EMT - UL Heads Up [RE-wrenches]

[Dean T. Newberry]

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Hi Bill,
I just drained a couple of inches of water out of 3 Sunnyboys last week.
The bottom of the DC disconnect was several inches above the bottom of 
the inverters. It appears that water got into the riser and drained into 
the watertight flex running to the inverters. I am changing our 
installation practices to termintate both the AC and DC disconnect at 
least a couple of inches below the inverters, just in case water gets 
into the system it can easily drain from the disconnects instead of into 
the inverters. For that system, I drilled the RT flex at the lowest 
point, and sealed the conduit ends with conduit sealant. I have 
instructed the electrician to check the roof terminations to eliminate 
conditions which might drain into the riser.
The UBC/NEC is the minimum standard for construction, not necessarily 
the best practice.

cul  deant

Bill Brooks wrote:

>Mo and William,
>
>I would take anything that a Carlon representative said with a grain of
>salt. They are in the business of saying that their product is as good or
>better than EMT. Show me an unbiased engineering study done on the two and
>we'll talk. Waterfront environments aside, most of California has extremely
>low corrosion rates, and I would put my bets on EMT any day. Water tightness
>is a hoax that I hope UL and others get away from. Water lives in outdoor
>conduit systems regardless of their composition. That is why all conductors
>must be wet rated.
>
>I'll be seeing the San Diego inspectors at their annual meeting in a few
>weeks, and I'll ask them about this issue. It doesn't make a lot of sense to
>me. I believe that outdoor boxes and wiring systems need drains to allow
>water to escape. Putting a better watertight fitting on a conduit is going
>the wrong way in my book.
>
>Bill.
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Mo Rousso [mailto:mrousso at heliopower.com]
>Sent: Monday, March 15, 2004 3:31 PM
>To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
>Subject: Re: EMT - UL Heads Up [RE-wrenches]
>
>
>
>  
>
>>Following up on the PVC issue:  I spoke to a representative from Carlon
>>some time ago about UV resistance.  Apparently it doesn't say that on the
>>pipe for no reason.  Any UV discoloration of PVC is only a few microns
>>thick.  It does not compromise the structural integrity of the product in
>>any way.  I'd actually like to have PVC on my roof for 20 years over EMT
>>(especially in any marine proximity).  Remember, beauty is only skin deep,
>>but rust can go all the way through!
>>
>>    
>>
>
>That's good to know about the PVC.  And I agree with the rust issue.  I
>guess time will tell if PVC is a superior solution since we have put in
>quite a number of these since the rule change.
>--
>Mo Rousso
>President
>HelioPower, Inc
>760.451.9374
>www.heliopower.com
>
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-- 

 
* Cooperative Community Energy* 	*Dean T. Newberry*

430 D Street, Davis CA, 95616
Tel: 530 758-6064
Fax: 530 758-3684
Email: deant at dcn.org
Web:  CCEnergy.com       
      Talbott Solar <http://www.dcn.davis.ca.us/go/deant/>

Contr. Lic. # B-667908

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