So I got a good deal on some trusses...

[dholly]

Eddie - I do have to use metal or gray Sched 40 supply conduit to the box by code. Can't mix gray and white Sched 40 or white plumbing PVC piping/fittings. I also found out today that nobody makes a 1-1/2" small radius, non-access 90* el in gray Sched 40. There are some 'special radius' el's, but nowhere near as tight as I would like.

One alternative is to bring the outside LB directly into a 8"x8"x4" PVC or metal junction box and then run sub feeder lines from the junction to the breaker box. Those sub feeder lines within the wall would not by code need to be in conduit. Solves the in-wall mount requirement and conduit bending issues but a junction box requires an access cover thru the wall, something I prefer not to have.

Larstan - according to the specs on www.carlon.com, the 1-1/2" Type LR Conduit Body you describe would save approx 1/4"-3/8" of cavity depth vs the Type LB I now have. That would keep the el within the wall cavity. I was able to find and secure the only Type LR in the entire city (odd, but there are plenty of Type LL which come out the other side), and I have a plan in mind to make this right.

And thanks for the laugh guys. Can't tell you how many times I've had parts all over the store floor trying to make something work with a less than desirable collection of fittings. You get some pretty funny looks sometime. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Inspector507]

The LR fitting will need to have an access panel in the wall as well, if your intention was to keep it inside the wall. The covers on all boxes and conduit fittings needs to be accessible.

 

[dholly]

Inspector - I was told only junction boxes where splices were made need to be directly accessible. If I have a continuous wire run thru the LB, LR type conduit bodies, it was my understanding they could be buttoned up behind the drywall if desired. The key was splice points needed access. Does this not jive with your understanding?

 

[woodlot]

I'd sure want an access panel. There are some nice looking flush mount panels available at the home centers.

How are you going to come off your underground condit and into your "interior" conduit body? a long sweep el? Another conduit body on the exterior? I think if you go with "back to back" conduit bodies it will push your "interior" one out and past the drywall. Using and el might be uglier than conduit on the oustside wall.

You could header off that wall so you can run conduit plumb up the outside. Then use a conduit body to come into the back of your panel. I know exposed conduit is not what you want but it seems the most logical choice in this case.

You also could use 2x2 furring strips to "bump-out" this area. Your panel would then be further out and the long el's would probibly work. As a bonus you could get more insulation in there.

Could you have run conduit up through the footing and into the wall trough the sole plate? To late to ask uh? bummer.

 

[dholly]

woodlot - why provide access to a permanent, continous wire run if not required? That's like putting an access panel between wall outlets... serves no purpose in my mind. Once that supply line is in, I won't ever need to access it again. Unless there is a splice or junction, I see zero need for any access panel.

Now, it strikes me that the primary issue now is whether the conduit bodies must be behind an access panel simply because they have a removable face, or if they can buttoned up be behind drywall because I am using a continous wire run without junctions. Need a definitive answer from the local inspector for that I guess.

On your other Q's... I also don't want conduit running up the outside of the building for aesthetic reasons, looks like ***. Besides, if I flush mounted the breaker box between wall studs, the supply stub is still not lined up correctly for a straight outside run. So I'm trying to find an 'inside' solution to flush mounting the box that precludes digging up and repositioning the supply conduit.

Because this is a floating monolithic slab subject to frost heave it was not advisable to pipe up thru the slab itself. Now I'm sure someone is thinking... the time to plan is before, not after. Well, we did plan to have the utilities come into the first bay behind the service entry all along. However, when we enlarged the apron to reduce the pitch on the high side, the entire building footprint was shifted back slightly... just enough to cause one of the two supply stubs to fall on the stud. We guesstimated... and missed. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Now I am thinking of using an LB conduit body outside on the supply conduit stub to enter the wall, then mating back-to-back to the LR using the shortest possible nipple, then over into another LB and up into the middle bottom of the box. According to specs, this *should* fit within the cavity. Or, if the inside LB won't fit depthwise when turned on it's side, I could shave a 1/4" off the female slip hubs of each LB conduit body and mate them back-to-back (which shouldn't effect their integrity), then over to the LR and up into the box. I figure one of those configuations will work with a little persuasion.

Yes, I could header off the two wall studs to the left of the service door and frame in the box in any wall location I want. That would allow a straight up in-wall conduit run to the box, but then, in order to keep the Romex out of the box top hidden within the wall cavity, I would then need to drill several holes thru the 2x6 header. Not ideal.

So, if I can make the dual conduit body design work and it is code acceptable, it eliminates that problem. Yes it makes for a couple of tight corners, but I'm not worried about having to pull thru these bends. Plus, if I simply take out the bottom 12' of the wall stud in order to accomodate the LB entry, I can simply scab a 'leg' onto the side of the stud and not bother with framing a header. It is not a weight bearing stud so I don't see that as a problem.

 

[EddieWalker]

dholly,

No sulution to your delima from me. Sorry.

I just wanted to say it's comforting to not be the only one having electrical issues with bringing power in. There are lots of "easy" solutions, even "cheap" ones, but good looking ones are the real trick.

Looking forward to your solution and the finished product.

Eddie

 

[woodlot]

Well, then, I've got one other idea. You might be able to take an "offset" it may be called a "meter offset" and cut it so you end up with two tight 45 degree angles. Then join them with a coupler to end up with a tight radius 90. I've never tried it but it might work. Pulling through it will present a challange.

What you really need is a pulling elbow but their only made up to 3/4".

 

[Inspector507]

<font color="blue"> Inspector - I was told only junction boxes where splices were made need to be directly accessible. </font>


Maybe you were told wrong. LB, LR and LL fittings are conduit bodies.

NEC® 2005 Article 314.29
314.29 Boxes, Conduit Bodies, and Handhole Enclosures to Be Accessible.

Boxes, conduit bodies, and handhole enclosures shall be installed so that the wiring contained in them can be rendered accessible without removing any part of the building or, in underground circuits, without excavating sidewalks, paving, earth, or other substance that is to be used to establish the finished grade.




Reprinted with permission from NFPA

 

[mudcat]

If you have a propane torch you can pack a stick of conduit with sand, taped on both ends, heat the conduit evenly and bend it how you need it. The sand will keep the conduit from kinking.

 

[mudcat]

If that doesn't work, why not LB into the back of the panel?