EMT conduit fill cable versus conductor, and receptacle for 30AMP 240.

daybyday2k said:

Hello DIYer here,
Seeking advice on running a 240V 30AMP circuit to an air compressor in the shop. Roughly about 25 foot run from panel to location of compressor.
Have 8/3 cable with 3/4" emt for surface mount run. Can I place the sheathed 8/3 cable inside the EMT or do conductors need to be separate inside the EMT run? And if separate, can I just strip the sheathing I have on the 8/3 cable I have and use it? I found EMT fill charts and for 3/4" EMT it seems 6 conductors can be ran inside this dimension of EMT, but really not too clear if the sheathed cable can be run. Thanks for clearing it up!

Any advice on bend radius? I have a corner, and two turns to make. can the 90degree EMT 3/4" fitting be used? or should I get the "sweep" like elbow?

Then I have had no luck finding a recepticle for the compressor plug. Do I need to disassemble the plug and install the blades so they are at 180degrees, horizontal, rather than slanted as they are? Seems like I have seen plugs with 3 pins, but the blades were horizontal.....

Thanks for the feedback!

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Megawatt said:

That plug is a 40 amp plug. You are not allowed to install Romex in a conduit, my advice is to like you said cut the jacket off and pull the single wires to your plug. By code you can only have 360 degrees in a run of EMT. Without a pulling point. The configuration of the plug dictates the amperage. The reason that you can’t pull romex in conduit with the jacket on is because it can’t dissipate heat. For a 30 amp service you will need # 10 wire X 3. That particular plug does require a neutral. Do not disassemble the plug. Home Depot or Lowes sell 30 amp plugs and receptacle which you stated you need. Make sure the power is off before you begin your work. Good luck and if you need anymore advice let us know.

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