UL lists some emt connectors and couplings as being raintight,but I don't know of any threadless ridgid raintight fittings.If I was running ridgid outside and I didn't want to thread the conduit why couldn't I use regular ridgid compression fittings? I've always been under the impression the inside of a conduit was not a dry location so we use thwn.The threadless fitting made wrench tight provides a good grounding path.Is it really necessary to be raintight?Am I overthinking this?
raintight fitting required?
- Thread starter tommyrice
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
Threaded couplings leak too. As far as I know they are not listed or tested to be raintight.
hurk27
Senior Member
- Location
- Portage, Indiana NEC: 2008
I have to agree with Don
I never understood this requirement for rain tight fittings on EMT, it has been in the code for a long time and UL and manufactures over looked this requirement for as far back as I can remember even in my 1999 NEC 348-14 pointed you to 370 where in 370-15 required rain tight fittings in wet locations, in 2002 EMT was moved to 358 and 370 was moved to 314 and some words were changed but it still required rain tight fittings in 314.15, I think it was the 2005 code cycle that UL discovered that no one made a rain tight fitting for EMT and made a big deal about it and everyone started requiring it, made no sense since water will get in the pipe and or box no matter what you do, and as such we are required to treat anything in wet locations as wet so is the requirement for wet location rated wiring.
I use threadless RMC connectors outdoors but avoid them where the threads are down going into the top of a box, if the threads are up or horizontal I do not see where there is a problem. but as per the wording of 314.15 an inspector could call it, for most WP junction boxes I just try to make a way for the box to drain, for equipment I try not to enter the box or cabinet right above the mechanism or will use thread sealing compound on the threads or use myers hubs or the like, especially when you have contactor in the box or other electrical components that will fail if they get wet often.
It's kind of one of those things you have to use common sense, but the code is the code and it has been required for a long time.
I never understood this requirement for rain tight fittings on EMT, it has been in the code for a long time and UL and manufactures over looked this requirement for as far back as I can remember even in my 1999 NEC 348-14 pointed you to 370 where in 370-15 required rain tight fittings in wet locations, in 2002 EMT was moved to 358 and 370 was moved to 314 and some words were changed but it still required rain tight fittings in 314.15, I think it was the 2005 code cycle that UL discovered that no one made a rain tight fitting for EMT and made a big deal about it and everyone started requiring it, made no sense since water will get in the pipe and or box no matter what you do, and as such we are required to treat anything in wet locations as wet so is the requirement for wet location rated wiring.
I use threadless RMC connectors outdoors but avoid them where the threads are down going into the top of a box, if the threads are up or horizontal I do not see where there is a problem. but as per the wording of 314.15 an inspector could call it, for most WP junction boxes I just try to make a way for the box to drain, for equipment I try not to enter the box or cabinet right above the mechanism or will use thread sealing compound on the threads or use myers hubs or the like, especially when you have contactor in the box or other electrical components that will fail if they get wet often.
It's kind of one of those things you have to use common sense, but the code is the code and it has been required for a long time.
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