subpanels and grounding

Are you certain you won't exceed the fill limit (or need to derate the conductors) on the conduit with three current-carrying #6 conductors?

Check the NEC. I think you need the ground wire. And bonding at both ends of the conduit.

No, but it does sound like you should let someone who knows what he is doing (such as an electrician) do the job. Jim

If you're using THHN or THWN conductors, that's ok. If TW, THW, RHW, or RHH, you have a code violation already. They're probably THHN, but you oughta check just to make sure. It's stamped on the insulation.

The NEC _explicitly_permits_ the use of EMT as an equipment grounding conductor. [Article 250-91(b)]

Even if the EMT is allowed to be the grounding conductor, I'd run a copper wire anyway, especially for a circuit feeding a subpanel.

I believe it's THHN. He had a code book there and looked up the types, gauge, and conduit sizes on the spot.

Thanks, this is what I was looking for.

brian

Those sizes came from a NEC code book they had there in the store.

brian

There is one other thing to consider and that is three 6s in 3/4" conduit, even thought permitted, can be a tough pull (especially over

Nice try but no cigar.

Not in my world anyway.

Lew

And what world is that? See the NEC. EMT is explicitly allowed as the grounding conductor. BX and armoured cable are explicitly disallowed (as of 1999?).

If I were doing it, using the EMT as the grounding means, I'd use compression fittings rather than setscrew.

scott

It was tough. I finished it last night. I used 90 degree fittings also which made it that much worse. Half way through the project, I started threading sections of emt as I assembled them. That made the job a lot easier. I didn't look at the price for 1" conduit. I know the 1 1/4" conduit I would have used for the #3 100amp wire was $15 for an 8' segment. That was three times more than the $5 for the 3/4". So I went with the 60 amp parts. If I had to do it again, I would buy the pipe bender. That tool would probably have been cheaper than the cost of all the fittings and it would have made pulling the wire easier.

brian

LRod wrote:

Threading EMT is _explicitly_forbidden_ by the NEC.

I didn't know you _could_ thread EMT, even if not forbidden from doing so?

(side note: just how many groups do we cross paths in, Doug?)

I didn't either, actually.... not sure why anyone would try, since the walls are so thin. But it's there in the Code.

At least two besides this one, I think. :-)

I *think* he meant as in "threading a needle". Rather than pull the wires through a fully assembled conduit run, he's pushing the conduit sections onto the cable, one at a time.

At least, that's what I think he meant.

I took it that way, too.

oops, I mean pushing wire throught he conduit, not cutting threads in the ends.

brian

I suspect he meant that he was pulling the wire through the sections as they were assembled. There isn't enough steel in EMT to thread....

scott

Never use the minimum conduit size allowed by the NEC. It's not worth it. Also consider using boxes as pull points when you change direction and at reasonable intervals.