Monday, October 12, 2009

Electrical conduits and trunking pictures

Below are a few pictures of electrical conduits and trunking running above ceiling.

You can also see in the pictures some red painted pipes. Those are fire protection pipes.

So why do I show you these pictures?

This is a very important point here from the point of view of electrical safety, which is the coordination between the electrical trunking and the fire protection pipes during construction or installation.

Those pipes carry water. Sooner or later in their lifetime, the pipes may leak (probably at the joints or at the valves).

The leakage water may travel along the length of the pipes whether vertically or horizontally.

=================  RELATED ARTICLES: Underfloor trunking below structural rebarsMATV trunking riser |  Lighting flexible conduitsConduit to trunking connections |  Cable ladder pictures  | Electrical panel under water pipes  | Electrical busduct installation pictures | Electric conduit installation pictures  | Electric trunking installation pictures  | Electric Panel Installation Pictures  | FR electric cable installation pictures  | Multi storey building electric closets  | Underfloor trunking pictures  | Site-fabricated electrical trunking  | Electrical Services Color Codes  | Light switch installation pictures | Electrical installation pictures

=================

The electrical carry live electrical wires in their normal operation. What happen if the pipes are installed above the trunking when they cross each other?

The water may drip onto the trunking. Then it may enter the trunking through whatever holes that may be there (i.e. screw holes).

Once the water drops are on the trunking, it may travel along and directly enter the electrical panels.

If you observe carefully, the 90-degree vertical bends of the trunking at the wall on the right of Picture 3 are actually where they are going to the electrical panels mounted on the wall (the electrical panels are not mounted yet).

Small quantities water leaks can travel quietly into the electrical panels and damage the electrical components inside the panels.

It is not likely that a service electrician will get electric shock from this situation because service people are alert by training.

What if the leakage water travels from the electrical trunking into conduits that are serving socket outlets or other final circuits (See Picture 4)?

Picture 4 shows some conduits that tap off directly from the trunking. Some of these tap-offs present easy flow of any liquid from the trunking into the conduit.

Before long the water may reach socket outlets and then quietly travel to the floor. At this stage, the hazard is deadly to any unsuspecting occupants of the space. It is no longer just a nuisance.

Picture 1 - Electrical trunking vs. fire protection pipes

Picture 2- Electrical trunking vs. fire protection pipes

Picture 3- Electrical trunking vs. fire protection pipes

Picture 4- Electrical conduit and trunking

To conclude this post, never install or allow to be installed, electrical conduits or trunking below any pipe that may carry water at some time in its operation. Even at crossings.

Make sure the pipes always go below, not above.

See you in the next post.

Note: You can see more electrical pictures at Electrical installation pictures. If you are looking for pictures of temporary electrical installations, visit this post, Temporary electrical installation pictures.

Copyright Electrical Installation Wiring Pictures - Electrical conduits and trunking pictures

No comments: