Code Change Summary: Code language was restructured to provide clarity on how to make field bends in a length of PVC conduit.

The NEC^® is written like a legal document with special care taken to arrange words and punctuation as perfect as possible to ensure that the intended meaning of a code section is completely understood. Because of this, code authorities and jurisdictions can more easily adopt the NEC^® as a legal document for code enforcement with little or no special amendments required.

Each code cycle, people create code change proposals for items that aren’t worded correctly or need further clarification because of a grey area in the code. This code change is one of them.

The extent of this code change is simply the rearranging of two words into a different order and the deletion or three words that did not provide clarity to create a different outcome.

This code change addresses using identified bending equipment for the field bending of PVC raceways. Most electrician use a hot box for field bending PVC conduit but there are some that resort to using whatever they have which might be a torch.

For field bending PVC, only identified bending equipment shall be used.

A similar code change occurred in 355.24 for Reinforced Thermosetting Resin Conduit (RTRC).

Below is a preview of the NEC^®.  See the actual NEC^® text at NFPA.ORG for the complete code section. Once there, click on the “free access” tab and select the applicable year of NFPA 70 (National Electrical code).

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