All references are based on the 2023 edition of the NEC.
A Less-Than-Weatherproof Installation
I noticed this arrangement at the outdoor seating area for a restaurant while visiting an island off the coast of New England. From a distance, I could not tell whether the cable was UF cable or NM cable, so I got up close to take a better look and determined it was NM cable. Installing NM cables in wet locations like this one is prohibited by Sec. 334.12(B)(4).
The cable connector, used to secure the NM cable to the box, is not rated for use in a wet location either. As specified in Sec. 314.15, “Boxes, conduit bodies, outlet box hoods, and fittings installed in wet locations shall be listed for use in wet locations.” The box cover being crooked and leaving part of the box uncovered does not prevent moisture from entering or accumulating within the box as is required by Sec. 314.15.
On a more positive note, the luminaires are rated for wet locations and are also aimed horizontally or below as is required by the markings stamped on the side of each luminaire. The one lamp installed is also rated for this wet location.
Let Me Level With You
Like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the conduits supporting this box are leaning quite a bit off-level. Conduits being unlevel is not necessarily a Code violation in and of itself. However, the length of the conduits emerging from the ground may be the reason they are leaning so much and does not comply with Sec. 314.23(E). That section does permit two rigid metal conduits threaded wrenchtight into a box no larger than 100 cu. in. with threaded entries or threaded hubs as the support for the box, but the conduits must be secured within 18 in. of the box if all the conduit entries are on the same side. This box is sitting approximately 2 ft above the ground, so it does not quite comply with Sec. 314.23(E).
If two or more conduits enter the box but are not entering the same side of the box, the conduit supports can be at 3 ft from the box instead of within 18 in. For using conduits to support boxes or enclosures containing devices, luminaires, or lampholders, installations must comply with Sec. 314.23(F) instead of Sec. 314.23(E). An easy solution here might be to install a 4-in. × 4-in. pressure-treated post, or something similar to support the box.
