Electrical PVC Fittings question

[Anthony W]

I am running some electric in some 3/4" PVC conduit. There are the LL/LR/LB fittings as well as a pull elbow. When would you opt to use the LL/LR/LB versus the pull elbow?

[Woodenfish]

I use the LB style pull elbows for service line entry in/out of structures. They have a greater sweep for heavy gauge cables. The pull elbows have a smaller sweep and are for thinner circuit feeder wires where tighter turns are necessary.

[Anthony W]

I'm pulling 3 circuits, two circuits each with 3x12g THWN wires and one circuit with 3x8g and 1x12g THWN. (conduit fill is right at 40%). For those with experience, how would the pull be through those pull elbows? I think the layout will look cleaner (less bulky) with the smaller corner fittings, if I'm not backing myself into a corner.

[TDKPE]

Anthony W said:

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For those with experience, how would the pull be through those pull elbows?

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As with conduit bodies (LB, LL, LR, C, and T), you don't actually pull through them. You have to pull one leg to generate a bunch of slack, then pull the slack through the other leg. The only functional difference with the smaller capped elbows* is the smaller space and the greater difficulty in stuffing it neatly into a smooth turn without kinks. But it is a one-time thing.

*The other difference being conduit bodies allow splices, and capped elbows do not, as they're too small.

[Anthony W]

So there are no reasons for selecting Lx versus pull elbow that I had not already vetted. But before I started cutting and gluing I wanted a second (third, or more) opinion. Thank you all.

As I found this morning, one other thing is price. For some weird reason the smaller pull elbows are more expensive than the Lx fittings.

I will probably opt to use pull elbows in one area, even though they cost more, as I think they will provide a cleaner look (they are not as bulky looking.

[K. L. McReynolds]

Once, I needed to make a long pull with three 90° corners. I decided to do a dry fit to get the run correct, and then simply pull each piece individually.

Long straight rum, thread the wires through the 90 and glue it. Next straight, then glue it. Next 90, glue it---and so on.

Was better than fighting the entire pull.

[Herb G]

I don't think you're going to pull 7 12 gauge wires plus 3 8 gauge wires thru 3/4" conduit. Ever.
Maybe thru 1", with a great deal of wire lube & difficulty, but never thru 3/4".
Take it from someone who's pulled literally miles of wire thru conduit.

[Anthony W]

Herb G said:

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I don't think you're going to pull 7 12 gauge wires plus 3 8 gauge wires thru 3/4" conduit. Ever.
Maybe thru 1", with a great deal of wire lube & difficulty, but never thru 3/4".
Take it from someone who's pulled literally miles of wire thru conduit.

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Even though the fill is only 40%?

Luckily only a small portion of the run has all the wires. The rest will only contain two of three of the circuits (either 1 12ga and the 8g or 2 12ga circuits). There is only one kick offset and two 45 degree sweeps (bends), everything else is planned such the turns are made at points that necessitate a Lx fitting.

[Herb G]

Conduit fill means nothing for actually pulling the wire.
It is only for derating the ampacity of the current carrying conductors.

[DaveinOhio]

Quote:

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Luckily only a small portion of the run has all the wires. The rest will only contain two of three of the circuits (either 1 12ga and the 8g or 2 12ga circuits). There is only one kick offset and two 45 degree sweeps (bends), everything else is planned such the turns are made at points that necessitate a Lx fitting.

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You might consider running a larger conduit to the point where your circuits split off. Then reduce as appropriate in each direction.

Dave