Help with LFMC (sealtight)

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solo

Member
Location
ny
I have always been told sealtight cannot be used indoors except when used in a mechanincal room , well we are doing a commercial kitchen and it has come up that all the equipment should be fed using sealtight. I have looked in the NEC code and cannot find where it says sealtight is not allowed .I work in NYC and have also checked their amendments and didn't see it in there either . Could it be a building code ?
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
There are some limitations to the length of LFMC in NYC:

ARTICLE 605
Office Furnishings (Consisting of Lighting Accessories and Wired Partitions)

SECTION 605.6
Section 605.6 ? Revise to read as follows:
605.6 Fixed-Type and Freestanding-Type Partitions. Wired partitions that are fixed (secured to
building surfaces) or freestanding (not fixed) shall be permanently connected to the building electrical
system by one of the wiring methods of this code. Where liquidtight flexible metal conduit is used, the
maximum length shall be 457mm (18 in.)
.
 

jcassity

Senior Member
Location
24941
i also cant find anything, the 18'' call out doesnt make sense either, it assumes a lot.
I cant imagine the kitchen equipment your powering being hardwired either but its very possible, and if so, flex water tight conduit makes sense for the application and for cleaning purposes.

i bet this has a lot more to do with maintaining water tight integrity for cleaning purposes.
Are you saying that your scope says that you are to pull in sealtight / liquid tight up to the outlets?

btw,, i personally if required would use liquid tight with the grounding member, not ungrounded carflex
 
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K8MHZ

Senior Member
Location
Michigan. It's a beautiful peninsula, I've looked
Occupation
Electrician
However you are limited to 6ft max length when using the bonding strip. With Carflex it is necessary to pull a separate ground wire and your length can be unlimited.

I have run lots of seal tite. There isn't a bonding strip, it's plastic covered corrugated metal conduit. We always ran a grounding conductor. I have seen too many pieces of seal tite broken with wires still in them and the machines running as usual.
 

darekelec

Senior Member
Location
nyc
nyc ammendment
ARTICLE 350
Liquidtight Flexible Metal Conduit: Type LFMC
SECTION 350.12 uses not permited
Subsection 350.12(3) ? Add a new subsection 350.12(3) to read as follows 3 ) In lengths exceeding 1.83m (6 ft).

I see it and use it all the time with lengths not more than 6 feet.
Another story is that there is a lot of seal tight on the maker that is not ul listed. One time i heard that inspector said that the only seal tight in nyc that is approved is the one with copper strip.
everybody though pulls grounding conductor in it cause inspector likes to see some green.
There are soooooooo many fairy tales in nyc on how to do electrical work, I could write a book.
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
Another story is that there is a lot of seal tight on the maker that is not ul listed.

Not a myth, FMC as well.

You could walk into an electrical supply house and ask for listed or unlisted FMC / LFMC. Of course the unlisted crap was cheaper but did not meet NEC requirements.
 

darekelec

Senior Member
Location
nyc
Yeah, I know that. My electrical supply even asks if I want lfmc listed or not.
Maybe I did not phrase my sentence correctly.
 
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