# conduit drains



## Frasbee (Apr 7, 2008)

I need to spend more time using that thing.


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## nick (Feb 14, 2008)

Well lets see you got a tee fitting and cable tray when you dump your cable into tray you want to not install the cover on that tee fitting is that correct? or is it the drain plug only?, we use on some jobs drains a kind of air release or pressure fittings for gas or condensation breather stuff plugs ive seen these on rigid 90 elbows runs exposed vertical runs on the bottom of a run. sometimes we dont use a fitting we just dump into tray and use a bonding bushing , to bond to tray with 15 deg nipple slopes down ,or somtimes the 90 deg rigid elbow has the drain fitting in the bottom of that elbow ,factory installed , if we dump out of a tee fitting with cables or wire we use rigid nipples both ends with bonding bushings and the tee has the drain in it from factory installed on the bottom , i agree with your post it does make sense but the cover left off our inspector would want it on ,we even use drains on panels or motor pecker heads when its called out in the specs . but always put the covers back on i think its a listing thing but i maybe out of line , ill think about this and read the code book maybe ill learn a new way . did you fail a inspection or just looking for input ? and also the drain plug left out he would not accept this.but i agree with your point in some areas it to me doesnt make a differance one way or the other its safe as you say . take care best to ya :thumbsup:


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## g17guy (Oct 2, 2008)

You can not leave a tee opening un plugged, ether plug it or Re it down to a drain.


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## cornbread (Jun 13, 2008)

The intent is to leave the drain fitting out. Typical installation will have a piece of conduit extending down approx. 1ft past the Tee, with coupling at the end and no drain.


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## cornbread (Jun 13, 2008)

Guy, I don't disagree with you, but exactly where does it state in the NEC where you have to install a drain. All I get out of the code is the the need for drainage but no details.


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## cornbread (Jun 13, 2008)

Hopefully, i've attached a dwg showing what I'm talking about.


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## nick (Feb 14, 2008)

i looked in the code book but i cant find anything ? i guess its up to you ? take care best to ya :thumbsup:


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## cornbread (Jun 13, 2008)

Does 110.12 (A) Unused openings..... force me in to using a drain fitting? Can one make the argument that the open leg of the TEE is used...used for a drain?


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## nick (Feb 14, 2008)

well 110 .12 it doesnt state fitting or the like, but id say its up to the inspector , ill ask my electrical inspector about what he thinks hes not one to let anything pass, if its a minor thing he likes it fixed asap. or will come back to see if ya did it , but in some cases hes ok on a issue as long as its not a safety issue, i still think its a listing thing if its a factory made ul appoved item you can not use it in a different maner but i maybe wrong ? take care best to ya .


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## georgiasparky (Jan 22, 2008)

What you drew is very close to what we've typically done in chemical plants. The only differences are that we would turn the conduit over into the cable tray and installed the tee at a lower point than the motor so that it would drain the sealtite too. (On one project, we were required to install bushings because a designer didn't like an opening larger than 1/2"...)

We always interpreted an open fitting for drainage is not unused. It's a drain.


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## g17guy (Oct 2, 2008)

Its not a drain, its an opening in a tee.


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## nick (Feb 14, 2008)

*inspector says*

Well our electrical inspector says , he would not let it go . must have the proper fitting ,cover, or plug ,drain fitting ,if its getting clogged by other materials you need to use the correct listed equipment for your area of work meaning keep out the water or the dust in that conduit . dust tight water tight gas tight it should not get clogged if it does get material in it he say you are doing something wrong in that application , also a fitting is used as its manufacture intended not to be use in another way or use , and asked if you everheard of sealing compound or chico ? sorry but thats from the man . not every detail or condition is in the code but there is a rule that say the inspector is the word art 90 ? .take care best to ya


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## cornbread (Jun 13, 2008)

Some good discussions, I have approached NFPA (NEC) to help us resolve this issue. When I get the official reply I'll pass it along.


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## danoclese (Oct 27, 2008)

*Existance of a manufactured conduit drain*

It does (or did) exist. Working here in the bay area, inspectors require a drain on the service entrance conduit, when the utilty vault is higher than the meter/main. I have personally installed said fitting, and will post a pic as soon as possible. To view the patent, goto google patent search, the patent # is 5505027. Included is a drawing of the fitting. When I initialy purchased the fitting, it was very expensive, due to the fact that it was a small outfit which manufactured it. As of this posting the manufacturer has disappeared. I have been on the hunt for a day now, and was hoping to find info on where to find the item here. If any one has this knowledge, please let me know.


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## g17guy (Oct 2, 2008)

You can get them at any supply house. 

http://www.electric-supplier.com/pr...ilets-steel-sealing_bodies/ecd284_w207268.php

http://www.appletonelec.com/PDF/I-2-3-21.pdf

http://www.crouse-hinds.com/CrouseHinds/InstallationDocs/IF 843 Revision 2.pdf


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## danoclese (Oct 27, 2008)

*Thank you for the lead*

Ironically I ended up purchasing suggested item, just today. What I was describing was very different. Will be at a location where I installed my previous posts item. Will post picture afterwords. The thing is unlike I had ever seen before. It has passed U.L. listing, just never made it into mass production.


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## danoclese (Oct 27, 2008)

Here's the pics, if it can be found, it is a very handy piece of material. It is u.l. listed and accepted by the powers that be, here in california bay area.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

danoclese said:


> Here's the pics, if it can be found, it is a very handy piece of material. It is u.l. listed and accepted by the powers that be, here in california bay area.


My first reaction was, "Shore looks like plummin' pipe to me!"


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## Nodoggie (Oct 17, 2008)

Wow. Totally archaic-looking. I've done plenty of industrial work where these are the spec.:

http://www.crouse-hinds.com/catalog/Pdfs/00195.pdf

They're a standard in a lot of industial applications. They are generally installed on any rigid conduit run on the bottom of a T-condulet.


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## danoclese (Oct 27, 2008)

My question then NODOGIE, is would the item u are suggesting, work , even if the condulet is a 3". Technicaly, it is a drain. The application here is a residential underground feed, power meter. Any answer would be speculation. Till I have to use it in the field, and can be inspected, I guess. This product is made of PVC, and I question if it could be used in an underground driveway location, due to PG&E requiring Rigid conduit. It's a helluva lot cheaper, and easier to install than a vault. Thanx fer the discussion gents.


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## Nodoggie (Oct 17, 2008)

Hi, danoclese. Obviously I don't know what your AHJ's requirements are, so i'm not telling you this is the way you need to proceed, just sharing some of _"my"_ experience. Yeh, those are standard in industrial use (I "do" understand that your application is resi). They most certainly do work on 3" rigid and larger. You have to use reducing bushings...I think the breathers and drains are 3/4" (though they might be 1/2") so the normal thing to do is use an aluminum RB from 3" to 2", then from 2" to 3/4 so it can fit.You're supposed to use Noalox or such. Of course, your option is much, much cheaper, and if the AHJ goes for it more power to you bro!!! Innovation is awesome; let me know how it goes.


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