American conduit benders

[Engineer54]

The conduit the Yanks use mostly is EMT (electrical metalic tube) No threading on this type of conduit, as it's similar to our old slip conduit where connections rely on ''machine screw'' couplings etc. The installations in this type of conduit look terrible to say the least. The conduit system that is of the screwed type in the States, is called RST (Ridged Steel tubing) which is very similar to our own conduit. The electricians will normally have a motorised threading machine when installing RST. Which i might add is a dammed sight heavier to carry about than the UK style of bending/vice set-up!!! The other thing that no-one has mentioned is that the Yanks go by internal diamentions and the rest of the world use external diamentions of conduit. So i'm not sure that the Yank pipe benders formers will be suitable for the UKs metric sizes...

Yes, .....threaded steel conduit still considered standard installation in the UK!!!

 

[ian.settle1]

The conduit the Yanks use mostly is EMT (electrical metalic tube) No threading on this type of conduit, as it's similar to our old slip conduit where connections rely on ''machine screw'' couplings etc. The installations in this type of conduit look terrible to say the least. The conduit system that is of the screwed type in the States, is called RST (Ridged Steel tubing) which is very similar to our own conduit. The electricians will normally have a motorised threading machine when installing RST. Which i might add is a dammed sight heavier to carry about than the UK style of bending/vice set-up!!! The other thing that no-one has mentioned is that the Yanks go by internal diamentions and the rest of the world use external diamentions of conduit. So i'm not sure that the Yank pipe benders formers will be suitable for the UKs metric sizes...

Yes, .....threaded steel conduit still considered standard installation in the UK!!!

Yanks have to be totally different to everyone else and they think everyone should change to their way of thinking.

 

[Engineer54]

Yep, ....Pretty much like them hanging on for dear life with there AWG!!! Even the Canadians use metric sized wiring and cables these days, along with those other countries that are, or have been influenced by the Yanks electrical NEC code. ...The Septic's are gonna have to change sooner or later...lol!!

 

[malcolmsanford]

3/.029 = 1.5 mm^ 7/.029 = 2.5 mm^ 7/.044 v= 6.0 mm^ 19/.052 = 25.0 mm^ Etc etc

Did have a certain charm to them though

 

[ian.settle1]

Yep, ....Pretty much like them hanging on for dear life with there AWG!!! Even the Canadians use metric sized wiring and cables these days, along with those other countries that are, or have been influenced by the Yanks electrical NEC code. ...The Septic's are gonna have to change sooner or later...lol!!

It'a Sceptics not Septics

 

[RogertheBodger]

American "Thinwall" conduit is far lighter than an equivalent English conduit, the U.S. bender would make bending the U.K. stuff very difficult.

 

[Engineer54]

As far as i can remember, there isn't that much of a difference in pipe thickness between standard UK conduit and the Yank EMT. Though the seam is clearly visible on the EMT. I would say that the Yank RST conduit is comparable in thickness to UKs heavy gauge conduit. All are made of steel by the way, but you can get Ally EMT in the states. Also, all there conduit is of the galvanised type, sprayed zinc for EMT and hot dipped for the RST.

One thing i'll mention, they tend to use knockout type boxes in there conduit installations which make them look pretty amateurish to the UK electricians eye, but then most Yank electrical fixtures and fittings tend to be very basic. They do have and use cast type conduit boxes, but they tend to only use in high spec situations.

 

[Engineer54]

It'a Sceptics not Septics

I always thought it was ''Septic Tank'' .....Yank!!! lol!!!

 

[telectrix]

I always thought it was ''Septic Tank'' .....Yank!!! lol!!!

it is.on this occasion ian is incorrect. septic tank, as in full of ****

 

[boogaloo]

The conduit used in the States, which is made of steel

Conduit - What Is Intermediate Metal Conduit (IMC) - Electrical Conduit,

comes in 3 commonly used grades. EMT (Standard grade slightly thinner than UK conduit), IMC (The same thickness as UK conduit) and Rigid which is thicker. The hand bender easily bends 1/2 inch and 3/4 inch and with a bit of an effort 1 inch. This could easily be used in the UK conduit sizes 20mm and 25mm. The handle you pull on a UK bender is shorter, which would give it less leverage than the US hand bender. If you were struggling to get it started, some people, generally of the fairer sex, put a sleeving over the handle to make it longer. Incidentally,as a side note, having worked as a union electrician in the US and UK there are 3-4 times as many women electricians over in the US.

 

[jaresquire]

Bet they're big birds tho!

 

[Engineer54]

boogaloo,

I bet you notice the difference when your back in the UK, when it comes to testing and inspection an installation??
By the way, are the Yanks still using there multi branch circuits utilising a common neutral conductor??

 

[benji]

more info on wheatland conduit site, the thick wall is about the same as our steam pipe( we had to use hydrolic benders & screwing machines as we were using 2in & 4in tube )

 

[boogaloo]

Yes, they use a common neutral for 3 lighting circuits and the socket circuits are always radial circuits using the same neutral for 3 circuits. As long as the 3 circuits are different phases it is one neutral for the bunch.

 

[boogaloo]

Usually, and fugly too. I hope the PC police aren't watching. If so, then I'm a fat ugly bugger too. I am anyway.