Trunking vs tray

[Stuuk1]

I find tray's good for runs along walls, and who the h3ll decided 11mm AF was a good size for the square nuts?

Haha, I have always though that although I always threw them away and got hex nuts and a 10mm socket and adaptor for the drill.

They do however make a 10mm square nut now!

 

[i=p/u]

Don't you hate when someone has mounted trunking on side ??? We angle brackets are good for around edges . Don't do much metal work myself but have job conning up which il use trunking and pay another guy todo bends or il buy them....

 

[i=p/u]

I would get it eventually... But

 

[firespark]

A job I'm currently working on has utilized most forms of containment.
Tray work for SWA cable runs.
Galv Trunking for power and lighting.
Basket for other services (Fire, security BMS and Data)

If i get a chance ill snap a few pics when on site.

 

[i=p/u]

I've seen jobs where the stell pipe just cable tied to basket, is this the norm

 

[Knobhead]

I still can’t work just how you can compare trunking and tray? Each have there own job to do. You use whatever is best suited to the situation.

 

[i=p/u]

Someone said trunking inside , a lot of mod camps here have trunking running outside.. So must be allowed and after good few years it still looks in good nic..

 

[KAS1]

You can't beat a bit of iron fighting or metal munching.

 

[Dcf]

If I'm honest I prefer doing tray to trunking.only downside is it takes time to dress all the cables neatly.ie not crossed over with runs thought out. A throwback from micc days on my part. As a post I did a few weeks back I've just put 20 lengths of medium duty tray in a job and was quite surprised at how flimsy it was compared to a bit from even 15 years ago when I did a lot of the stuff.couple with using a box of tam lite nuts and bolts( worst I've ever used avoid at all costs) it could have been better.for swa micc FTP type cables it's ideal. Twin and earth its too sharp I find.i use a cordless jigsaw for cuts as I would have needed a hot works permit for a grinder .do agree a grinder is ideal for tray...and trunking to a lesser extent

 

[Stuuk1]

The best company in my books are Philip Graham.

The tray is by far the best! The trunking however, I hate the turn buckles, but it's nice rigid, no nonsense stuff.

If you are really stuck, you can measure up the angles and they will make any bend you want for trunking, although not sure on the cost implementation..

If you haven't tried the tray, try it some time, it's awesome!

 

[plugsandsparks]

Agree, they are not either or but both and .
Trunking is much more efficient for loads of ccts run in singles and back to the DB.
Tray is great for SWA and then running off the wall to the machines.
Trunking to conduit for singles looks the best for sockets, light switches and isolaters, espeically in bright galv. but i often use tray and swa as its quicker.
All IMHO of course

 

[Engineer54]

You use the right containment for the wiring/cabling method used. Multi core cables favour tray/basket installations, whereas a trunking/conduit containment system favours a singles wiring system!! Can't say i've ever used a metal trunking/conduit containment system as a whole, for multi core cable wiring, such as the SY cable that you used....

 

[Spoon]

We have started using these trays (Uniklip) from Unitrunk in our installs. Cable Tray - fast fitting Uniklip System: Unitrunk
They just clip together so save a lot of time. Also doesnt need earth links. We always purchase all the bends we need, some of the installation guys whinge if we dont supply them.

 

[Andy78]

Example of ladder racking...

 

[Guest111]

i love doing the metalwork stuff lol , i'd do containment for the rest of my career given the choice , hate all that faffing with wires & such ;-)
i have a dewalt cordless grinder so i can cut into existing tray already bolted to the ceiling , and quite frankly its the most useful gadget i've ever bought

I'll second that,the last firm I worked for bought me a Dewalt cordless grinder,don't think I've used a plug in since,brilliant piece of kit.

 

[Guest111]

How do you find the power compares to a corded? I have been umming and arring about a cordless for a while now but haven't had the opportunity to use one. The last one I used was some years ago and it was rubbish! I couldn't say what voltage or type the batteries were though.

The trick with the cordless is to use the 1mm INOX discs less power required and a neater cut,once you've used them you'll never use the thicker discs again.

 

[wade88]

Don't half get through them though. Inox are for stainless really (acier inoxydable, french synonym for stainless steel) but you get a laser cut on mild

 

[Guest111]

Stainless being harder than mild steel you should get more cuts in mild than stainless if using a stainless disc

 

[wade88]

Still don't get many!

 

[Engineer54]

Example of ladder racking...

View attachment 17243View attachment 17244View attachment 17245

That's a nice ladder install, but tell me, why did you bunch the SWA cables up like that??