ECN Forum Forums Code Related Discussion NEC & other Code issues Oversize LB's??

Table C1 allows you to put 4- 1/0 XHHW's in 1-1/2" EMT. If you look inside of a (Red Dot for example) LB it is marked with the cu in. capacity AND " MAX 3- #1/0 XHHW or EQ." Does that mean the pipe size must be increased if you need to use one of these conduit bodies?

Make that "MAX (3) #2 XHHW" not 1/0's (even worse).

Roller:
Red Dot used to offer "Mogul" condulets. The elongated, oversized ones. They may still be available. BTW, saw a few enterprizing guys use a 4" LB with threaded reducers to comply with fill. I usually catch this situation before it's to late, and oversize the conduit.
John

That's what we had to do in this situation (reduce a 2" theaded LB). This was picked up on site by an engineer who just happened to notice the info. stamped inside an open LB. He had actually sized the pipe run. Some of the people at our shop have been in the trade for over 40 years and this was new to them. I've been through the IBEW JATC program as well as another trade school and when covering pipe sizing this never came up! Never came up in any of the code classes I've been to since either (you can bet it will at the next one!) I have a 5 page fax from Thomas and Betts (owns Red Dot) and it still is open to interpretation. Personally, I think article 110.3(B) renders the argument moot, however it would be nice to have a note to table C1 addressing this.

Roller: any mention of the mogul fittings in the Red Dot literature you have???
I agree with you, the subject rarely comes up. I have to bring it up at the next Code Update seminar. (We have to do 10 hrs at each license renewal period)
John

I believe the requirement has been in several Code editions. It may
have not have been consistently enforced.

Cut and paste... http://www.appletonelec.com/pdf/A-17thru24.pdf page 1

NEC 6x8x SERIES MOGULS • LB and UB Moguls Length Requirement: distance between centerline of each hub bushing (conduit stop) exceeds six times the trade diameter of the conduit per NEC 370-28(a)(2) Bending Space Requirement: these moguls also meet the NEC 370-28(a)(2).
• C Moguls Length Requirement: distance between centerline of each hub bushing (conduit stop) exceeds eight times the trade diameter of the conduit per NEC 370-28(a)(1).




[This message has been edited by Bjarney (edited 11-05-2002).]

Keep in mind, supporting a conduit body larger than the trade size conduit that is doing the supporting, is a code violation. See 314.23(E)

[This message has been edited by Nick (edited 11-05-2002).]

this may be a naive interuption to this thread,but i was always under the impression that an LB could be either a 'conduit body' or 'JB', the latter applicable to fill/volume marked....

Yeah, Steve, I was thinking along those lines too, but was too afraid to speak up!

What sayeth the gurus?

. . .and the former not? According to T&B (this is unofficial paraphrasing)If a conduit body has been investigated to contain a maximum size and amount of conductors, it shall be so identified. There is an exception to that rule stating that other combinations of conductors (including #4 and larger) may be investigated provided they are in compliance with the code table. However I don't believe it is within the installers scope to re-engineer a listed fitting. They didn't mention mogul LBs. One final note (and I know this is NOT the point): local price for 1-1/2" LB with cover is $11.20 mogul is $66.24- who wins the job?