6/10/2017 TypesofElectricalConduitsEMT,PVC,RMCandMore

SevenTypesofElectricalConduits
ApplicationsandInstallation
HowtochoosebetweenEMT,PVCandotherelectricalconduits

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6/10/2017 TypesofElectricalConduitsEMT,PVC,RMCandMore

ChrisCheadle/GettyImages

ByJuanRodriguez
UpdatedDecember21,2016

Electricalconduitsrefertoanelectricalsystemusedtoprotectandprovidetherouteof
electricalwiring.Electricalconduitsaremadeofmetal,plastic,orfiberandcouldbe
rigidorflexible.Conduitsmustbeinstalledbyelectriciansfollowingstandard
regulations,asthoseprovidedbytheNationalElectricalCode(NEC).Herearethemost
commontypesofelectricalconduits.

GalvanizedRigidConduitorRMC

Aconduitmadefromgalvanizedsteeltubingiscommonlyreferredasarigidconduit.

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6/10/2017 TypesofElectricalConduitsEMT,PVC,RMCandMore

Thethicknessofagalvanizedrigidconduitprotectstheelectricalwiringfrombeing
hitandallowsittobethreaded.Galvanizedrigidconduitsareusedbyelectriciansin
commercialandindustrialapplicationsnormallyavailablein10feetand20feetlengths.
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6/10/2017 TypesofElectricalConduitsEMT,PVC,RMCandMore

Thistypeofelectricalconduitisusedabovegradeandhasthreadsonbothendswitha
couplingononeend.

TheinstallationofRigidSteelConduit(RSC)iscoveredbyArticle344oftheNational
ElectricalCode(NEC).Therigidmetallicconduitcanbetreatedtoprevent
corrosionbyapplyingdifferentcoatingstotheconduit.Itistheheaviestweightand
thickestwallconduitavailableintradesizesthrough6.

WhentoUseElectricalMetallicTubing(EMT)?

AnotherexampleofarigidelectricalconduitistheEMT,alsoknownasElectrical
MetallicTubing.AnEMTconduitismadeofsteelinsomecases,aluminumisalso
used,cheaperthanagalvanizedrigidconduitandlighterthanaGRconduit.

EMTisalsoaverypopularmaterialincommercialandindustrialbuildingsbecauseitcan
bebenttospecificradiusanddirectionsanditisthinnerthanRMC.Duringrecentyears,
EMTconduitshavebecomepopularinresidentialconstructionasitprovidesanexterior
corrosionresistancesurface.EMTisalistedsteelracewayofcircularcrosssection,
whichisunthreaded,andnormally10feetlong.

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6/10/2017 TypesofElectricalConduitsEMT,PVC,RMCandMore

ElectricalNonMetallicTubingApplications

Electricalnonmetallictubingisanotherexampleofelectricalconduitmadeofathin
walledcorrugatedtubing,moistureresistantandflameretardant.Thenonmetallic
electricalconduitcanbebentbyhandandcanbeeasyinstalledduetoitsflexible
properties.However,fittingusedtoconnectnonmetallictubingarerigidandcannotbe
bent.Ifyouarelookingforafasterinstallationandlowerlaborcost,thisistheoneto
consider.

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6/10/2017 TypesofElectricalConduitsEMT,PVC,RMCandMore

FlexibleMetallicConduitorLiquidtightFlexibleMetalElectrical
Conduit(LFMC)

Aflexiblemetallicconduitformsahollowtubeinwhichelectricalwiresarepassed.Itis
highlyrecommendedindryareas.TheFlexibleMetallicConduitalsocalledgreenfield
offlex,doesnotmaintainpermanentbendanditcanbeusedwhereEMTisimpracticalto
use.

However,aliquidtightflexiblemetalconduitiscoveredbyaplasticwaterproofcoating.
Itsinteriorisverysimilartotheflexiblemetallicconduit.Itisrecommendedforusein
generalwiring,wetordamplocations.Itcanalsobeusedtodirect
burialconcreteembedded,andsitelightingjobs.

LiquidtightFlexibleNonmetallicConduit

LiquidtightFlexibleNonmetallicConduit(LNFC)isanothertermforanumberofflame
resistanttypesofnonmetallictubing.

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Thistypeofelectricalconduitisrecommendedasaracewayfortheinstallationof
approvedconductorswithanominalratingof600Voltsorlessfornonhazardous
locations.Theinteriorsofthisconduitmaybecorrugatedorsmooth.

AluminumElectricalConduits

Analuminumconduitisarigidconduitcommonlyusedincommercialandindustrial
applications.Thesetypesofelectricalconduitsareusedtopreventcorrosionandarethe
preferredconduitusedinareaswherelargeamountsofwaterandcorrosionproneareas.
Aluminumcannotbedirectlyembeddedinconcretesincethemetalreactswiththealkalis
incementhoweveritmightbeprotectedwithadditionalcoatingstopreventconcretefrom
affectingtheconduit.Itisnormallyusedinconcreteslabsorwalls.

TheMostCommonofAllElectricalConduits

PVCisthelightestconduitmaterialandusuallythemostaffordabletypeofconduit.

PVCpipescanvaryinthicknessdependingontheusesandwherethePVCwillbe
installed.ThePVCconduitresistsmoistureandcorrosionbutthetubingisnonconductive
anextragroundingconductormustbepassedintoeachconduit.PVCconduithasahigher
thermalcoefficientofexpansionallowingtheconduittoexpandandcontract.Beaware
theinstallingPVCundergroundinmultipleorparallelrunconfigurations,mutualheating
mightcauseproblemsoncableperformance.
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