Service Ells

[suemarkp]

When walking the aisles at the home center stores, I've come across normal L body fittings and shorter "Service Ells". When can you use a Service Ell? I don't see them mentioned anywhere in the code and they appear to be too short per the normal conduit L body length rules. Do you use these when you have a way oversized conduit for the size wire installed?

[6pack]

Cant give any input as to the radious rulings. Only used in rare tight situation with 1/2 conduit. If were speaking of same fitting? Females hub on each end with 45degree cover over 90degree turn. Referred also as pulling El's. Not something you want to use to often. Hard to get wire in, if still out there surprised still legal, wire always seemed very subject to damage when installing. Type fitting you would want both entry and exit right there so you can feed and pull or wires will be digging into fitting. If were on same track here??

[mdshunk]

I used one sort of accidently on purpose once. The slightly shorter length of the "service ell" made my inside panel (back to back with meter on outside of house) come out at the right height. Seemed like the right thing to do at first. The conductors were a royal pain to get to lay flat enough in the service ell to get the cover on. The cover wanted to bow out. I remember hammering the conductors with a block of wood and a hammer to get them to bend back into the body. I'm not proud of it, but that falls into the "do what you've gotta do" category. I feel kind of bad for the poor souls that shop at the home centers that think they have to use some of the oddball stuff that they sell. You be hard pressed to get a "service ell" at an electrical supply house. Now mogul pull bodies.... they're nice!

[Wgoodrich]

They have long Ls and short Ls for different reasons. Check in the long L to see if it contains cubic Inch capacity. These LBs or LRs etc. are condulets in the Code book. Tees, LBs etc. that contain cubic inch capacity are normally the longer ones allowing splices to be performed in that LB with cubic capacity declared. If no cubic inch declared no spices allowed but still allowed to be installed as a pulling L.

There are tight places where those shortys are the only answer. Otherwise to avoid a lot of cussing the long Ls are the better answer.

Remember a 2" LB is used for smaller conductors other than service conductors too.

Good Luck

Wg

[suemarkp]

Your last post is more along the lines of what I was seeing. A service ell is just a short LB with a small ramp inside the body. I guess when I was reading the conduit body rules, I didn't pick up on the splicing requiring a larger size than unspliced. In a service, you wouldn't be splicing, just turning corners so I guess it makes sense to call them service ells rather than short ells.

Thanks.

[6pack]

So basically what were saying is a Service L is same as a Pulling L just referred to by different names. Where as a condulet with cubic in rating can be used for splices. Wanted to see if we were talking about same fitting(except size). Have seen 1/2"thru 1"conduits with larger C condulets installed with reducers for the purpose of a splice, as appossed to a J box.Do remember the shorter condulets(LB & LR, ETC) were not allowed for services(assume this to be because of radius rulings)had to use elongated condulets. THIS would make sence to me since you must comply to radius rulings in a J box. I think the name SERVICE EL is Miss leading. Or we all would be pounding our wires in like Mhshunk said.(Not the best). Would hate to see someone one try and get 3#4 thru one of those things in a 1" conduit run. (Can see small gauges) IF? legal then I'll go with common sence here. Just my thoughts.
In other word there are 3 sizes manufactured, 1-service or pull El's.2-short bodied condulets.3 elongated body condulets. Do not have exact body lenght's.