copper conduit possible or not

[J.C.E]

Hi
I am doing a job where the client wants some sockets wired in copper conduit for surfaced mounted sockets on a exposed concrete wall....
has anyone ideas- or steer them towards just using galv!

 

[davesparks]

What type of cable is to be installed in the copper pipe? If it’s just a decorative covering for T&E then I see nothing wrong with it.
If it’s for singles then I’d say it’s a departure from the regulations, whether you can justify it or not is down to you.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

To connect copper pipe to an electrical fitting, I would make up some kind of adaptor to conduit thread, e.g. by brazing a bush or part of one onto a pipe coupler, and possibly fit an earthing pigtail at that point. If any fittings are being soldered to the pipe, ensure it is thoroughly defluxed inside in case flux residue attacks the cable insulation. Also beware of the sharp edge that a pipe cutter can leave inside - file or cut the end so as to leave it internally smooth, as you would with conduit.

Did you know that copper conduit was used for the wiring in Westminster Palace?

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

Did you know that copper conduit was used for the wiring in Westminster Palace?

Knowing the excesses of the house of lords and the gravy train that is parliament it was probably gold gilt and over time been worn away!
Them peers would not be happy with just copper..
Mind you the place is in need of major refurb.... supposedly need to rip it all out and start again as its a major fire risk its so old.
I know there is a staircase in parliament that at one point had gold leaf on the rails and over the centuries its been worn away and you can just about make out the odd spec. saw it on a school trip years back.

 

[Marvo]

I have quite a lot of copper conduit in my house, I used the old 22mm plumbing pipe that was recycled when we extended the house.

I used flat twin and earth cable inside the copper conduit and earthed it at the ends of all the runs with a strap or with a lug using a nut and bolt.

You can knock a 20mm PVC conduit into a 22mm copper pipe but it's an 'interference fit' so if the copper pipe is class1 you can only do about 1 meter using a hammer. Maybe if you can find lower grade pipe like class0 it would be a looser fit. By knocking in a short length of PVC it would make it easier to use a 20mm male adapter if you're going into a box. Guess you'd just copper spray the adapter so it doesn't stand out aesthetically.

Most of the problems of using copper pipe as conduit are installation logistics. The elbows are tight radius so it's difficult to pull cables through pre-assembled sections. The way I did it was to push the cable through the individual fittings and pipes then loosely assemble them and saddle to ceiling/wall then finally drill all the fittings with a 2mm drill with a depth stop so not to damage cable and finally pop rivet all the joints. As mentioned above it's important to deburr all cut ends thoroughly.

 

[Andy78]

I once saw this done in a house that was owned by a plumber. 15mm copper down the white plastic surface boxes sealed in with white silicon. The white bits were spray painted gold to "match" the copper.

Looked lovely.

 

[delano]

will just be a few straight stabs of it going from a socket straight into plasterboard ceiling- so can earth the glav conduit through using a coupler and bush and fly leading the back box- but how would this be done if using copper pipe? is there a simular thing to a bush+coupler for copper pipe?

there will be no accessible place to be able to bond in with out it being on show and look crap lol

Use a stock and dye on the copper tube and fit your bush, couplers and Earth after.

 

[Pete999]

Use a stock and dye on the copper tube and fit your bush, couplers and Earth after.

Somehow don't think a regular set of conduit stocks and dies would work very well on copper tube.

 

[pirate]

As Marvo said, depends on the grade of copper. It varies quite a lot, and the thin walled stuff is hard to work with. Avoid "red-line", if anyone knows what that is? You need to be quite old to understand that...
Best stuff I ever worked with was in France, where the wall thickness was superior.
I'm sure many on here can fill in the blanks.
Earthing isn't a problem really...so many proprietory fittings to work with...threaded collars, compression joints with lugs...but jubilee clips are fine!

 

[delano]

Somehow don't think a regular set of conduit stocks and dies would work very well on copper tube.

I have done it woth PVC, Gal.steel and copper, all works.

 

[Pete999]

I have done it woth PVC, Gal.steel and copper, all works.

Must be very lucky then.

 

[ipf]

Must be very lucky then.

Yep. I wouldn't be trusting those threads.
What's next....same set of s+d's for us and them(plumbers)?
.......boom, boom and spray?

 

[delano]

Must be very lucky then.

That's a lazy estimation.No luck was involved! Knowledge and know how, SMH.

 

[delano]

Must be very lucky then.

That's a lazy estimation.No luck was involved! Knowledge and know how, SMH.

Yep. I wouldn't be trusting those threads.
What's next....same set of s+d's for us and them(plumbers)?
.......boom, boom and spray? And what are you the holy grail of?

 

[Pete999]

That's a lazy estimation.No luck was involved! Knowledge and know how, SMH.

Oh right I stand corrected! do tell please.

 

[ipf]

Holy grail? It seems you're the miracle worker, with British Standards, at least.

 

[delano]

Oh right I stand corrected! do tell please.

Glad to hear you're wearing your orthopaedic shoes today. Surely you know how to use a S&D, respecting different materials, gauges and CSA.

 

[delano]

Yeah, that's right, I'm a miracle worker because I may know or have done something you haven't which is still compliant.

 

[Pete999]

Yeah, that's right, I'm a miracle worker because I may know or have done something you haven't which is still compliant.

What are you on about?

 

[delano]

Or maybe being British, you feel superior to all all others. FYI. Compared to electricians in Germany, Scandinavia and Australia, the Brits are way behind.

 

[ipf]

Yeah, that's right, I'm a miracle worker because I may know or have done something you haven't which is still compliant.

Jesus, someone's rattled your sandals..