Cable management plays a crucial role in ensuring the safety and efficiency of installation projects, as well as the compliance of regulatory standards. Conduit tubes are a tried and trusted method of cable management in a variety of environments, offering robust protection for wiring while enabling a degree of flexibility in their design and installation.
What Is A Conduit Tube?
A conduit tube is a cylindrical length of plastic or metal designed to house and protect electrical wires or cables. Conduit tubes adapt to different environments as required. For example, some can be used underground such as the London Underground, or within established buildings and structures. Steel conduit tubes can also serve as grounding pathways for electrical installations, adding another level of safety.
Conduit Tube Benefits
There are several advantages for when using conduit tubes, including:
- Protection: They shield cables from fire, moisture, impacts, corrosion, sunlight, and other potential threats, ensuring safety and durability.
- Organisation: Conduits help streamline cable installations, reducing clutter and making maintenance easier.
- Compliance: Many building specifications require the use of conduits to meet safety minimum standards.
- Versatility: Whether you're dealing with industrial, residential, or commercial projects, conduits can be tailored to specific needs.
Why Use a Steel Conduit Tube?
Steel, unlike PVC, offer robust protection in even the most demanding environments, and typically feature stronger resistance to compression and impact. In locations like underground environments, a rigid steel conduit tube can provide superior impact resistance and durability when compared to its PVC counterpart.
Meeting Standards
The current safety standard for conduit tube is BS EN 61386. This harmonised standard lays out the performance requirements for conduit tube, including its mechanical strength, bonding effectiveness and resistance to corrosion. Each of these criteria within the standard then has several classification levels. The Resistance to Compression criteria, for example, has a classification range from 1: Very light (with a compression force of 125N) up to 5: Very heavy (a compression force of 4000N). Due to these diverse levels of classification, customers could very well receive a product that meets the standard but does not meet their requirements.
Safer with Steel
The safety of an electrical installation is one of the most important factors to consider. A steel conduit tube cable management system, unlike PVC alternatives, provides multiple advantages, such as:
- Protection against physical damage
- Shielding from electromagnetic interference
- Fire hazard mitigation thanks to an improved heat resistance
The pure durability of a high-quality steel conduit tube against alternative cable management solutions ensures electrical installations are well protected. Additionally, the added durability reduces the need for replacements, which can result in significant monetary savings. This means, despite the higher up-front costs associated with steel conduit tubes, they can be the more long-term cost-effective solution.
The Versatility of Conduits
From protecting cables in harsh environments to simplifying complex installations, conduits are an essential part of modern cable management. Their ability to safeguard against physical, chemical, and environmental threats makes them indispensable for various projects, whether residential, commercial, or industrial.
With the right conduit choice, you can ensure that your cable management system not only meets but exceeds safety and performance standards, setting a solid foundation for reliable electrical systems.
The TTE Advantage
TTE steel conduit tube can help create a high-quality conduit cable management system. As required, they are certified to BS EN 61386. However, they also meet the following criteria:
- Resistance against Corrosion: Hot dipped galvanised inside and out to the highest Class 4 classification
- Resistance to Compression: Class 5 (very heavy)
- Resistance to Impact: Class 5 (very heavy)
- Tensile Strength: Class 5 (very heavy)
The galvanisation process takes place in a purpose-built plant to provide an even coating, then blasted with superheated steam to ensure the bore is smooth and defect-free to minimise cable damage during installation.