Is a "wire trough" considered a raceway by definition? A section of wire trough used to splice service conductors under some meter cabinets, conductors then go through nipples to service disconnects, can feeders go back through the wire trough? or is this a violation of 230.7?
Wire trough
- Thread starter MichaelJ
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
A wireway, Article 376, is a raceway. An auxiliary gutter, Article 366, is not.
Based on your description, you have a wireway, and nothing other than service conductors can be in it.
Based on your description, you have a wireway, and nothing other than service conductors can be in it.
- Location
- Bremerton, Washington
- Occupation
- Master Electrician
Wireways are very common, Aux Gutters much less so. knowing what it is defined as, we can find the rules for it
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
The NEC term is a wireway and yes it's a type of raceway. If the service disconnects have no load side conductors in the wireway then there is no violation.
Carultch
Senior Member
- Location
- Massachusetts
The NEC may call them both wireways and treat them under the same rules, but manufacturers have a distinct meaning to each term. A wireway only has 4 out of the 6 sides, because it is intended that you couple it to adjacent straight sections, and terminate it with closure caps. A wire trough is a complete enclosure with all 6 sides, which will require nipple/locknut/bushing assemblies to join them together.
A NEMA3R wireway is significantly different from a NEMA3R wire trough, in terms of which one will work for your application and which one will not. The NEMA3R wireway has a top cover, and the wire trough has a front cover. This is something that is easily overlooked during design, so it is important to get the terminology correct.
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
The NEC uses the word wireway in Article 376, not sure where you're getting wire trough from.
wwhitney
Senior Member
- Location
- Berkeley, CA
- Occupation
- Retired
For metal box shaped things, what's the difference between a cabinet (Article 312), a junction/pull box (Article 314), a metal wireway (Article 376), and an auxiliary gutter (Article 366)? How can I tell one from the other?
For outdoor applications, 314 and 376 requires junction/pull boxes and metal wireways to be listed, but 312 and 366 do not require cabinets or auxiliary gutters to be listed. So can I take a products listed as a junction/pull box or as a metal wireway, but use and install it in a way that complies with 312 for cabinets or 366 for auxiliary gutters, and be subject only to 312/366, not 314/376?
[Listing requirements from the 2017 NEC, I didn't check 2020 or 2023 as I can't do word search on those documents.]
Cheers, Wayne
For outdoor applications, 314 and 376 requires junction/pull boxes and metal wireways to be listed, but 312 and 366 do not require cabinets or auxiliary gutters to be listed. So can I take a products listed as a junction/pull box or as a metal wireway, but use and install it in a way that complies with 312 for cabinets or 366 for auxiliary gutters, and be subject only to 312/366, not 314/376?
[Listing requirements from the 2017 NEC, I didn't check 2020 or 2023 as I can't do word search on those documents.]
Cheers, Wayne
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
Auxiliary gutters must increase the wiring space within the cabinet or other equipment. It is connected to the cabinet with a large opening that expands the space within the cabinet or other equipment. One common example is a top hat on an MCC that provides additional space for the connection of the line side feeder conductors.
In general, if the item in question, is connected to the cabinet or other equipment with conduits of any type, it is a wireway and not an auxiliary gutter.
In general, if the item in question, is connected to the cabinet or other equipment with conduits of any type, it is a wireway and not an auxiliary gutter.
- Status