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Do conduit offsets count as bends?

10K views 7 replies 7 participants last post by  goose134 
#1 ·
Question to all the electricians that work with conduit in the Chicago area. The NEC state that a single run of conduit shall have no more than the sum of four 90 degree bends. I can read that in two ways. The first says that I can have no more than 360 degrees in a run. But if that were the case, wouldn't they have just said that? My question is, can I have four 90 degree bends, plus an offset or two? Or was my first assumption correct?
 
#2 ·
kingsmurf

well for whats its worth I am not in the Chicago area but here the off-sets which are degreed bends would count . . .more over . .the intent of the common sense rule was not allow more degrees of bend that could possible allow wire to pass

if you have spent anytime pulling wire...three 90% with solid wire is tough . . .4 is nye impossible . . .resulting in snapped or lost wires...insulation tore off...shorts

put in a junction box or so...and make the pull do-able
 
#3 ·
Question to all the electricians that work with conduit in the Chicago area. The NEC state that a single run of conduit shall have no more than the sum of four 90 degree bends. I can read that in two ways. The first says that I can have no more than 360 degrees in a run. But if that were the case, wouldn't they have just said that? My question is, can I have four 90 degree bends, plus an offset or two? Or was my first assumption correct?
Christ, here we go!

I'm not an electrician but I've always understood this requirement to mean 360 degrees total bend in the run, whether it's 90's, kicks, offsets, etc. I've always installed pipe according to my understanding of this rule and in fact, I rarely put more than 270 degrees worth of bend in a pipe (based on advice that I was given from an old-timer IBEW GF).

Remember: you have to pull the wires and the more bends, the more resistance to pulling them. I'm not sure what your situation is, but it's always ok to throw in a 1900 box here and there.

TTFN,
Jimmy
 
#4 ·
360º is the max total cumulative of all bends including offsets.


warning; the following advice is in contrast to code requirements and may result in a nice "red tag" from your local inspector.

With that said, I have snuck in an offset or 2 in a run that did have 360 in it already. If you use very low degree bends in your offsets, they do not tend to cause a problem. There are lubricants (Ideal yellow 77 is my preferred lube) to help reduce the friction.

You can (and should) place boxes to maintain max 360º in your run though. You can sometimes run a different route that resuces the bends required as well.

Stranded wire is definately easier to pull as well.
 
#5 ·
warning; the following advice is in contrast to code requirements and may result in a nice "red tag" from your local inspector.

With that said, I have snuck in an offset or 2 in a run that did have 360 in it already. If you use very low degree bends in your offsets, they do not tend to cause a problem. There are lubricants (Ideal yellow 77 is my preferred lube) to help reduce the friction.

You can (and should) place boxes to maintain max 360º in your run though. You can sometimes run a different route that resuces the bends required as well.

Stranded wire is definately easier to pull as well.
Nap-

All good points and I've cheated myself in the past, esp. with 10 deg. box offsets.
 
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