Conduit or Cable Tray
2
advanced search power quality design / engineering ops & maintenance market trends product depot lighting voice / data / video construction grounding NEC training Share This Article (0) Photo 1. Steel conduit provides unsurpassed protection from conductor damage, however, sales volume dropped by 15% between 1994 and 2004. Photo 2. The use of cable tray continues to grow primarily due to its significantly reduced labor and materials installation costs. Conduit or Cable Tray? Sep 1, 2006 12:00 PM, By Dan Carazo, Carazo Communications Tips for selecting the right means of cable conveyance for your application In any electrical installation, the structure type used to support, fasten, direct, and protect the installed wire and cable runs is critical. That's why choosing the appropriate pathway is so important. This article provides some useful guidelines and considerations when determining whether to use conduit or cable tray systems — with an emphasis on comparing steel conduit with steel cable tray (click here to see Table). But before diving into the pros and cons of these two options, let's take a look at how business affects the application of both. Market trends. In 2004, U.S. companies shipped more than $2.2 billion of electrical conduit and fittings, which include all the many types of raceways, wireways, and cable trays. The combined value of U.S. shipments of all metallic and non-metallic conduits totaled more than $1.7 billion. For most wiring installations, conduit remains the first choice. One reason for this reality is the fact that conduit's broad range of design types includes rigid metal conduit (RMC), electrical metallic tubing (EMT), intermediate metal conduit (IMC), rigid PVC, flexible PVC, flexible MC (metal clad in aluminum or steel), liquid-tight, and zinc-coated corrosion-resistant steel (Photo 1). According to a report published by The Freedonia Group, a Cleveland-based business research company, “Demand for conduit declined precipitously between 1999 and 2004 to 1.7 billion feet…Conduit demand is expected to grow 1.6% per annum to 1.8 billion feet in 2009…Steel conduit will continue to lose ground based on its higher material cost and installed costs.” By comparison, the U.S. market for cable tray is far smaller with slightly more than $200 million in annual sales. Nevertheless, cable tray sales have continued to grow steadily in recent years with one cable tray manufacturer citing an increase of 25% in 2005 and another recently reporting a 14% annual growth rate between 1997 and 2004. One factor that is increasing interest in cable tray is the increased commercial use of metal-clad (MC) cable. According to one executive at a leading wire and cable manufacturer, “MC is becoming the product of choice for commercial electrical wiring systems. The driver behind this shift is the ease of installing MC, saving up to 50% when compared to a pipe and wire installation.” Since installed MC is frequently supported by a cable tray system, this trend bodes well for continued increases in cable tray use (Photo 2). In addition to market dynamics, the popularity of one approach over the other is driven by other factors, including performance differences, regional influences, and cost considerations. Conductor protection. The most obvious reason for the pervasive use and popularity of conduit is the fact that it is an enclosed raceway offering outstanding protection to the shielded wiring or cable. Because of its outstanding tensile strength, steel conduit provides excellent protection to the electrical conductor, providing a tough barrier in demanding environments. This is an important differentiating factor that's at the very heart of conduit's long-term popularity. There are many applications that require substantial physical protection for wire and cable. For such projects, steel conduit is an ideal choice. Conduit with special coatings can also provide additional protection against corrosion. Regional differences. As one marketing manager for an industry manufacturer put it, “Conduit inherited an installed base of gas pipes that used to be used for transmitting gas to gas lamps. When the conversion was made to electricity, the wiring was just run through the old gas pipes.” Recent Comments in this issue Reliability Redefined Safety Programs Wiring Patient Care Areas More from this issue Subscribe to Digital Edition what's wrong here? What's Wrong Here? Jul 8, 2010 12:21 PM What's Wrong Here? Jun 24, 2010 1:18 PM What's Wrong Here? Jun 10, 2010 12:39 PM View all What's Wrong Here? product of the week Conduit Fittings July 12, 2010 View all 2010 Products of the Week Shocking Stats More Industry Statistics Jskaret where in the code book does it show minimum ceiling fan height in a house? Code Quandaries, April 2010 · 1 day ago John Bruner Excellent resource for clarifying my code research. Ambulatory Surgical Centers and Emergency Power · 1 day ago Smtariqueanwar For HV test of Switchgear....the voltage at which HV test is done at site is for the 1st time... Insulation Resistance Testing: How and Why? · 1 day ago JohnR I admire someone who is Bold enough to try and rewire the ground on a LIVE transformer. I am not... Ask a Question More... More... More... More... Professionals provide answers to your questions. Become an expert! T4 Emissions Regulations Aniruddha Natekar Q. We have had emission regulation changes in the decade. Why is Tier 4 gathering so much attention? Read the answer. Arlington CED1 Entrance Hoods The Scoop Series CED Entrance Plates and Hoods are reversible, non-metallic, single and two-gang versions... Arlington MC Cable Connectors One size fits several cable sizes when you use Arlington’s low cost, zinc diecast MC Cable Fittings... Sizing Gen-Sets: Facts, Hints, and Good Judgment The complexities of today’s commercial or industrial facility, with their equipment environment of linear and nonlinear loads, places a whole new light on sizing engine-generator sets. Making Dollars and Sense of Power Quality Power quality issues cost you valuable time and money. In this webinar we will explore how power quality impacts your facility and bottom line. Understanding what it is, where to look and what you can do about it. View this On Demand Webinar! Electric Vehicles are Coming Automakers have started to launch new electric vehicles (EVs), or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), in to the U.S. marketplace. EVs have the potential to revolutionize personal roadway transportation, and the "fuel" for this new breed of vehicles is electricity. View this On Demand Webinar! Learn about the changes in this new code cycle by attending the premier source of NEC information and training: EC&M University's 2011 NEC Code Change Conferences. In two informative and interest-filled days, you’ll learn about major NEC changes that will impact your work, whether you’re an electrician, contractor, engineer, designer, or plant/facility maintenance professional. 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Photo 1. Steel conduit provides unsurpassedprotection from conductor damage, however,sales volume dropped by 15% between 1994and 2004.
Photo 2. The use of cable tray continues to growprimarily due to its significantly reduced labor andmaterials installation costs.
Conduit or Cable Tray?Sep 1, 2006 12:00 PM, By Dan Carazo, Carazo Communications
Tips for selecting the right means of cable conveyancefor your application
In any electrical installation, the structure type used tosupport, fasten, direct, and protect the installed wire and cable runs is critical. That'swhy choosing the appropriate pathway is so important. This article provides some usefulguidelines and considerations when determining whether to use conduit or cable traysystems — with an emphasis on comparing steel conduit with steel cable tray (click hereto see Table). But before diving into the pros and cons of these two options, let's take alook at how business affects the application of both.
Market trends. In 2004, U.S. companies shipped more than $2.2 billion of electricalconduit and fittings, which include all the many types of raceways, wireways, and cabletrays. The combined value of U.S. shipments of all metallic and non-metallic conduitstotaled more than $1.7 billion.
For most wiring installations, conduitremains the first choice. One reason forthis reality is the fact that conduit'sbroad range of design types includesrigid metal conduit (RMC), electricalmetallic tubing (EMT), intermediatemetal conduit (IMC), rigid PVC, flexiblePVC, flexible MC (metal clad inaluminum or steel), liquid-tight, andzinc-coated corrosion-resistant steel(Photo 1).
According to a report published by TheFreedonia Group, a Cleveland-basedbusiness research company, “Demandfor conduit declined precipitouslybetween 1999 and 2004 to 1.7 billionfeet…Conduit demand is expected togrow 1.6% per annum to 1.8 billion feetin 2009…Steel conduit will continue tolose ground based on its highermaterial cost and installed costs.”
By comparison, the U.S. market forcable tray is far smaller with slightlymore than $200 million in annual sales.Nevertheless, cable tray sales havecontinued to grow steadily in recentyears with one cable tray manufacturer citing an increase of 25% in 2005 and anotherrecently reporting a 14% annual growth rate between 1997 and 2004.
One factor that is increasing interest in cable tray is the increased commercial use ofmetal-clad (MC) cable. According to one executive at a leading wire and cablemanufacturer, “MC is becoming the product of choice for commercial electrical wiringsystems. The driver behind this shift is the ease of installing MC, saving up to 50%when compared to a pipe and wire installation.”
Since installed MC is frequentlysupported by a cable traysystem, this trend bodes well forcontinued increases in cable trayuse (Photo 2).
In addition to market dynamics,the popularity of one approachover the other is driven by otherfactors, including performancedifferences, regional influences,and cost considerations.
Conductor protection. Themost obvious reason for thepervasive use and popularity ofconduit is the fact that it is anenclosed raceway offeringoutstanding protection to theshielded wiring or cable. Because of its outstanding tensile strength, steel conduitprovides excellent protection to the electrical conductor, providing a tough barrier indemanding environments. This is an important differentiating factor that's at the veryheart of conduit's long-term popularity.
There are many applications that require substantial physical protection for wire andcable. For such projects, steel conduit is an ideal choice. Conduit with special coatingscan also provide additional protection against corrosion.
Regional differences. As one marketing manager for an industry manufacturer put it,“Conduit inherited an installed base of gas pipes that used to be used for transmittinggas to gas lamps. When the conversion was made to electricity, the wiring was just runthrough the old gas pipes.”
Recent Comments
in this issue
ReliabilityRedefinedSafetyProgramsWiring PatientCare Areas
More from this issueSubscribe to Digital Edition
what's wrong here?What's WrongHere?Jul 8, 2010 12:21 PM
What's WrongHere?Jun 24, 2010 1:18 PM
What's WrongHere?Jun 10, 2010 12:39 PM
View all What's Wrong Here?
product of the week
Conduit FittingsJuly 12, 2010
View all 2010 Products of theWeek
Shocking Stats
More Industry Statistics
Jskaret where in the code bookdoes it show minimum ceiling fanheight in a house?Code Quandaries, April 2010 · 1day ago
John Bruner Excellent resourcefor clarifying my code research.Ambulatory Surgical Centers andEmergency Power · 1 day ago
Smtariqueanwar For HV test ofSwitchgear....the voltage at whichHV test is done at site is for the1st time...Insulation Resistance Testing:How and Why? · 1 day ago
JohnR I admire someone who isBold enough to try and rewire theground on a LIVE transformer. Iam not...
Ask a Question
More...
More...
More...
More...
Professionals provide answers to your questions.Become an expert!
T4 Emissions RegulationsAniruddha Natekar
Q. We have had emissionregulation changes in thedecade. Why is Tier 4 gathering so much attention?Read the answer.
Arlington CED1Entrance HoodsThe Scoop Series CEDEntrance Plates andHoods are reversible,non-metallic, single andtwo-gang versions...
Arlington MC CableConnectorsOne size fits several cablesizes when you useArlington’s low cost, zincdiecast MC CableFittings...
Sizing Gen-Sets: Facts, Hints, and GoodJudgment
The complexities of today’s commercial or industrialfacility, with their equipment environment of linear andnonlinear loads, places a whole new light on sizingengine-generator sets.
Making Dollars and Sense of PowerQuality
Power quality issues cost you valuable time andmoney. In this webinar we will explore how powerquality impacts your facility and bottom line.Understanding what it is, where to look and what youcan do about it. View this On Demand Webinar!
Electric Vehicles are ComingAutomakers have started to launch newelectric vehicles (EVs), or plug-in hybridelectric vehicles (PHEVs), in to the U.S.marketplace. EVs have the potential to
revolutionize personal roadway transportation, and the"fuel" for this new breed of vehicles is electricity. Viewthis On Demand Webinar!
Learn aboutthe changesin this newcode cycle by attending the premier source of NECinformation and training: EC&M University's 2011 NECCode Change Conferences. In two informative andinterest-filled days, you’ll learn about major NECchanges that will impact your work, whether you’re anelectrician, contractor, engineer, designer, orplant/facility maintenance professional.
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Conduit or Cable Tray http://ecmweb.com/construction/electric_conduit_cable_tray/
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