Looks like someone went a little "coupler crazy" Also whats the green cable in the corner "ground)?


[This message has been edited by Wizzie Electric (edited 01-18-2006).]

Why waste money on perfectly good conduit if you happen to have a bunch of miscellaneous couplings and spare parts laying around?

The green cable on the side is part of the HALO grounding system in side the shelter, It runs out to an external grounding ring.

STuff like this is tough to explain to a client when your telling them that there existing work is poor, unless you can point out a violation they really don't care.

However, when their field tech comes to punch out the site, who gets called out for it.

WOuld this fail for "workmanlike" you think?

Doesn't look like it'll leak.

Does the NEC apply here?

Yes NEC does apply

or was that sarcasm?

If everything is tight, whats not workman like about it?? Not sure about the length maybe its need a clamp?? Mineralac?

A close look at the midle coupling shows what appears to be a flush-cut reducing bushing nder the locknut. That, combined with the exposed threads on the chase nopple to the right, make me suspect that this pipe was installed after the panels were mounted- the various fittings are able to telescope enough to fit between the boxes.

Well, with all those offset nipples, it's almost too many bends in one conduit run!

1) What's holding that coupling to the left panel? A chase nipple on the inside? Is that an accepted practice?

2) That offset nipple on the left doesn't look like it's threaded very far into the reducer bushing. If it was really made up wrench-tight, I'd expect there would be no threads showing.

I don't think I'd count on a lash-up like that as part of the ground path. In fact, I can hardly stand looking at it...

I guess Home Depot was closed?


Dnk...

"If everything is tight, whats not workman like about it?? Not sure about the length maybe its need a clamp?? Mineralac?"

-The fact is that it is ugly as sin and the parts being used are not being used correctly.
I think renosteinke may be right, that it was installed afterwards.. but i think i could find better parts to use than that... i almost appears that the pipe gets larger the further to the left it gets???
Also.. the amount of bends are fine, even though these are not emt code 358.26 says there shall not be more than the equivalent of four quarter bends (360 degrees total).

That NEC crack wasn't sarcasm! 'didn't know if this was owned by a public utility...

Frankly, if you walked into this situation and saw this mess, wouldn't you begin to question what other shortcuts or bodged work was done here? There are at least a few other wiring methods that would do the job better.

Looking very closely at the pictures, it appears that both wall surfaces are on the same plane, so why wasn't a single piece of emt, rigid or even sealtite used here? Two fittings and one support and wham, bam you're done. That hack job must've taken at least twice as long as doing it right, not to mention a radically higher material cost and having to evidently enlarge the KO in that subpanel. I cannot justify this in any way, so:

If I saw this as an AHJ, it would rate a correction sticker. And yes, I would argue Art. 110-12. And maybe even (not sure of the applicable Code section) a red tag for making that KO in the subpanel so large it could be argued that the mechanical strength of the panel wall was reduced.

[This message has been edited by mxslick (edited 01-23-2006).]

What other wiring methods would do the job "better". Are they better because you feel they would look better? Aren't those all listed fittings? I agree its ugly and not something I would be proud of but I don't believe its unsafeif all the fittings are tight. I'd also guess there was a 2" KO in that panel from the factory.

Better check out the rest of their work!

What size(s) is that conduit? If 277/480 there might be a violation for grounding the concentric KO's. Either way, I don't know too many inspectors who would allow thier name to be involved in the permit... If it were me, I would call it a workmanship issue.


"neat and workmanlike" Nope!

Not to mention 3 off-sets, and 3 couplings that have exposed treads inside... What condition is the wire inside?

Git R Done

Exposed threads in a coupling are dangerous and not workmanlike??

Just how many couplers does it take to connect two panels together?

It's a nipple under 18"". Regardles though,
if that happened on any job I was on
the installer would never hear the end of it. :-)

NJ,

Is this a pre-manufactured building? If so, did it have a DCA sticker on it? Or was this panel installed on the site as part of the service? I have seen some Pre-man. buildings with DCA labels that didn't quite meet the NEC.

Why not sealtite or flex? Looks bad and I would think the threads are not tight. Rod