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Why are engineers switching to certain types of conduit?

Tag Archive: halogenfreeconduit

  1. How Do You Choose a Conduit Jacket?

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    You want a safe, liquid tight, flexible and durable electrical conduit? Meeting liquid tight, flexible and durable requirements for electrical conduit is just the start.

    There are options you may not have considered. These conduit jacket options are now available from ANAMET Electrical, Inc.

    • High flexibilty
    • Temperature resistance
    • Chemical, oil, and corrosion resistance
    • Anti-Static
    • Food Grade (NSF and FDA compliant)
    • Prolonged UV (sunlight) exposure resistance
    • Halogen Free (no chlorine or fluorine)

    Conduit jackets provide a liquid tight barrier around wiring. The jacket blocks dust, oil and water intrusion that can degrade or damage electrified cable and wiring. A flexible conduit jacket also conforms to liquid tight fittings for an end to end seal against intrusion.

    Old liquid tight conduit was made with lead, asbestos or other toxic substances. However, conduit from ANACONDA SEALTITE® now meets WEEE RoHS and REACH approval for safe use worldwide.

    Anamet Electrical, Inc. offers advanced solutions engineered to meet the rigorous demands of food and pharmaceutical processing, building and construction, telecommunications and factory automation industries.

    Considerations for Selecting an Electrical Conduit Jacket

    High Flexibility

    If your conduit must withstand vibration or frequent bending, non-UL listed Type MTC can stand up to the abuse.

    How flexible does your conduit need to be? The flexibility of conduit is the result of the assembled conduit core and the jacket. Lower bend radius values are the significant numbers to compare among conduit options.

    Even if buried underground or embedded in concrete it pays to use a conduit that can take a little shaking or quaking. UL (Underwriters’ Laboratories) listed ANACONDA SEALTITE® electrical conduit is suitable for Direct Burial and in concrete.

    Temperature Resistance

    If you are not sure how hot or cold the temperatures will become where you must protect wiring, you can’t go wrong in selecting a conduit that is durable in extreme temperatures.

    Chemical, Oil and Corrosion Resistance

    Before you purchase a large quantity of conduit, always test a conduit sample by exposure to the unique chemistry of the location where you must protect wiring. Although most PVC conduit will resist common household chemicals, there are industrial chemicals that nothing can withstand in combination.

    If you need to protect wiring from cutting oil, grease and other lubricants, UL listed conduit must meet oil resistance requirements to wear the UL approval mark.

    If exposed to salt spray, consider stainless steel core conduit in three different jackets:

    • SS-UA standard UL 360 listed
    • SS-HTUA High Temperature UL 360 listed
    • SS-ZHUA  Zero Halogen UL 360 listed

    Anti-Static

    In dusty locations, where there is a lot of particulate matter in the air, consider Type ASUA conduit. This conduit jacket meets the NEN-EN-IEC 600079-0 Section 26-13 anti-static surface resistivity requirement of less than 1 billion (thousand million) Ohms. This is a safety feature to reduce or avoid static electricity buildup and discharge.

    Food Grade (NSF and FDA Compliant)

    In food and pharmaceutical production, Food Grade equipment wiring must be protected from frequent decontamination and washdown. NSF approved conduit and fittings are suitable for these conditions due to anti-bacterial jacket material and high quality seals against intrusion.

    Prolonged UV (Sunlight) Exposure Resistance

    For longtime outdoor use, select a jacket that stands up to UV (ultraviolet or sunlight) exposure. Type UVUA ANACONDA SEALTITE® withstood over 3.8 times the UV Weatherometer exposure of UL 360 approved conduit. UV resistance prevents the jacket from cracking or fading over time, sustaining a liquid tight barrier against dirt or liquid intrusion.

    Halogen Free/Zero Halogen

    In confined areas, with limited or no reliable ventilation, install a Halogen Free or Low Smoke conduit that will not produce toxic chlorine or fluorine fumes in case of fire.

    Flexible Electrical Conduit

    ANAMET Electrical, Inc. offers a comprehensive range of electrical conduit solutions and related accessories designed for flexibility, safety and ease of use. Secure your connections.

    PVC Non-Metallic Conduit

    • Offers a balance of flexibility and durability
    • Ensures liquid tightness for indoor and outdoor use

    Liquid Tight, Flexible Metal Conduit

    • Superior flexibility for challenging installations
    • Maintains durability and liquid tightness in confined or exposed areas
    • Excellent resistance to heat, chemicals and weathering, suitable for confined, exposed or hazardous locations
    • Can be routed easily around corners or fit in confined spaces without compromising protection

    Both PVC Non-Metallic Conduit and Liquid tight, Flexible Metal Conduit deliver reliable  flexibility, durability and liquid tightness. These attributes ensure ease of installation, longevity and effective protection for cable and wiring.

    ANACONDA SEALTITE® from Anamet Electrical, Inc. Delivers

    ANAMET Electrical delivered innovative conduit solutions since 1908. Our ongoing work  with manufacturers, builders and international regulations provides us with a depth of experience meeting and exceeding user’s needs.

    If you need help selecting conduit to meet your project parameters, please contact us today.

  2. Why are engineers switching to certain types of conduit?

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    Engineers focus on delivery of effective design solutions within a budget and schedule. While simple electrical jobs cost only a few hundred dollars, larger installations may be more expensive due to the specific demands, needs or harsh operating conditions where electrical supply must be sustained and protected.

    National Electrical Code (NEC) changes and new products open opportunities for engineers to improve protection of electrical wiring. Here are conduit options engineers consider for protecting electrical wiring.

    Understanding Electrical Conduit

    Electrical conduit is critical for protecting electrical wiring at varying current and voltage levels in a variety of service conditions. Conduit may be rigid, flexible, metal, non-metallic or liquid tight.

    Choosing the right conduit for operating conditions is crucial for successful completion of a project, passing inspection, turning over the project to an owner’s use and avoiding callbacks to repair faulty systems during and after the warranty period.

    Engineering Considerations for Conduit

    Rigid and flexible conduit types are available for protecting wiring. Each has attractive features and drawbacks. Below we’ll look at features that help engineers choose an electrical conduit to meet requirements.

    Conduit may be rigid or flexible. Here are a few considerations affecting choice.

    Rigid Conduit Options

    Rigid conduit has a great reputation for use in the construction industry. Engineers choose this type of conduit if installation can be done and forgotten.

    • Rigid metal (galvanized steel or stainless steel) conduit withstands harsh environments. The cost and labor for installing this option is a drawback. Bending conduit requires attention to control drawings and special tools for correct installation. Larger diameter bent conduit must be ordered in advance of installation for a correct fit around structures or machinery. Lighter weight, bendable conduit has little effective structural strength and is electrically conductive, so fasteners and seals are important for continuous and reliable service.

       

    • Rigid non-metallic (polyvinyl chloride/PVC, HDPE, or other non-metallic material) conduit has a lower cost and ease of installation, but it is less durable at installation and afterwards. Most are rated for direct burial and in concrete. It has little effective structural strength and is not electrically conductive. Fasteners and seals are important for continuous and reliable service. Moisture intrusion at joints and difficulties with corner installation are drawbacks.

    Damaged rigid PVC conduit

    NOTE: For cost consideration, non-metallic rigid conduit may cost the least for initial installation, but replacement costs after destructive wear outweighs the initial cost savings.

    Flexible Conduit Options

    Since the 1920s, Underwriters’ Laboratories (UL) approved flexible conduit has proven effective for protecting residential and industrial wiring. Engineers choose UL listed, flexible conduit if installation must be inspected and modified due to changes in layout or power demand.

    Due to variations in electrical conductivity of flexible conduit, code limits on more than six feet of length between junction boxes and grounding or bonding points is a consideration, if not a drawback. Electrical code allows for a variety of core and jacket materials. Flexible conduit is commonly used for electrical service amperage below 60 amps and under 1000 volts (dependent on conduit diameter and rating).

    • Bare Flexible conduit (metal (FMC)) is suitable for confined spaces in walls, under floors or in overhead spaces where wiring needs to go around corners. This is often called Flex or Greenfield. It is suitable only for dry locations.
    • Liquid tight conduit (metal (LFMC) or non-metallic (LFNC)) is suitable for confined spaces exposed to moisture, dirt or oil. UL listed fittings between conduit and junction boxes secure wiring from moisture and dust intrusion, enabling an effective path for grounding or bonding of metal conduit.

        ANACONDA SEALTITE® conduit and fittings

    As the name suggests, flexible conduit can bend and flex without breaking, allowing for bending around corners without special tools. UL listed liquid tight conduit (LFMC) is also suitable for direct burial and in concrete.

    NOTE: Some installations demand a combination of rigid metal and liquid tight flexible metal conduit to protect wiring in confined spaces. Shown here is an example of rigid metal and liquid tight conduit assembled for routing wiring around corners.

    Some Additional Options to Consider

    Recent electrical code updates allow more electrical conduit metal and jacket options.

    • Stainless steel core metal and non-metallic flexible conduit, since it is not an effective conductor, requires a separate grounding conductor or bonding jumper. This may require three conducting wires instead of just two in the conduit.
    • ANACONDA SEALTITE® Food Grade conduit and fittings meet CFR 21 and NSF 51 food safety requirements. This is suitable for connecting electricity to meat processing, pharmaceutical production and food service equipment.
    • Halogen Free and Low Smoke liquid tight flexible conduit meets national safety requirements for installation in tunnels and confined spaces.
    • Extreme temperature liquid tight flexible conduit is rated for high and low temperatures for installation in refrigerated or high heat locations including outdoors in harsh operating conditions.
    • ANACONDA SEALTITE® Type ASUA conduit is UL listed and meets NEN-EN-IEC-600079-0 Section 26-13 anti-static surface resistivity requirement, suitable for protecting wiring in dusty locations.
    • ANACONDA SEALTITE® Type UVUA conduit is UL listed and has extended resistance to UV (sunlight) degradation of the PVC jacket. This conduit jacket is suitable for outdoor use in prolonged sunlight or indoor use near UV sources.

    Contact Anamet Electrical, Inc. To Choose The Right Conduit For Your Project

    We are the world’s largest manufacturer and supplier of liquid tight, flexible conduit. Contact us when you are in doubt about which type of conduit to use for your project. Our team of experts will help guide you through the selection process and ensure that you choose the best conduit for your specific needs. Our goal is to help engineers deliver reliable service that stands the test of time.