Metal conduit helps protect wires and keep you safehere’s how to install it.
Conduit offers superior protection and safety for wires.
There are many different types and thicknesses of conduit.
EMT (electric metallic tube, also called thin-wall) is strong enough for most interior home installations.
Outdoors, use IMC (intermediate metal conduit) or PVC conduit.
If you use PVC pipe, you need ground wire, either green-insulated or bare copper.
Save time by buying prebent fittings for your conduit.
A coupling joins two pieces of conduit end to end.
Setscrew fittings are commonly used with EMT conduit; they provide strong but not waterproof joints.
For weathertight joints, use IMC conduit and compression fittings.
And see to it to buy plenty of wire.
Use handy boxes with rounded edges and metal covers for exposed wiring.
An offset fitting allows the conduit to run tight up against the wall.
Measure Conduit
Once you set up the boxes,measure the conduitfor cutting.
The surest method is to hold a piece in place and mark it rather than using a tape measure.
Remember that the conduit slides about an inch into each fitting.
Cut Conduit
Cut the conduit to fit with a hacksaw.
Don’t use a tubing cutter, which creates sharp edges inside the conduit that could damage wire insulation.
Remove the burrs inside and out with a conduit-reaming attachment on a screwdriver.
Slide in Conduit
Slide the conduit into a fitting and tighten the setscrew.
Test to see to it the connection is tight.
(If you are not installing a ground wire, these connections are critical for grounding.)
verify the wires have ample room inside the conduit to slide through easily.
The larger the conduit, the closer the straps need to be.
Check with local codes.
You should drive screws into joists or studs, not just drywall.
Install a pulling elbow if the conduit makes more than three turns before entering a box.
Never make a splice here; use it as an access point when pulling wires.
