Steel conduit - tips and tricks?

[DavidSpark]

Hello!

Got a few jobs on the way that involve large amounts of conduit work. All surface mounted and will mostly be mounted externally around the building.

I was just wondering if anyone has any good tips, tricks or good points to think about when doing it to be quicker and more efficient. This includes tools or working methods.

Thanks all.

 

[telectrix]

employ a good metal cruncher (improver) to do the cutting, threading and bending. you fix it on the building..

 

[cliffed]

Yes,proper jobby.
Make it simple,less sets/kicks,straight runs if you can.
Assemble pieces than fit if you can ,saves those dreaded runners.
Take time to think of the route involved & enjoy.

 

[westward10]

What are you running through it as this may dictate whether to set or fit BESA boxes in some areas.

 

[cliffed]

When I was younger,hated 25mm conduit,skinny little runt,had difficulty bending it,proper nanna.
Been on site recently,sparkies used it everywhere.
Even for external lights which I thought way over the top.
20mm would of sufficed,but hey oh.

 

[DavidSpark]

What are you running through it as this may dictate whether to set or fit BESA boxes in some areas.

Good point, it'll be 1.5mm singles for lighting circuits. Don't want to have to needlessly deal with bends when I could use the boxes to pull through from!

 

[LankyWill]

Get J-Halls stocks and dyes no others come close, they will save you time when threading. 32 tpi works best for cutting aswell, remember to drill the besa boxes before mounting them.

 

[telectrix]

second the Hall dies. had mine for 40 years. still can cut a thread (although i ain't done any for a good while).

 

[Pete999]

Make sure you deburr ALL cut ends, joints etc, nothing worse than getting damaged insulation when pulling cables through the tube, make sure you have plenty of access points (use manufactured bend and boxes rather than to many site made bend etc, get some decent thread cutting compound and pulling lubricant, you may need to treat threads and joints that are exterior against rusting.

 

[Ian1981]

You better off just hiring the pipe vice/bending equipment.
Get a 110v threading machine hired as well

 

[LankyWill]

Use galv spray paint for exposed threads and make sure you debur every cut including the manufacturer ends.

 

[Strima]

Lube, lube and more lube.

As has been said earlier, if you can justify it get a cutting and threading machine, this will save time and a lot of effort. Plan your route carefully to reduce the amount of joins and bends you need and use manufactured joints where possible.

 

[westward10]

I would never use manufactured bends or elbows they look terrible and would not use them outside.

 

[cliffed]

Always a prob going round external corner,outside,some take out the brick,others,end box,conduit into that,whatever.

 

[westward10]

Terminal box for me.

 

[Dillb]

I would never use manufactured bends or elbows they look terrible and would not use them outside.

This, manufactured bends dont look anywhere near as neat or as good as a properly made bend by yourself.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Get J-Halls stocks and dyes no others come close, they will save you time when threading. 32 tpi works best for cutting aswell, remember to drill the besa boxes before mounting them.

32tpi is for tray and trunking.
24 or 18 tip for conduit.

 

[freddo]

Plan your route carefully to reduce the amount of joins and bends you need and use manufactured joints where possible.

It's faster to bend than than cut several threads and screw stuff together, easier to draw the cables though too.

Always a prob going round external corner,outside,some take out the brick,others,end box,conduit into that,whatever.

Swan neck it if it's not appropriate to chip away at the corner of the wall.

 

[cliffed]

Use spacer saddles,or hospital saddles to allow conduit entry into socket or equipment.
I hate to see sets going into equipment when not needed.
Also if the knockout is slightly to the front,drill another hole,this then takes the conduit straight into the fitting.
Use a bush spanner to tighten up.

 

[Pete999]

Use spacer saddles,or hospital saddles to allow conduit entry into socket or equipment.
I hate to see sets going into equipment when not needed.
Also if the knockout is slightly to the front,drill another hole,this then takes the conduit straight into the fitting.
Use a bush spanner to tighten up.

Don't like drilling over a knockout, could cause the existing knockout to become detached, causing damage to the box, wish the disagree icon wasn't so confrontational.

 

[cliffed]

Yea,I see what you mean,works for me though,but not always..AGREE

 

[Pete999]

Yea,I see what you mean,works for me though,but not always..AGREE

As long as it works for you.

 

[Dillb]

Use a bush spanner to tighten up.

Have you tried to get a bush spanner to fit on a bush these days?

 

[freddo]

Use one of these, they fit properly. Standard bush spanners are designed for British Standard bushes, and don't fit the very thin bushes most places currently sell.

 

[cliffed]

Mines years old,still does the trick.
Seen so many crappy installs using conduit,especially the bubble set.

 

[Pete999]

Mines years old,still does the trick.
Seen so many crappy installs using conduit,especially the bubble set.

Bubble set???????

 

[cliffed]

There you go,it’s so easy

 

[Flanders]

Have you tried to get a bush spanner to fit on a bush these days?

Not just me then , dug mine out the other day from the bottum of my tool box but the bush heads was so thin i could not get a good grip on them .

 

[Pete999]

Not just me then , dug mine out the other day from the bottum of my tool box but the bush heads was so thin i could not get a good grip on them .

You been watching to many iffy movies Mate

 

[Squid]

When I was younger,hated 25mm conduit,skinny little runt,had difficulty bending it,proper nanna.
Been on site recently,sparkies used it everywhere.
Even for external lights which I thought way over the top.
20mm would of sufficed,but hey oh.

Try 32mm conduit.........

 

[Squid]

Also a decent draw tape to pull the cables through.

 

[freddo]

Try 32mm conduit.........

Was doing some the other day, upwards, without extension bar...

 

[Simonslimline]

Was doing some the other day, upwards, without extension bar...
View attachment 44230

All about the bandsaw, very handy.

 

[DavidSpark]

Is that a ratchet threader you have on the end of that conduit?

 

[Squid]

I did it with a normal set of stocks and dies, had to tape on some conduit to the handles though and I was a scrawny 21 year old.

 

[freddo]

Is that a ratchet threader you have on the end of that conduit?

Yes, it also has an extension handle to double the length (shown in photo below), will do all steel conduit sizes from 25mm to 2". Got it second hand from ebay, appears to have BT numbers stamped on it, the dies were all in their original wrapping, seemed never to have been used. I've posted a photo before, also have a conduit bender that does up to 2", though it works better on screwed steel pipe.

 

[Pete999]

Always a prob going round external corner,outside,some take out the brick,others,end box,conduit into that,whatever.

Conduit end box would be my preferred method, it worked for me when I was working, and nothing much has change in the reseeding years, knocking bits off the brick corner is not good practice in my book smacks of Cowboyism. Do the job properly first time, have some pride in your craftsmanship, don't turn into a conduit thrower.

 

[Nigel]

Always a prob going round external corner,outside,some take out the brick,others,end box,conduit into that,whatever.

I have seen people chase out the brick. So poor in my opinion.

 

[cliffed]

Try 32mm conduit.........

Never used that ,thank god

 

[telectrix]

View attachment 44226 There you go,it’s so easy

easy my arse. the hard part is getting the reverse bend at exactly 180deg. to the first. couple of degrees out and you end up with a donkey's hind leg.

 

[Squid]

I have seen people chase out the brick. So poor in my opinion.

Conduit terminal box with a 20mm hole drilled in the back then continue the run.

 

[Squid]

easy my arse. the hard part is getting the reverse bend at exactly 180deg. to the first. couple of degrees out and you end up with a donkey's hind leg.

I managed all those bends in one length of conduit, you should see my tray and trunking work..........

 

[Pete999]

Conduit terminal box with a 20mm hole drilled in the back then continue the run.

Off center.

 

[Squid]

Off center.

Only if you bend the conduit.........

 

[Squid]

Never used that ,thank god

I looked like Popeye at the end of the day........

 

[Squid]

One of my jobs....... drove me round the bend......

 

[freddo]

I managed all those bends in one length of conduit, you should see my tray and trunking work..........

If you do a few loop in installs and you can get quite into it, I enjoy doing that. I did it on some sockets on the same job to demonstrate measuring the bends in one piece for an apprentice. And no I didn't do the wonky bit feeding the switch the other side of the wall. Of course I could have gone straight across, but there's no need to demonstrate that. Cables can be pulled in after plastering.

 

[Squid]

If you do a few loop in installs and you can get quite into it, I enjoy doing that. I did it on some sockets on the same job to demonstrate measuring the bends in one piece for an apprentice. And no I didn't do the wonky bit feeding the switch the other side of the wall. Of course I could have gone straight across, but there's no need to demonstrate that. Cables can be pulled in after plastering.
View attachment 44233

My OCD is getting the better of me ;o)))))))

 

[123]

@freddo was there a reason not to go straight across? I'm trying to work out why you'd go up, do a double 90 and come straight back down insead of going sideways for a much easier and shorter run.

 

[freddo]

My OCD is getting the better of me ;o)))))))

The wonky one behind was already there from when the building was built. Any spacing issues on the front 2 are an illusion.

@freddo was there a reason not to go straight across? I'm trying to work out why you'd go up, do a double 90 and come straight back down insead of going sideways for a much easier and shorter run.

As I said it was for a demonstration, that and I didn't want to wreck the wall, the noggins were well nailed in with long ring shank nails.