up to 45%
Cable Channels
About Cable Ducts
The cable duct is a general term that refers to all the different kinds of tubular ducts that provide a safe pathway to run multiple circuits together. The main function served by a duct is to enclose and secure the electrical wires inside it.
Besides the protection that ducts provide, they also make it much simpler and easier to add, remove or replace circuits. If you were to do any of these for a circuit that does not use a duct, it would take you a lot more time and effort than a circuit that uses a conduit. Often, you will have to use multiple types of conduits for the same wiring. This guide will help you to understand each type of conduit. Having a better understanding of them will help you choose the right type of conduit while shopping.
Different types of cable ducts
Conduit plays a key role in protecting the wiring and the house itself. Because the level of protection and flexibility demanded by each type of wiring differs depending on the situation, it is not surprising that these ducts come in so many varieties. There are rigid cable concealers, flexible cable concealers, metal ones, plastic ones, and other materials as well. The material required for indoor wiring is not the same as the material required for outdoor wiring. Here is a list of the four most common types of cable concealers that you will come across.
Rigid metal conduit
As you can make out from the name itself, these conduits are rigid, have thick walls, and are of metal. More often than not, this metal is going to be stainless steel. This type of conduit offers a raceway that offers superior protection against mechanical damage. If it is a situation that needs better rust resistance, this type of conduit will be hot-dipped galvanised. All of these conduits will have threads at both ends. Hence, you can add a couple at the end to make joints. If any normal overhead or underground wiring requires protection against physical damage, people always go for this type.
Flexible metal conduit
The Flexible Metallic Conduit is made with a long and narrow metal strip that is spirally wound to form a tube. Some people also refer to this type of conduit as metal flex or greenfield. A flexible metal conduit is an ideal option where you need both mechanical protection and also flexibility. Traditional straight conduits are not suitable for running wires through raceways with many bends and turns. Also, because FMCs are easy to connect together, it is simple to install even using the basic tools.
PVC conduit
This is not a single type of conduit. Rather, there are two types of PVC cable ducts. Schedule 40 conduits have a thinner wall configuration than Schedule 80. That means the inside diameter of schedule 40 conduits that are significantly wider. Schedule 40 is very popular in cases where you don’t need much mechanical protection. On the other hand, schedule 80 has a thicker wall configuration than Schedule 40 and, as a result, has an inside diameter that is significantly smaller. Since both Schedule 40 and Schedule 80’s have similar diameters, you can use the same fittings for both of these.
Electrical non-metallic tubing
Electrical Nonmetallic Tubing (ENT) is a lightweight, corrugated raceway made of a material resistant to moisture and flame. ENT can be used in hidden areas, so it is a good option for wall, floor, and ceiling installation. It may also be used in open areas, but not where physical harm happens to the conduit. This is not immune to sunlight, and it is not ideal for direct burial. It is extremely simple to work with and easy to cut, and no special installation tools are required. For data cable installations, ENT is a very common alternative.
Tips on how to buy Cable Ducts Online
At first, finding a cable concealer for the wiring might seem really simple. This is because there are so many things that affect the quality and type of a duct. Moreover, some of it can be a bit too technical for your taste. On top of that, each country has rules that specify the type of duct that one should be using. That being said, it can be easier if you know what factors to consider in them. Here are a few things that you should keep in mind while shopping for them.
- Type of duct – First of all, you have to decide what type of conduit you want for the specific type of wiring or the kind of work you are going to undertake. If it is regular house wiring, you are going to need PVC conduits and PVC. Most industrial-grade wiring requires metal conduits. However, in the end, you will have to follow the electrical code of your country.
- Length – Make sure that you are going to buy enough length. So, how do you know how many conduits you want before starting the work? There are two ways mainly. The first one is to do a rough estimate. Although this is less work, you might end up wasting more. If you want to be more precise, you can take accurate measurements to figure out the length. You will have to add ten per cent more to the measured length to make sure that you have enough.
- Mechanical strength – A few different factors contribute to the mechanical strength of a conduit. The most important factor is, of course, the type of material. Clearly, steel offers more protection than PVC. However, even though metal flex conduits are steel, the presence of joints make them less sturdy.
- Diameter – This is another important factor to consider. After all, a conduit is something that you are going to run the wires through. So, there should be enough space inside the conduit to fit all the wires. Choose the diameter based on the number of wires you want to run.
If you are a DIYer, you will need other electrical supplies apart from cable ducts. These include cable clamps, power strips, blanking panels, cable connectors, extension cords, cable tags, cable lugs, capacitors, and wall plates. You can find any of these easily using our shopping search engine . It will let you compare the prices and features of different products and pick the best one among them. So, don’t forget to check out all the other products from the DIY category.
Question & Answer
How to cut a cable duct?
The right way to cut a cable connector depends on what type of duct you are talking about. The tool that you use for cutting should be suitable for the size and material of the duct. For small PVC ducts, it is common for people to use pliers. But pliers don’t work if it is large. In that case, you will have to use a hacksaw. In fact, a hack saw works for many different types of ducts. Even though it takes a bit of time and effort to cut a metal conduit with a hacksaw, it is still doable. You can use an electric cutter if you want to get the job done faster.
Which cable concealer should you use?
There is only one rule when it comes to selecting a cable duct for electrical wiring. It should offer enough protection for the wires and also it should be of the appropriate size. However, when it comes to selecting the duct, you don’t have to do any complex calculations yourself for the most part. The electrical code of a country defines what type of duct you have to use and how big it should be. All you have to do is to figure out the total length of the duct. For this, you will have to do a bit of calculation and take some measurements.
Where to buy cable ducts online in the UAE?
While you are buying any type of electrical device or accessories, you have to be careful to choose something that is of proper quality. Fortunately, there are plenty of places where you can find them here in the UAE. But one of the best places to look for them online is, of course, Shops.ae. It is incredibly easy to find the right type of duct using our retail search engine. Moreover, you can find them for some of the most affordable prices in the market. There are more than 500 shops and brands offering them here on Shops.ae. These shops offer products from popular brands like Legrand, D Line, Menards, Startech, Belkin, and IKEA.