Some of my pet peeves are,
  • Sharpie marks on the bends.
  • Couplings that don't line up on a rack.
  • Not trying to match an existing run.
  • Pipes that cross when they didn't need to.
  • Boxes that are hard to reach. If it’s hard to reach when installing, how do you expect to pull the wire.
  • The strut straps that have a setscrew into the pipe.
  • Piping with pre fab bends and a lot of couplings. I prefer bending everything 2” and under, I understand fittings for 2-1/2 and larger. The big bender is time consuming for a couple of bends.
  • Using cheap die cast fittings. I like steel but use whatever the budget calls for.
  • The screws that all the manufactures are using now. The combo, straight, Phillips, #3 square drive. None work that great, never have the right tool. 10 in 1 doesn’t work very good, the tool is usually too small.
  • Having to improvise on fittings or a bends when planning would have helped.
  • Short pieces in a run with couplings close together. I will cut the longer piece to space the couplings out and make it look better.
  • Open and closed bends, also wows and doglegs. I just started using a no dog level and I like it and highly recommend it especially over 1”. I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks.
  • Questioning my judgment. I will listen to ideas though and sometimes use them.
  • Calling “Conduit” ; “Pipe”. I am an offender I know. Some people only call RGS conduit.


I like to put the setscrews on the top of the pipe. I looks better from the floor and it doesn't deform the bottom of the pipe end in the coupling. When the screws are on the bottom and the screws are not tightened the same you could get a lip inside the coupling on the bottom where the wire lays. On the top who cares.
I also watch and anticipate the pulling force at the 90s and support them in addition to the straight runs.

How do you know when the EMT connector set screws are tight enough? The Value Engineered materials that we use some times seems very low budget. You can tighten these screws and the coupling or connector starts deforming and doesn’t seem to be tight enough. It feels like the connector will split. This is for die cast mostly.

Does anyone still do concentric bending? It looks sweet on a rack.

For the best looking conduit runs that are easier to pull remember the 6 P's.

Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance

Sorry if the language is not appropriate.

My favorite is PVC coated. When install correctly with the correct tooling and fittings it looks awesome.

If you can run rigid and make it look good without extra couplings or erickson couplings, you can run anything.

I know that most of these thing that we are discussing are only noticed by other electricians and most people would never look twice.

You can always spot an electrician in a nice building because he will always look up after he enters the building to check out the electrical work. Myself included. Tell me that you don’t do this and I would say you are lying. [Linked Image]

Tim
30 years of conduit installation. EMT, Rigid, PVC, Aluminum, PVC coated Steel, PVC coated Aluminum, Fiberglass.


[This message has been edited by tkb (edited 04-22-2006).]