Trunking and pipe

[i=p/u]

Hello starting new job on Monday, some will say a proper sparks job instead of facility maintenance. This job involves trunking and pipe which I little experience in installing.. I've told the guy this and he said long as you don't ask what's a running coupler etc. so feel fine. But anytime I installed pipe or trunking it was minimal as we just tapping off or adding on ..

any tips I'm all ears .. Was considering buying 18v angle grinder to at least speed up on cutting trunking . I their a certain disk type to buy, think I heard someone say the real thin ones are best, wee link.. Thx

 

[Guest55]

cordless grinder is awesome for steel containment work , i wouldnt be without mine.

1mm inox / stainless steel discs are the most suitable.

learning to work out cutting angles in your head is the next step to working fast with tray / trunking.

 

[Farmelectrics]

its called conduit

 

[Clive P]

Hi,

I may be old fashioned but I always use a Hacksaw for cutting trunking, nice accurate cut and quick clean with a file and you're away. Some people use Earthing links, some don't ; if you're not sure what's required put them in. Are you using manufacturer's bends or preforming them yourself?
When you get to the cabling stage I always like to cut some plastic tube or similar, just to hold the cables in place and they help to stop the lid buttons from trapping the cables.
As for the tube work, I'm afraid it's experience here that counts. I believe there is a sticky somewhere with reference to bending tube, maybe one of the other posters can remember where it is.Finally , use a good pipe vice , there is nothing worse than seeing a gouge on your surface conduit, it ain't professional.

Regards.

 

[iamelectric]

if you have never done trunking or conduit i wouldnt start with a grinder for the trunking as said its a lot quicker but takes a while to perfect , start off with a hacksaw or even a jigsaw with metal blade

 

[johnboy6083]

I use a grinder for trunking and tray, but I learnt to use a hacksaw first.
Personally a jigsaw is not as neat, unless you're very skilled using it.

Conduit is something that is best taught by someone who knows what they're doing, if you can bend and set to measure, it saves you a lot of time and materials.

For making bends in trunking and tray, buy a protractor it will give you perfect results.

 

[Sparkie30]

trunking and basket is ok but conduit work is something different

good luck

 

[telectrix]

buy a decent full size hacksaw with 32TPI blades. put the blade in the right way round and remember it cuts only on the forward stroke, so don't go ragging at it like i see some of the youngsters doing.

 

[johnboy6083]

The most efficient way to cut is a) get somebody else to get to do it, b) use the full length of the blade. Sticking your finger out along the side of the saw will help to keep it steady.

 

[telectrix]

The most efficient way to cut is a) get somebody else to get to do it, b) use the full length of the blade. Sticking your finger out along the side of the saw will help to keep it steady.

or get you a meeting with some pretty nurses at A&E.

 

[johnboy6083]

or get you a meeting with some pretty nurses at A&E.

I mean along the spine of the saw, with the same hand that your holding it with. I don't for one second mean the opposite hand.

 

[telectrix]

funny, that. i've always used left thumb alongside the blade to guide the blade at start of cutting, both with metal and wood. never drawn blood yet.

 

[johnboy6083]

I'm a clumsy git, I'd probably amputate my arm!
i pull the saw backwards first to get a start.

 

[telectrix]

me too, then gentle pressure on forward stroke, release on drawback, us most of the blade length. and of course, the golden rule... measure twice, cut once.

 

[iamelectric]

if u want to show off turn up with this on the first day
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OkTwDuWio8&sns=em

 

[danielsemaj]

rule for first day. if they run out of 25mm nipples and ask you to thread a length of conduit tell them to go and get a long wait

 

[7029 dave]

leave plenty on tube when pulling your sets

 

[onions1066]

I'm with the grinder way of thinking, I wouldn't use a hacksaw anymore but each to there own. And one thing I would add is I know everyone loves there cordless gear but I'd take a decent 110 grinder with you as it does kill the batteries pretty quickly. Good luck with your bubble sets they can be a bit tricky to get to grips with. I think you should put a pic up of your first go no cheating and tweaking it. Your genuine first effort. Good luck

 

[i=p/u]

Il cut and thread , few 90s .. No sweat , bubble set and offsets il fail.. But this probably the job I'm waiting for ...

 

[Flanders]

A good electrician never has to do a runner ... He gets his apprentice to do it for him !

 

[timbobelfast]

Measure twice cut once. Is this the job from the jobcentre trev?

 

[Engineer54]

As far as the conduit work goes, look out for the best guy on site for measuring and setting, and learn all you can from him. I suppose that can also be said of trunking fabrication too. If you're keen to learn, i would think most of the good electricians on site will be willing to show you how it's done. So long as you don't make a nuisance of yourself

 

[Silly Sausage]

As far as the conduit work goes, look out for the best guy on site for measuring and setting, and learn all you can from him. I suppose that can also be said of trunking fabrication too. If you're keen to learn, i would think most of the good electricians on site will be willing to show you how it's done. So long as you don't make a nuisance of yourself

And failing that, sneek in after hours and get more practise in when no one's looking!
Sling the scrap.

 

[Farmelectrics]

Trunking and conduit was all part of your apprenticeship all good electricians should be able to carry out these basic tasks

 

[Engineer54]

Trunking and conduit was all part of your apprenticeship all good electricians should be able to carry out these basic tasks

Not so it seems these day's!! T&E and SWA is about the limit of what students are being taught in any depth at colleges.

 

[Spoon]

me too, then gentle pressure on forward stroke, release on drawback, us most of the length.

Its early morning and have only had one coffee. Have we changed the subject now...

 

[silverfox1]

Not so it seems these day's!! T&E and SWA is about the limit of what students are being taught in any depth at colleges.

You are right there When new AM2 was introduced they changed a few things, see below.

The new AM2 exam differs from the old one:
• MIMS (pyro) or Mineral Insulated Metal Sheathed cable use and termination removed
• Installation of steel conduit is now removed;
• All the electrical containment is already installed so you only need to do the wiring from one
equipment to another;
• All the wiring needs to be installed using the preinstalled cable tray, steel and PVC
compartmental trunking and PVC conduit;
• In comes the S Plan central heating and hot water system with a solar thermal sustainable
energy element;
• In comes the requirement to install and test data-cabling systems (Cat5);
• Time for the composite installation has been reduced from 10 hours to 8 h 30 min.

 

[i=p/u]

Nah timbo just looked at job centre, the works in cookstown, think he's looking men too ...


i also know guys in Sunderland getting 80hrs a week.

and as to am2 it isn't hard. At college we learnt trunking, pipe and pyro. But briefly and as I have done that much of it have expanded my experience with it..

 

[iamelectric]

conduit!!!! if u ask for pipe on site some dope head will get his hash pipe out ;-)

 

[iamelectric]

how you getting on anyway

 

[MDJ]

My God what next, every spark should be able to install conduit and trunking, basic school boy stuff IMO, every young spark in my day thought they were the best conduit commando, they would **** themselves laughing at this thread with advice about what hacksaw to use ha ha

 

[iamelectric]

a know loads of sparks that have never done trunking and conduit , or worked on 3 phase installations they have only done house bashing all their days , cant take anything away from them , they will rewire a house quicker than the comercial sparks

 

[i=p/u]

You start a thread and people add what they add mdj.. Can't help if people say use a 32 tpi blade, and you can never get them anyway..

 

[iamelectric]

thats was the best bit of advice on this thread , anything less and it just sticks all the time

 

[MDJ]

a know loads of sparks that have never done trunking and conduit , or worked on 3 phase installations they have only done house bashing all their days , cant take anything away from them , they will rewire a house quicker than the comercial sparks

nope just don't believe that

 

[iamelectric]

believe what u want!!

 

[MDJ]

firstly before getting your Knickers all in a twist, what do you define as a "Spark" ?

 

[Guest55]

a know loads of sparks that have never done trunking and conduit , or worked on 3 phase installations they have only done house bashing all their days , cant take anything away from them , they will rewire a house quicker than the comercial sparks

they're called domestic installers.

 

[MDJ]

they're called domestic installers.

And will they do the Job right, I have had several who have worked for me who are fine until a problem occurs LOL, god help us all then, One guy was completely brain washed in colour code, I asked him what would happen if I wired a 2 way switch in the house with all black cores once, he said he wouldn't be able to sort it out HA HA HA HA, well there you are, whats a spark?

 

[i=p/u]

As I'm new too trade (4years) some jobs we pull cables,some we connect some we test ...it's all different these days. All different titles but the same intention of knowing about electrical systems which comes with experience and not same thing day in day out, like a lot of jobs out there...

 

[iamelectric]

its not for me to decide who is a spark or not , if you have done your time and got the papers then no one can take that away from u , not even a super spark

 

[Guest55]

.......... a super spark

did someone call ? lol :icon10:

 

[MDJ]

its not for me to decide who is a spark or not , if you have done your time and got the papers then no one can take that away from u , not even a super spark

well someone has spoiled their nappy, funnily enough a local firm near me is asking for specialist sparks, the criteria= must be able to make off armoured cable, and there's also another position available, for a spark who specialises in central heating systems, gasp and double flucking gasp, iam you need to chill out and re think Fella, LMFAO

 

[Guest55]

specialist sparks, the criteria= must be able to make off armoured cable

:rofl: :smilielol5:

please stop , youre killing me .........

 

[MDJ]

:rofl: :smilielol5:

please stop , youre killing me .........

:smilielol5: ah yes Friday Night has began haha

 

[iamelectric]

--- on a guy puts a few !!!!! at the end of a post and you think hes in a huff , my nappys all changed now and am chilling with a guinness x

 

[MDJ]

its not for me to decide who is a spark or not , if you have done your time and got the papers then no one can take that away from u , not even a super spark

What upsets me iam is the fact there is one company near me who only employs young kids and at 20 they lay them off. during the 4 year period they employ them they only work as skivvies for other sparks and only learn how to chase out walls for boxes and how to install an electrical system in a domestic situation. Now I am an employer and am not racist, prejudice or homophobic in any way and find that sort of thing appalling. But lets be realistic here, these young lads who are removed as so called sparks at 20 are being mistreated, they build up their hopes and apply for works on real companies, they get shot down, their confidence eventually ends in tatters and they do not usually go any farther in the trade. I tend to employ some and try to turn them around, but thousands all over the country do not get turned around, it is disgusting how they are treated and these 5 week part p courses even more appalling. Before you start to sarcastically quote us employers remember we have to pick up the flucking pieces and try to rebuild these poor fluckers confidence, some have families and young children and need support, they won't get it being released on the public with just some house bashing experience, anyone who cannot bend pipe or install basic trunking needs help and should be considered a trainee or mate until they get that experience, take your finger out of your arse and think about the whole picture.

 

[MDJ]

--- on a guy puts a few !!!!! at the end of a post and you think hes in a huff , my nappys all changed now and am chilling with a guiness x

Just saw this, fair enough, have a great evening . MIKE

 

[i=p/u]

Feel for me mdj and give me well payed job. To feed my family. Have them.

I have done trunking and pipe before as I said ,just not to what others could do, who do it day in day out.. There's company's out there who do nothing but containment. And probably struggle with other stuff.


I just hope I get through the first week, by second week il be in swing .. And this thread would be forgot about.. But il start a new one to get ur heart beating again.


Not one if yous mentioned gloves as I always seem to cut myself too .. But can't wear the things and work.

 

[iamelectric]

for f**k sake man its called conduit , CONDUIT , CONDUIT ITS CALLED F IN CONDUIT LOL
so how did u get on the day