least every 3 m (10 ft). In addition, each EMT run
between termination points shall be securely fastened
within 900 mm (3 ft) of each outlet box, junction box, device
box, cabinet, conduit body, or other tubing termination.

Exception No. 1: Fastening of unbroken lengths shall be
permitted to be increased to a distance of 1.5 m (5 ft) where
structural members do not readily permit fastening within
900 mm (3 ft).

Exception No. 2: For concealed work in finished buildings
or prefinished wall panels where such securing is impracticable,
unbroken lengths (without coupling) of EMT shall
be permitted to be fished.

(B) Supports. Horizontal runs of EMT supported by openings
through framing members at intervals not greater than
3 m (10 ft) and securely fastened within 900 mm (3 ft) of
termination points shall be permitted.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

so if a pipe is 2.5 ft, it does not need a support before coupling?. Thank you for all of your help. Understanding the NEC is a great instructional tool. :thumbsup:

It needs a support within 3' of each conduit termination. If the total run is less than 6', a single support will meet the requirement. There are no exceptions to the support rule, so even a 6" nipple will require support. I know that is not how it is normally done in the field, but it is what the rule requires.

 

[pjholguin]

I think it's called the urban legend of the EMT coupling...LOL! But as for the support of the EMT maybe a better code statement is need in the CB to define the need of min. of short distance of the tubing before a support is needed; just a thought.

PJHolguin

Do you see any mention of coupling in the requirement?

 

[don_resqcapt19]

I think it's called the urban legend of the EMT coupling...LOL! But as for the support of the EMT maybe a better code statement is need in the CB to define the need of min. of short distance of the tubing before a support is needed; just a thought.

PJHolguin

You have about a year to work up and submit your "public input" statement (proposal) for a 2017 code change.

 

[Strathead]

Hi,358.30. A contractor doing work in the building tells me that a pipe Two Feet long leaves a Jbox, a coupling installed. on the other side of coupling One foot away a strap. He tells me that the piece between the box and the coupling does not need support, and that he can also go as far as Three Feet from coupling if pipe from box is a less then Two Feet. Is this piece of raceway considered before a termination and does it need a support. Thank You

I may have missed this clarification, but there is a second part to your question. the code section presented by Smart$ covers it, but I didn't see anyone point it out. That being that your contractor is incorrect about the second part, or you misunderstood him. The first strap can be up to five feet away from the box, but only under certain conditions. Basically the pipe must be unbroken, so no couplings, and the design of the building must be such that you can't easily strap before that.

 

[infinity]

I think it's called the urban legend of the EMT coupling...LOL! But as for the support of the EMT maybe a better code statement is need in the CB to define the need of min. of short distance of the tubing before a support is needed; just a thought.

PJHolguin

Actually it's not an urban myth, prior to the 1993 NEC the wording stated that the support was required within 3' of each fitting.

1990 NEC:

348-12. Supports. Electrical metallic tubing shall be installed as a complete system as provided in Article 300 and shall be securely fastened in place at least every 10 feet (3.05 m) and within 3 feet (914 mm) of each outlet box, junction box, cabinet, or fitting.