sundance-communications.com/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information EMT PIPE

Hey Guys im statring a job this week and customer has requested that i use emt instead of regular wire mold this will be my first time installing Emt so im just looking for any tips that you guys might have on working with this stuff
thanks in aadvance

It's not terribly complicated, but not so easy either depending on what you are doing. Since you haven't given us any information about the job, we can't give you accurate advice. Will you share some details about what the customer expects to be in EMT? Some of us here are electrical guys who can give you accurate advice.

Just about any pipe installation is going to require bends. Knowing how to run pipe so that it fits and most importantly looks good is an art. It's not something that you are going to quickly know how to do without learning from someone who knows.

I don't know what to tell you. These are surface runs and they have to look good. If you have no experience with an EMT bender and running pipe it's going to look like "who did it and ran". And don't tell me about factory bends, elbows and lots of couplings. They don't make what you are going to need.

When you have the time to practice get yourself a bundle of 1/2" EMT, a 1/2" EMT bender and a conduit bending handbook. Learn how to do stub-ups, offsets and saddles so that you measure, mark the pipe then bend and the final dimensions are what you measured. Better yet get a couple of bundles.

Simply because you asked this question to begin with means if I were you I would stick with Wiremold.

-Hal

dont forget the bushings where the cable will enter the pathway.

Wow Hal your right i should and would love to stick with wire mold but they are not giving me that option Ev607797 here are some details on the job I have to ron 30 dual cat5e runs and 3 or 4 single runs fors faxes ect.I have run the emt out of the data closet straight across to a brick wall about30 feet then run emt down the wall and then run emt to the right and to the left out to the desk locations at the desk locations i need to install a surface mount box for my jack with a face plate i do need to make some bends in the emt

That's a lot of drops to be learning how to do pipe work on!

Take my advice, sub out the conduit part of it and work with them. This way you will learn and the job will look professional.

As Hal pointed out, it has to look good and running pipe is a skill. It amazes me how many think it's an easy job. Laying out, material requirements, and bending isn't something that is learnt overnight.

It's not terribly difficult but having never worked with it, I would do what Hal suggested. Get yourself a bundle of pipe and a bender, none of which are terribly expensive and head out to the shop with them. Don't go crazy trying to make intricate bends; that's an art that comes from experience. There are also tools that will make offsets for you instead of using a bender if you are in the mood to spend a little bit more money.

Keep your bends to a minimum. Another mistake that people new to EMT make is that they fasten the boxes to the wall and THEN try to wrestle the bends into place. That's too complicated. Get your bends for the drops down made and then mount the box where the pipe falls. You will save yourself a ton of frustration.

For reference, here are the maximum number of cables allowed in a conduit:

1/2" four cables
3/4" seven cables
1" twelve cables

Also, it's only legal to have a maximum of four quarter bends (90's) or a total of 360 degrees in bends per run.

I have to run 30 dual cat5e runs and 3 or 4 single runs

You're in trouble already. That's better than 60 cables in one pipe at some point. Gonna need at least 2" EMT. How do you plan on bending that? Ain't going to do that by hand.

I realize that things split in two directions but still 30+ runs is still pretty big. So, it looks like you aren't just talking about 1/2" for the drops. This is no simple project.

-Hal

These guys are all absolutely correct. To add some detail to Ed's explanation, it's only legal to have a maximum of ... a total of 360 degrees in bends per run WITHOUT A PULL BOX. Add the interim pull boxes and you can do pretty much what you want.
Bill

thanks guys i may try to sub it out if i can find someone does any one know of any how to install emt guides?