Running 14-2 in 1/2" EMT conduit?

softdown
softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,897 ✭✭✭✭
edited July 2022 in Off Grid Solar & Battery Systems #1
Rapidly approaching deadline and Amazon has sat on my wire order for several days without shipping. I can't finish the project in time if I wait for the Amazon order.
Only problem with the 14-2 is the additional space required by the rubberized insulation. Unsure how easily it will pull through 1/2" EMT. The EMT is well over an hour away. Several runs of 10', some with 90 degree turns made by EMT pipe bender. 

Providing power to 6 LED lightbulbs (about 50 watts total) - 14-2 is more than enough. 14-2 is what I have in stock right now. Stores are closed tomorrow. Thanks in advance.
First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
· Share on Twitter

Comments

  • Vic
    Vic Solar Expert Posts: 3,208 ✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Generally, cords and Romex (r) is not permitted, and very difficult to pull in small conduit, especially, for the cord, if it is some SO variety,  worse yet, if the cord is 14/2 with Ground.

    Copper should be coming down in price (yea, right !!) in price, soon.   Good Luck,   V
    Off Grid - Two systems -- 4 SW+ 5548 Inverters, Surrette 4KS25 1280 AH X2@48V, 11.1 KW STC PV, 4X MidNite Classic 150 w/ WBjrs, Beta KID on S-530s, MX-60s, MN Bkrs/Boxes.  25 KVA Polyphase Kubota diesel,  Honda Eu6500isa,  Eu3000is-es, Eu2000,  Eu1000 gensets.  Thanks Wind-Sun for this great Forum.
    · Share on Twitter
  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,897 ✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Found some "18/3" wrapped in black rubber in a round configuration.
    Vic said:
    Generally, cords and Romex (r) is not permitted, and very difficult to pull in small conduit, especially, for the cord, if it is some SO variety,  worse yet, if the cord is 14/2 with Ground.

    Copper should be coming down in price (yea, right !!) in price, soon.   Good Luck,   V

    Wonder why that is. Additional insulation never hurts and could help in "severe trauma". But code is code and does not have to make any sense at all.
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
    · Share on Twitter
  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,897 ✭✭✭✭
    #4
    I need to finish this by Friday. Amazon order will not ship until Tuesday and I am remote as heck.
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
    · Share on Twitter
  • Wheelman55
    Wheelman55 Registered Users Posts: 244 ✭✭✭
    edited July 2022 #5
    Softdown. The extra insulation adds additional heat when run inside of EMT. The right way to do these runs is with individual THHN/THWN wires. 

    I’m extremely remote too, 250 miles one way to a Home Depot. 

    This year I’ve had many deliveries that were late, damaged or lost. From Amazon and from Home Depot. 

    Home Depot is where I’ve purchased most of my wire.  Their delivery can be as fast as Amazon, though they often use FedEx who I have a great distaste for. 

    FYI Home Depot might not ship wire to home. 

    Good luck. It’s very frustrating when deliveries have issues. 
    Off-Grid in Terlingua, TX
    5,000 watt array - 14 CS 370 watt modules. HZLA horizontal tracker. Schneider: XW6048NA+, Mini PDP, MPPT 80-600, SCP. 390ah LiFeP04 battery bank - 3 Discover AES 42-48-6650 48 volt 130ah LiFePO4 batteries
    · Share on Twitter
  • Vic
    Vic Solar Expert Posts: 3,208 ✭✭✭✭
    #6
    YES, and you really need stranded THHN/THWN..., for pulls in conduit.   V
    Off Grid - Two systems -- 4 SW+ 5548 Inverters, Surrette 4KS25 1280 AH X2@48V, 11.1 KW STC PV, 4X MidNite Classic 150 w/ WBjrs, Beta KID on S-530s, MX-60s, MN Bkrs/Boxes.  25 KVA Polyphase Kubota diesel,  Honda Eu6500isa,  Eu3000is-es, Eu2000,  Eu1000 gensets.  Thanks Wind-Sun for this great Forum.
    · Share on Twitter
  • Wheelman55
    Wheelman55 Registered Users Posts: 244 ✭✭✭
    #7
    Vic. I’ve pulled many feet of solid through EMT. Ten foot EMT runs are pretty easy with solid. 

    If you do use stranded, make sure to twist the ends counter clockwise to connect the wire to receptacles. 

    Stranded has a tendency to loosen up at connections. 
    Off-Grid in Terlingua, TX
    5,000 watt array - 14 CS 370 watt modules. HZLA horizontal tracker. Schneider: XW6048NA+, Mini PDP, MPPT 80-600, SCP. 390ah LiFeP04 battery bank - 3 Discover AES 42-48-6650 48 volt 130ah LiFePO4 batteries
    · Share on Twitter
  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,897 ✭✭✭✭
    #8
    Wheelman55 said:
    Softdown. The extra insulation adds additional heat when run inside of EMT. The right way to do these runs is with individual THHN/THWN wires. 

    I’m extremely remote too, 250 miles one way to a Home Depot. 

    This year I’ve had many deliveries that were late, damaged or lost. From Amazon and from Home Depot. 

    Home Depot is where I’ve purchased most of my wire.  Their delivery can be as fast as Amazon, though they often use FedEx who I have a great distaste for. 

    FYI Home Depot might not ship wire to home. 

    Good luck. It’s very frustrating when deliveries have issues. 

    Deliveries are often catastrophic this year. Empty boxes with giant holes in them. Etc.

    The heat makes sense though removing the extra insulation is very easy.
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
    · Share on Twitter
  • Vic
    Vic Solar Expert Posts: 3,208 ✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2022 #9
    Wheelman55 said:
    Vic. I’ve pulled many feet of solid through EMT. Ten foot EMT runs are pretty easy with solid. 

    If you do use stranded, make sure to twist the ends counter clockwise to connect the wire to receptacles. 

    Stranded has a tendency to loosen up at connections. 
    Wheelman..,

    To me, solid-conductor NMx cables, are simply, too stiff  --  have never tried pulling, or pushing it in conduit.

    We stock a number of different gauges of stranded THHN/xxx cable here, just because it is so versatile (and suppliers are SO FAR AWAY).

    And for receptacles, and light switches, etc, we use products that have a floating brass tab, that the contact screw pushes on, and compresses the conductor against the terminal contact in the receptacle/switch.  No threading around a screw is required,  just strip the cable, insert the bare strands behind this contact plate, torque,  re-torque, and one should be set

    We have used a lot of MC, particularly, the Coleman CorraClad, in places that most other folks would use NM/Romex(r).   CorraClad(r) has insulated copper conductors, that run in a continuous Al tube, that is then corrugated, to prevent kinking that tube, when it is bent.  This product can help reduce RFI/EMI. Seldom need NM, but have used a bit of UF  ...

    Everyone has their own style,  etc, FWIW,   Vic
     
    Off Grid - Two systems -- 4 SW+ 5548 Inverters, Surrette 4KS25 1280 AH X2@48V, 11.1 KW STC PV, 4X MidNite Classic 150 w/ WBjrs, Beta KID on S-530s, MX-60s, MN Bkrs/Boxes.  25 KVA Polyphase Kubota diesel,  Honda Eu6500isa,  Eu3000is-es, Eu2000,  Eu1000 gensets.  Thanks Wind-Sun for this great Forum.
    · Share on Twitter
  • Saggys
    Saggys Solar Expert Posts: 189 ✭✭✭
    #10
    Vic said:
    Generally, cords and Romex (r) is not permitted, and very difficult to pull in small conduit, especially, for the cord, if it is some SO variety,  worse yet, if the cord is 14/2 with Ground.
    Copper should be coming down in price (yea, right !!) in price, soon.   Good Luck,   V
    Article 334.15 (B) says it can be used in EMT. Verify if there is enough area in the conduit to be used to accommodate the 14/2 NM.
    · Share on Twitter
  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,897 ✭✭✭✭
    #11
    Saggys said:
    Vic said:
    Generally, cords and Romex (r) is not permitted, and very difficult to pull in small conduit, especially, for the cord, if it is some SO variety,  worse yet, if the cord is 14/2 with Ground.
    Copper should be coming down in price (yea, right !!) in price, soon.   Good Luck,   V
    Article 334.15 (B) says it can be used in EMT. Verify if there is enough area in the conduit to be used to accommodate the 14/2 NM.

    That would be logical so it can't possibly be.
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
    · Share on Twitter

Categories