ok i was at an apartment complex today and noticed in the carport(which does have close to a 8/12 pitch) that the electrician used regular 4 square boxes/concentric knockouts with wp connectors and couplings, round mudrings and even plain old porcelin's for light.

reminded me of Homer's trademark "doh!" -- usually accompanied by a Simpsonesque slap to the forehead. not the worst thing ever done but notable. wheres a camera when you need one?

h20

They were probably thinking let's save some money and put in a safe code compliant system. From the way you described it they did. Assuming it's not a wet location.

george if they were going to save money wouldn't set screw fittings be cheaper then wp or now raintight.
aren't 4 square boxes limited to dry locations?
hence a carport with open sides would be deemed damp which would go back to my original "what were they thinking?"


h20

Funny, just saw a simular band spanking new install on the back of a supermarket remodel in WET location. No doubts about it. RT connectors to a 4S deep and 4S blank. Laughable.

Using regular "indoor" boxes in an aoutoor, protected area is allowed by the code...BUT...

I don't do it, for a reson not mentioned in the NEC...Insects. There is something about trying to remove a device, and seeing all those tiny little legs pulling it back in!
Seriously, I have opened far too many boxes and fixtures, and then found either wasp or spider nests.

Then you would have a sore belly from laughing around here.

A very common job specification around here is the mandated use of steel compression fittings on all EMT installations. The fact that they are in dry locations and entering NEMA 1 enclosures has no bearing on this job spec.

I have been told that these fittings provide better bonding but I have no idea if that is a fact or urban legend.

Also when you run EMT for fire alarm systems in RI you must use steel compression fittings with insulated throats.

Can be a real bummer if you do a whole job in set screw fittings only to find out compression fittings where required.

And no it did not happen to me but I do know people it happened to.

Bob,
Is raceway required for fire alarm systems in RI? Even NYC now allows cable (no raceway) above a height deemed out of the range for physical damage.
I also typically specify steel compression fitting for use with EMT in critical type installations.
I've never seen formal test results, but I spec steel vs. Die Cast Zinc for strength and I spec compression vs. set screw for electrical continuity.

Ron

RI used to be almost all raceway for fire alarm systems. Recently they have been loosening up and allowing MC. However the MC must have the RI required insulation colors.

The local large supply houses stock the color combinations that are normally used.

Black and Red

Blue and White

Yellow and Orange

etc.

Bob

[This message has been edited by iwire (edited 09-03-2005).]

Bob the reason it was laughable was it was clearly a wet location. Not only outside, but under a rain gutter. I have to get a picture. Even when not raining its wet, its near white out of fog right now. And I'll bet the inside of that box is dripping wet.