Conduit Bends

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Dexie123

Senior Member
Hello all,

I noticed some tubing installed on a job I'm on. I was wondering how you'd make these bends. Let's assume the pipe(s) on the right (there are two stacked on top of each other) are a 30deg bend at the end of the pipe. As you go left you can see that the bends were not on the end of the pipe but they pipes alittle longer. And the next pipes to the left of that (last row) are even longer still.

How would you make those bends? What I mean is how much would you know to measure to make your next row? And the row after that?

Thanks

http://www.turboimagehost.com/p/7636490/Coduits.jpg.html
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
It looks to me like they made the long ones first and trimmed the shorter ones to fit.

There is no EMT bender that I am aware of that could have bent that close to the end on the tubing. Given the looks of it I would guess it was trail and error not a real plan.
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
If you take a few scrap pieces you can make the angle bends and lay them on the floor and slide them back and forth, then you can measure how much you need to add to every pipe down the line to get the look in the photo. Considering the spacing on the rack is inconsistent I would guess that they used Bob's method.
 

ceb58

Senior Member
Location
Raeford, NC
It looks to me like they made the long ones first and trimmed the shorter ones to fit.

There is no EMT bender that I am aware of that could have bent that close to the end on the tubing. Given the looks of it I would guess it was trail and error not a real plan.

It is called the SWAG method;)
 

cowboyjwc

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Simi Valley, CA
I would agree with Bob too. My guess is that the pen marks are the take ups for the arrow on the bender, so you know there was probably at least six inches beyond that mark.
 

jusme123

Senior Member
Location
NY
Occupation
JW
Hello all,

I noticed some tubing installed on a job I'm on. I was wondering how you'd make these bends. Let's assume the pipe(s) on the right (there are two stacked on top of each other) are a 30deg bend at the end of the pipe. As you go left you can see that the bends were not on the end of the pipe but they pipes alittle longer. And the next pipes to the left of that (last row) are even longer still.

How would you make those bends? What I mean is how much would you know to measure to make your next row? And the row after that?

Thanks

http://www.turboimagehost.com/p/7636490/Coduits.jpg.html

...just add 1/2 the diameter of the conduit being bent for the next bend mark. Example: if you had four pipes with 3" diameter, the first pipe would be marked at 24", the 2nd pipe would be 25.5", the third pipe 27", and the forth 28.5. There is a more complex formula but this will keep you in the ballpark. Check out this web site http://www.porcupinepress.com/_bending/ParallelBends.htm
 
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K8MHZ

Senior Member
Location
Michigan. It's a beautiful peninsula, I've looked
Occupation
Electrician
I see indentations on the inner side of the bends. It appears the bends were made with the same type of bender that car exhaust installers use. Those types of bender significantly reduce the inner area of the conduit. I wouldn't doubt that the NEC frowns on that.

I also didn't see any connectors going into the box. Is that something new, or something wrong?
 

cowboyjwc

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Simi Valley, CA
I see indentations on the inner side of the bends. It appears the bends were made with the same type of bender that car exhaust installers use. Those types of bender significantly reduce the inner area of the conduit. I wouldn't doubt that the NEC frowns on that.

I also didn't see any connectors going into the box. Is that something new, or something wrong?

That's a good catch, but it could just be the shadow in the picture is hiding them.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
I see indentations on the inner side of the bends. It appears the bends were made with the same type of bender that car exhaust installers use. Those types of bender significantly reduce the inner area of the conduit. I wouldn't doubt that the NEC frowns on that.

I also didn't see any connectors going into the box. Is that something new, or something wrong?

There is a ring that appears right about the edge of the shadow. Probably the edge of a connector.


It is called the SWAG method;)

Lets just call it "Bob's method" since he called it first:)
 

K8MHZ

Senior Member
Location
Michigan. It's a beautiful peninsula, I've looked
Occupation
Electrician
Do you have the green pipe bender's manual?

It will show you how to make any bend possible. I have used it for years and it's my pipe bending bible.

It's in my van right now so I don't have the exact name. If you are interested, PM me and I will give you the info.
 
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