ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Residential EMT

Maybe some of the other guys in the Chicagoland area can help me with this one. I don't do new residential work, but I run into it enough. I rarely see anything but 1/2" EMT, and I'm not sure, but I don't think it usually has more than 2 or 3 wires in it. It's all low bid work, so I'm wondering if it's the most economical way. These guys that knock 'em out around here really have it down to a science (production type work).

By the way, I saw a really pretty job a few weeks ago where the electrician had run about 8 pipes parallel and very close together through a couple bends. They all went the same way for about 30'. I just thought it might have been easier to run some 3/4".

I wonder if it has something to do with the time & material of having an extra junction box to split them up down the road.

Dave

I think it depends on what the worker is used to. I had guys tell me it took them longer using NM because they don't have a system. It's got to be a saving or the rest of the world would not use it.

If your talking about HR I perfer more smaller ones. Pulling wire goes smother and it keeps things simpler and less chance of mistakes. Also I like to have the HR from panel to the first drop. Some guys will string a 3/4" thru j boxes every 15' and branch it off. Every J box is a bit of a mess.

Last I checked 3/4 was double in price. 1/2 bends a bit quicker.

Tom

My brother honed his skills with a new construction production shop. They only ran 1/2 because it was quicker to just stock the job with fewer types of parts and turn the guys loose. Only 1900 bracket boxes. No deep, no 1900 without brackets. If you need one without a bracket, hacksaw it.... and HURRRRY!!!!

They had their system. This to this to this to this.....take it home. ....and HURRRRRRY!!!!

They didn't want to give the installers too many options to ponder and consider. Plus it gives the guys pulling less to possibly screw up. Simplicity kept it moving with less mistakes and allowed less experienced, lower paid guys to work (and hurry) more effectivly.

Still only going to get the same amount of conductors through it if they were #12 or 14. (the magic number 9, although 6-8 feels better) 3/4 might just make it slightly easier to pull at added cost.

I think the limiting factor would be the size of the boxes. It's mighty easy to overfill a 4S (1900, if you will) box.
9-#12 wires or 10-#14, and that's it.

how long does it take to rough in a typical, 2 story, 2500 sq ft home, in emt? (with a 2 man crew) how about cost? the only munincipality in WI that I know of that used to require emt was Oshkosh...and that was only required in the basement and garage. I think that they've since dropped that rule.

There's a union carpenter in the neighborhood that told me the electricians have two days to get the house to rough. He didn't say what size crew it took to get it there.

Dave

2 days?

That's pushing it. Of course, if you've got a big enough crew...

"If you need one without a bracket, hacksaw it.... and HURRRRY!!!!"
"This to this to this to this.....take it home. ....and HURRRRRRY!!!!'"
"the electricians have two days to get the house to rough."

How the hell do people work like this?? If I had some moron standing behind me telling me to hurry I'd have some place nice to tell them to go.

IF you have to bid the job that low just to get it don't bid the damn job. If you have to just to survive go find another profession.
If I wanted to work on an assembly line I'd go work for GM.

I guess I have more principles than brains.

What do you Chicago guys call "rough in"? Just the pipe, or the wire pulled in too. When I lived/worked there, I heard of inspectors failing a rough-in if the wires were in pulled in before they got there.