Trunking vs tray

[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??

 

[Andy78]

Mainly to make room for the others that hadn't gone in yet. The SWA feeds were installed in phases over about 24 months. I didn't do the calcs myself as I was working for a firm at this time, but I'm pretty sure it will have been taken into account.
The installation method was decided by the lead sparks on the job, also not me.

 

[Guest55]

Mainly to make room for the others that hadn't gone in yet. The SWA feeds were installed in phases over about 24 months. I didn't do the calcs myself as I was working for a firm at this time, but I'm pretty sure it will have been taken into account.
The installation method was decided by the lead sparks on the job, also not me.

whats in the warehouse that needs so many cables going in / out ?
i take it steel inspection panels going over the trench ?

 

[Andy78]

Yeah very thick steel panels went over the trench as it was a lorry yard, and the rise got cladded with aluminium sheet.
The project was a complete overhaul of a small industrial park's distribution. These were the sub mains leaving the switch/transformer room. The larger ones went to panel boards and the smaller ones went to some of the larger units' D/Bs.
Nice job to work on.

 

[wade88]

Yea...nice ladder Andy.

I work alongside Aggreko on my summer season work doing site power at festivals and stuff. It's such great work and there is a really OCD fascination that comes with laying your heavy distro out so neat. Couple hundred meters of power lock all laid out like this is a thing of beauty.

 

[pennywise]

Nice and neat nice when a jobs planned:hurray:, didn't they supply you with PVC covered builders band

 

[darkstar26]

wade, you will get to love both of these containments. They are an art form. all you can do is practice when you get the chance, we are all learning. As said, tray for swa sy ect trunk for singles, twin ect.Personel fave is trunking with tube drops down, looks great!

 

[Knobhead]

All the pictures show is how as a part of a gang you've helped run cables. What was you're input at the business end of the cables?

 

[partypest]

Another great tool for metalworking where hot work needs to be avoided: Metal Cutting Circular Saw. I have an 18v Makita job, other brands available, cuts unistrut, tray, conduit, trunking, SWA with very little burr. You can also pop a wood blade on it for a bit of timber work if needs be. Quieter and quicker than a grinder, but it's horses for courses.

 

[Engineer54]

That's basically what the contractor uses on our project, ours are frame/bench mounted jobbies!! Gives a much cleaner cut all round...

 

[i=p/u]

when taking trunking on an outside run then back into a building.... is there not a chance of water getting in if mounted on its side??? would tray or basket be better soloution?

 

[rmc86uk]

I wouldn't cut trunking/tray with a circular saw! I always cut it by hand but if use of a jigsaw then I would use that.

I don't like it when people use an angle grinder for cutting strut and their cuts are awful!

 

[i=p/u]

Chop saw

 

[Guest55]

when taking trunking on an outside run then back into a building.... is there not a chance of water getting in if mounted on its side??? would tray or basket be better soloution?

what sort of cables ?

 

[rmc86uk]

Did a job on a roof where trunking was used and majority was mounted on its side but the cables inside were control cables and SWA that had been glanded into it.

 

[i=p/u]

But if water got into trunking would it not roll inside the building then.?? Well if trunking used probably high tuff and if not swa on tray

 

[rmc86uk]

The cables went from out of the building onto basket round the roof then into trunking.

 

[johnboy6083]

I wouldn't cut trunking/tray with a circular saw! I always cut it by hand but if use of a jigsaw then I would use that.

I don't like it when people use an angle grinder for cutting strut and their cuts are awful!

Thats down to a lack of skill, not the tool. I once had an argument with a much older spark about using a grinder for containment. I offered him a challenge to fab a bend, and I reckon mine would of been quicker and neater!
to be fair though, I would of beaten him with a hacksaw too!

 

[Stuuk1]

I've seen guys using handheld chop saws for cutting trunking and IMO think its a cowboy way of cutting.

Sure it's a fast way of cutting the stuff 'zing zing zing' job done but its easy to go off line very quickly as your line is obscured by the tools large base. Once the mistake is made, its then down to the engineer to rectify it, usually but just backing up and going back on track. That leaves a bad edge and will usually be flipped around its intended way and have an end caps shoved on the end.

Depending on size, its a hacksaw with a 32tpi blade or a jigsaw, goggles and ear defenders so that I can track the cut closely.

I've also seen guys, one up the steps, the other on the ground cutting lid and passing it up and the other guy putting it on, not a file in sight! Disgusting.

I cannot stand people who take no pride in their work. Nor can I stand people who believe their work is a competition, competitions lead to mistakes which are then hidden.

You know when you have done a good job. As the saying goes, 'measure twice, cut once'.

 

[pennywise]

You haven't seen bad until you see French tray work lol. I was working in Paris 2 weeks back doing CCTV, they were suppose to do the containment, the guy was butchering the tray with a 4in grinder cutting corners by just notching a square out of the it and bending it over his leg, gave us a giggle, we ended up re doing the lot, he wasn't very happy lol

 

[johnboy6083]

Well I beleive the opposite. I beleive that competition encourages self improvement. The competition doesn't have to be a race, but comparing skill ect.
Now, I don't beleive that you should using a grinder to cut tray or trunking unless your capable of doing it without.
im old fashioned in that I like to do a good job, and I take pride in a job well done, but if I can do it quicker to the same standard, then I'm all for it.