Electrical conduit is an electrical piping system used for protection and routing of electrical wiring. Electrical conduit may be made of metal, plastic, fibre, or fired clay. Flexible conduit is available for special purposes.
Conduit systems are classified by the wall thickness, mechanical thickness, and material used to make the tubing. Materials may be chosen for mechanical protection, corrosion resistance and overall economy of the installation (labour and material cost). Wiring regulations for electrical equipment in hazardous areas may require particular types of conduit to be used so as to provide an approved installation.
The main purpose of conduit is to insulate the electrical cabling in domestic and commercial use from factors such as UV, Rodents and moisture.
Metal conduits
Rigid Metal Conduit (RMC) is a thick threaded tubing, usually made of coated steel, stainless steel or aluminium.
Galvanized rigid conduit (GRC) is galvanized steel tubing, with a tubing wall that is thick enough to allow it to be threaded. Its common applications are in commercial and industrial construction.
Intermediate Metal Conduit (IMC) is a steel tubing heavier than EMT but lighter than RMC. It may be threaded.
Electrical metallic tubing (EMT), sometimes called thin-wall, is commonly used instead of galvanized rigid conduit (GRC), as it is less costly and lighter than GRC. EMT itself may not be threaded, but can be used with threaded fittings that clamp to it. Lengths of conduit are connected to each other and to equipment with clamp-type fittings. Like GRC, EMT is more common in commercial and industrial buildings than in residential applications. EMT is generally made of coated steel, though it may be aluminium.
Tubecon cold forms, stocks and delivers galvanized and black steel conduit as well as accessories. The link below will divert you to our conduit section under our steel product range.
Conduit and accessoriesWhy does everyone not use PVC conduit?
PVC conduit is the more cost effective between PVC and Steel conduit. This is used predominantly for residential purposes. Buildings taller than 2 stories in South Africa are forced by law to make use of steel electrical conduit. Therefore most tenders in South Africa specify the use of galvanized or black steel conduit for the building of Hospitals, Prisons, PowerStation's etc.
Steel Conduit
Conduit is a tube made of metal like steel or plastic, this material is use to protect electrical wiring from any possible damage and moisture.
The steel conduit provides the installer with the following advantages which gives it the edge above the other materials that can be:
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| ADVANTAGE: | DESCRIPTION: |
|---|---|
| Protection | The steel conduit's material is stronger than that of plastic and it gives a good protection to the wires. The enclosed conductors are protected from any impact, moisture as well as from chemical vapours which can possibly damage the electrical wires. |
| Easy Rewiring | When electrical steel conduit is used new wires can be pulled through the steel without having to take all the wiring down from the walls. The wires are also not damaged that easily when a new wire is put into the steel conduit. In the case of rewiring or circuit changes it will only be necessary to change the conductors, the same steel conduit can be used again. |
| Heat and water resistant | The fact that electrical steel conduit is water as well as heat resistant gives it a huge advantage above other conduit materials. The steel conduit also does not give off any toxic gas or decompose when it comes in contact with fire or heat. |
| Reusable | Electrical steel conduit can be reused over and over again, it does not burn and it gives protection to the wires from tears and scratches, which gives the steel conduit a more competitive life-cycle costs. |
| Compatibility | Steel, bricks, concrete and any other common building materials have almost the same coefficient of expansion, this makes the steel compatible with almost any of these common building materials and can be used in concrete buildings as well. |
| Earth conductor | A separate ground wire must be used when materials like PVC are used, whereas the low resistance of steel makes it possible to use the steel as the earth conductor. |
Electrical steel conduit can either be black enamel or Z275 pre-galvanised. Black enamel steel conduit is to be used in general areas away from damp and moisture, whereas the Z275 electrical steel conduit can be used in places where it will be in contact with damp or moisture. The black enamel electrical steel conduit's surface is cleaned after it is rolled where after it is dipped in black enamel paint, if any damage on the surface occurs while cutting the electrical steel conduit, the damaged area can be repainted. The Z275 is rolled from pre-galvanised material during which the seam is sprayed during the rolling process with zinc coating.
Black Conduit
Steel conduit that is manufactured in accordance with SANS 61386 is manufactured from either galvanized steel or from cold rolled steel and then coated with a black etch primer.
Black enamel conduit is manufactured from SAE1010 material, which is commonly known in the market as cold rolled steel. Tubecon manufactures both lightweight and screwed in socketed steel conduit that has been coated with black etch primer.
