Condoit bending

[johnboy6083]

some of us are trying to keep the craft element in our tradealive, but half the time im told to just throw it in. i wait, and then do it my way anyway.

 

[Engineer54]

I wasn't aware conduit bending skills were how electricians were judged. I must be a cowboy then.

It's just another area where standards are being watered down!! Add conduit to all the other areas, and it's becoming clear there on a very slippery slope!!!!

 

[telectrix]

conduit bending is in itself an art form ( to do it right , that is). my skills in that field are just about adequate, because i'm not doing it on a regular basis. it's just a part of the whole, an electrician should be able to cope with all aspects, but, as in everything, different guys have varied skills. a good conduit bender may know jack-all about 3 phase motors, but that may be because he has no need for that knowledge in his chosen field.

 

[Engineer54]

conduit bending is in itself an art form ( to do it right , that is). my skills in that field are just about adequate, because i'm not doing it on a regular basis. it's just a part of the whole, an electrician should be able to cope with all aspects, but, as in everything, different guys have varied skills. a good conduit bender may know jack-all about 3 phase motors, but that may be because he has no need for that knowledge in his chosen field.

I agree with most of what you have posted above, and it's always been that way, where every electrician will have varied levels of skill in the different aspects of our industry.

Now in my time, (and i'm sorry but that is really the only level to which i can base things on) when you came out of your time from being an apprentice, you were capable of undertaking any general field of installation work. You would certainly know about 3ph installations and motors, and there control. These days it seems, anything past domestic and it's classed as specialist!!!! There's nothing specialist about general 3ph, or motor control...

I agree, if not working within a particular area for some time you will get a little rusty so-to-speak, but not to the point where you would have forgotten good working practices. In this case conduit installations, be they metal or plastic.

 

[telectrix]

i agree, but with regard to steel conduit, you never forget the basics, and how to space saddles etc. but you soon lose the ability to" bend it right in one", i found the last time i bent some, it had to be offered up and then back in the hilmore for adjustment

 

[Engineer54]

It soon comes back to you too though doesn't it!!! You never totally forget how to bend a bit of pipe so that it will fit and look the business!! lol!!!

 

[Engineer54]

As for these so called new conduit systems, that are not really new at all, we had them for years, only difference was, that they weren't seamless but still had the slip screw system. Eventually they were banned for use in general building wiring....

I have on a few occasions over the last few years been approached by project contractors with samples of these new push-fit and slip-screw connected conduit systems. On each occasion they were rejected, you cannot achieve a solid connection between 2 pieces of pipe, they always had a degree of wobble. (for want of a better word) Where there is a wobble there is a weakness in both continuity and overall strength and longevity. I have allowed the use of push-fit to screwed conduit couplings, as sometimes occasions arise where such a coupling can be very useful, one of which has been noted in this thread, ...ie connecting to a cut conduit flush to a wall!!!

Frankly i am at a loss, as to how they gained BS approval, but i can also see these systems becoming the norm too, ...Why, ...because the skill level to install such a system is going to be much lower than that required to install a screwed conduit system, ....and the fact that no-ones too bothered about longativity anymore, in this throw away new world order!! ...lol!!!

 

[Knobhead]

I wasn't aware conduit bending skills were how electricians were judged. I must be a cowboy then.

So as long as it’s connected up right it doesn’t matter what it looks like?

 

[rmc86uk]

it's has to look good, does it not make you feel proud when you see the final look of an install? Some people don't have pride in their work and I think that comes from those who haven't been taught to have this attitude of good work. I hate it when people say, "well you won't be able to see it above the ceiling or can't see it from my house!" if you work for a decent company they would make you rip it out and start over again!

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

 

[Andyrc]

Condoit? I thought it was CONDUIT, I've just had approx 3 months of steel 20/25mm ,but mainly 25mm, And yes when done right it looks great! BUT it's amazing how MANY Cant install Conduit, Or even understand about "back of the bend " measurments, or where to start the bend etc, I trained with a guy who would use a bit of 4"x 2" with a hole cut in the middle of it to form bends, Double sets etc , Now I know there are not many out there now-a-days who have ever come across this? You would have to be well over 35 + to have may be come across this,

 

[Knobhead]

The one I was most proud of I knew from the outset would never be seen. A restaurant and kitchen built in the middle of a chemical processing plant. All done in black japanned conduit. No CPC was used in any run, continuity was reliant on the conduit. The reason it would never be seen, every wall had mosaics of local scenes, the kitchen was again fully tiled. No chance of going back to alter something afterwards. Even the piped music system had to go through conduit. Planning the runs to ensure no crosses anywhere was a pain. But at the end of it I was chuffed to bits, plus I got free breakfasts for months after the opening.
All conduit runs were tested with a “Ductor” for M&Q earthing compliance.

 

[Engineer54]

I bet not many here have ever seen a Ductor tester, let alone ever used one!!! It's a test kit that is used to confirm conduit continuity with an ohmic value. If it doesn't pass the test, then a separate cpc is required to be pulled into the conduit runs. I think those that i have used, pass a 25A test current....

 

[grantr37]

Thanks for the tip. Bends and elbows are so cheap, less than a quid each if you know where to look, it would cost more in labour to bend it all with a spring anyway.

not to mention a leg operation if you keep on bending conduit with your knees, anybody who says that it is supposed to be bent with a spring and your knee here is probably a tite ars company owner who wants to get the workers (read labourers or apprentices) to bend it all day to save buying preformed joining bits, and would refuse to do it themselves....oooh oooh my knee hurts...drops conduit after splitting it trying to bend it....
If it was supposed to be bent then they would be trying to sell us proper tools for bending it, as far as I am concerned it is designed to be cut into lengths and joined/diverted using glued on pre-formed connectors/angles/bends...you dont see plumbers bending PVC pipe do you? but you do see them bending copper.....its a similar material comparison...



Ask a doctor the next time you see one about if it is ok to bend conduit with your knee on a regular basis and see what the response is......in fact a lot of sparks are married to nurses, ask them as well...

 

[hillbillie]

You're probably going to get a few replies from other members keen to keep the ancient art of conduit bending alive. I am surprised by how strongly some people's opinions are on others using pre-formed bends and elbows.

I am quite sure you are right about the health side but for me it comes down to cost. I am self employed and for the last job I did my remit was quite simple: get it all working safely as cheaply as possible, which I did. No doubt plenty wouldn't approve of all the pre-formed bends I used but the customer is happy and he was the one paying. I think it looks fine though the customer couldn't care less what it looks like. More importantly the lights work and the Zs readings are all well within the limits needed for the breakers I used.

I, like everyone likes to step back and admire my work (unless I'm up a ladder) but I'm more concerned with paying the mortgage and that means following the customers instructions. If I was a salaried employee no doubt things would be different, I imagine most of those here that consider me a cowboy are salaried employees.

 

[UNG]

I trained with a guy who would use a bit of 4"x 2" with a hole cut in the middle of it to form bends, Double sets etc , Now I know there are not many out there now-a-days who have ever come across this? You would have to be well over 35 + to have may be come across this,

As one of the 35+ group I was actually taught at college to do this before they let you loose with a bending machine. Still use the technique occasionally when I haven't got a bender to hand