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Friday, August 11, 2023
Question:
Hello Charlie and thank you for this wonderful service you provide! We work with refrigerated equipment, and we run into this issue quite often. When sealing conduits that pass thru a freezer wall, is silicone caulk an acceptable means to seal the inside of the conduit? Many jobs have it in the spec to use silicone but there are AHJs in our area that don’t accept this practice. We have had numerous issues over the years with using ‘perma-gum’ sealant and have found that silicone works the best.
Regards, Joe Frieders
A
Answer:
Hi Joe, thanks for the kind words about the CQD. The requirements found in Section 300.7(A) specify that the sealant must
be identified for use with cable insulation, conductor insulation, a bare conductor, a shield, or other components. The silcone being used will need to be identified for the use and the AHJ will need documentation from the manufacturer showing that the silicone is identified for the use. Sealants like polymer putty/caulk are often used as there are several commercially available versions specifically identified and listed for this purpose of sealing electrical raceways with conductors.