PVC Conduit around a 90 degree bend.

[Paul the Tearoom]

I have an electrician rewiring my shop and I am concerned about his technique for going around a structural beam on the ceiling. Is it normal to use stop end terminals for this purpose? Surely the job would look neater with some kind of elbow? Any help or advice would be appreciated before I speak with the electrician. Paul.

 

[Rob.]

Neater ways of doing it sure. 

Anything technically wrong, possibly not.

Guessing the electrician was cheap? 

 

[Evans Electric]

Thats actually "Normal"    Paul the Tearoom"    .  very few contractors ever use elbows .   Not pretty but normal.

 

[Phoenix]

Whats in the conduit, is it actually singles (it would be a full containment system in this case), or twin and earth (in which case containment would usually just be where necessary)?

 

[Andy™]

trunking would be far neater

 

[Phoenix]

trunking would be far neater

Thats what I was thinking, but singles in mini-trunk is a no-no these days. Could wap a bit of 50x50 galv around the RSJ though....

 

[Andy™]

nothing wrong with 6491x in trunking

 

[Manator]

trunking would be far neater

If it's singles I prefer conduit to be fair. I would have used elbows, or used my experience of bending many lengths of steel and plastic to make it even neater.

 

[Phoenix]

Not mini trunking like YT1, 2, though....

 

[Lurch]

I have an electrician rewiring my shop and I am concerned about his technique for going around a structural beam on the ceiling. Is it normal to use stop end terminals for this purpose?

It's not abnormal.

Surely the job would look neater with some kind of elbow?

Maybe, but maybe there are already enough bends in the run so it needs a box along the run under the beam anyway?

You could have maybe got a pair of bends pulled to go under the beam, but then it depends on how many cables there are and what kind. All we can do is speculate, you need to speak to you electrician, but there is nothing wrong with the method used here.

singles in mini-trunk is a no-no these days.

Not mini trunking like YT1, 2, though....

Really? News to me. I'd agree that a badly installed bit of trunking like most I see would be a terrible containment system for singles but if it is installed correctly then I see no issues.

 

[Andy™]

Not mini trunking like YT1, 2, though....

trunking is suitable containment for singles. so why cant you use it

 

[Manator]

trunking is suitable containment for singles. so why cant you use it

Still used to this day and is more common on commercial and industrial installs.

 

[Phoenix]

We are not talking about the large trunking measured in inches, there has never been a problem with installing singles there, thats what it is for. What we are talking about the questionable practice of putting them in the YT2 and similar sizes of mini trunking much loved by housebashers and data installers...

521.10.1 Requires the lid to only be removable by a tool or deliberate action* if it is to contain unsheathed cores. 

*I'd interpret delibrate action as needing to obtain 'something' to pry the lid off, a knife, fork, lolly stick, anything. Most mini trunk you can remove snap on bends with forefingers, and the lid is easy to peel off. Whereas a 4x4 trunk thats in the Mains room, Manator, you need your biggest terminal driver to release the turn buckles

 

[Evans Electric]

Two back entry end boxes like the picture has been what I call the norm since The Beatles were still touring .  

Elbows can look neat but try wiring through them ......hence they're only used in industrial .  As said above , we don't know how many cables and how many bends he was pulling round.    Conduit may be going across to light fittings , say , so mini trunk perhaps not so good . 

And for me , I see no problem with 6491X in mini trunking .  Its insulated & sheathed . 

 

[steptoe]

We are not talking about the large trunking measured in inches, there has never been a problem with installing singles there, thats what it is for. What we are talking about the questionable practice of putting them in the YT2 and similar sizes of mini trunking much loved by housebashers and data installers...

521.10.1 Requires the lid to only be removable by a tool or deliberate action* if it is to contain unsheathed cores. 

*I'd interpret delibrate action as needing to obtain 'something' to pry the lid off, a knife, fork, lolly stick, anything. Most mini trunk you can remove snap on bends with forefingers, and the lid is easy to peel off. Whereas a 4x4 trunk thats in the Mains room, Manator, you need your biggest terminal driver to release the turn buckles

Deliberate action,

=

To actually try and remove it

I've not yet seen any mini trunking where the lid removes itself, in fact, I've used some where the lid most definitely refuses to be removed by whatever means I try,,,,,,    

bar the tap-tempteter,!!!!

 

[Doc Hudson]

Personally I would agree a pair of these http://www.screwfix.com/p/tower-inspection-elbow-20mm-white-pack-of-1/50679 would look neater, and should be able to feed the same cables through. Also probably cheaper to do.

Doc H.

 

[Lurch]

We are not talking about the large trunking measured in inches, there has never been a problem with installing singles there, thats what it is for. What we are talking about the questionable practice of putting them in the YT2 and similar sizes of mini trunking much loved by housebashers and data installers...

521.10.1 Requires the lid to only be removable by a tool or deliberate action* if it is to contain unsheathed cores. 

*I'd interpret delibrate action as needing to obtain 'something' to pry the lid off, a knife, fork, lolly stick, anything. Most mini trunk you can remove snap on bends with forefingers, and the lid is easy to peel off. Whereas a 4x4 trunk thats in the Mains room, Manator, you need your biggest terminal driver to release the turn buckles

It all depends on what you are fitting and how you fit it. I have fitted loads of 2x2 and 4x4 PVC that has bends/covers and lids that fall off with barely any effort, and I have fitted mini trunking that takes a good prying to get the lid off. I don't see how you are interpreting mini trunking as being unsuitable. I wire dado trunking in singles and the lid on that is easier to remove than most trunking systems.

I think you just need to go out for a nice calming drive.....

Personally I would agree a pair of these http://www.screwfix.com/p/tower-inspection-elbow-20mm-white-pack-of-1/50679 would look neater, and should be able to feed the same cables through. Also probably cheaper to do.

I have never, and will never use one of those. Hate the things. I'd prefer to see the solution in the OP.

 

[Doc Hudson]

I have never, and will never use one of those. Hate the things. I'd prefer to see the solution in the OP.

Clearly if the OP had been one of your customers, their perception and your perception of what is a neat looking job would have contrasting viewpoints. It may have been interesting to see the rest of the room and the context this structural beam is in. Either way the method used, or elbows are both functionally able to do the job in hand.

Doc H.

 

[Lurch]

Clearly if the OP had been one of your customers, their perception and your perception of what is a neat looking job would have contrasting viewpoints.

I don't know why I hate them, it's an irrational hatred I think. I just see them and think DIY job, obviously been down B&Q at the weekend. I have never in my entire life bought one of these things, I seem to have acquired a couple though, no idea why I still have them, I know I'll never use them. If I want to go round a corner I pull a bend in.

 

[binky]

that really is irrational . Trouble with elbows is that they don't always allow a tight fit to the ceiling and end up sticking down further than the terminal boxes. Personally, I tend to just bend the conduit by hand to give a smooth tight bend, but in the above case I think truning would have worked better, or mitre corner the conduit.