Raising a cable tray tee involves selecting the appropriate tee fitting, ensuring structural support, and maintaining electrical continuity when connecting to existing or new trays.

Selecting the Right Tee Fitting

Cable tray systems offer horizontal and vertical tee fittings to create branches or crossovers. For horizontal branches, standard T-pieces or add-on tees can be used, often with covers to protect cables and simplify installation . For vertical elevation changes, vertical tee-up fittings are available, particularly for ladder-type trays, allowing space-saving layouts and maintaining rung spacing . Adjustable connectors can accommodate non-standard angles if the tee does not align perfectly with the existing tray .

Installation Considerations

1. Existing Cables: If the existing tray already contains cables, you may not need to cut the tray. Instead, you can run the new tee below the existing tray and drop cables between rungs into the new branch, ensuring proper support .
2. Bonding and Continuity: When connecting independent trays, a bonding jumper is required to maintain electrical continuity and comply with NEC 392.18(A), .
3. Gusseting: For custom tee sections or non-standard measurements, adding a gusset can help create a perfect tee while maintaining structural integrity .

Practical Tips

• Always verify tray capacity to ensure the new branch does not overload the existing tray.
• Use covers for tees to protect cables from dust, debris, and mechanical damage .
• For vertical tees, maintain nominal rung spacing to ensure cable support and ease of installation .
• Consult manufacturer catalogs for size compatibility and material finish options, such as hot-dip galvanized or aluminum, to match the existing tray system . By carefully selecting the appropriate tee fitting, considering existing cables, and ensuring proper bonding and support, raising a cable tray tee can be accomplished safely and efficiently.