Do we really need kindorf for some installations?

Tainted

Tainted

Senior Member
Location
New York
Occupation
Engineer (PE)
Some electrical equipment is mounted and bolted directly onto the wall without kindorf.

Sometimes a kindorf is used and mounted onto a wall and then the electrical equipment is mounted onto the kindorf...

Can vertical wireways be mounted onto the wall without kindorf?

When is kindorf really necessary for mounting electrical equipment on the wall?
 
It usually depends on the equipment. For example mounting heavy panels on a Sheetrock wall running Kindorf up from the floor will help hold the weight so the wall is really only supporting the tip weight. Often it is not needed but can make an installation easier.
 
infinity said:
It usually depends on the equipment. For example mounting heavy panels on a Sheetrock wall running Kindorf up from the floor will help hold the weight so the wall is really only supporting the tip weight. Often it is not needed but can make an installation easier.
Click to expand...
Got it, but let's take a look at this picture below for example:

How come they used kindorf to mount the panel, why can't they just mount it on the wall?

There is also a panel right below it and that panel does not have kindorf

1726193380133.png
 
infinity said:
It usually depends on the equipment. For example mounting heavy panels on a Sheetrock wall running Kindorf up from the floor will help hold the weight so the wall is really only supporting the tip weight. Often it is not needed but can make an installation easier.
Click to expand...
There could be a huge difference between what kind of weight a metal stud can support vs a wood stud as well. Particularly for items added after the fact that there was no reinforcement installed within the wall to be able to hold the weight.
 
Tainted said:
Got it, but let's take a look at this picture below for example:

How come they used kindorf to mount the panel, why can't they just mount it on the wall?

There is also a panel right below it and that panel does not have kindorf

View attachment 2573396
Click to expand...
No good reason as long as that wall is normally dry other than to shim something out to a particular position.

Looks like the bottom panel is right on the wall?
 
kwired said:
No good reason as long as that wall is normally dry other than to shim something out to a particular position.

Looks like the bottom panel is right on the wall?
Click to expand...
Yes the bottom panel including the meter compartment is directly mounted on the wall
 
I wouldn't mount that panel any other way unless I wanted to beat all those mortar joints down with a hammer and chisel. And even then, there is no guarantee that the surface itself would be flat. Imagine mounting that panel to the wall, socking the fasteners down tight at the top and bottom then having a middle block sticking out enough so that the panel gets bowed. 😠

-Hal
 
Tainted said:
Got it, but let's take a look at this picture below for example:

How come they used kindorf to mount the panel, why can't they just mount it on the wall?

There is also a panel right below it and that panel does not have kindorf

View attachment 2573396
Click to expand...
Has others have said, there are potentially many reasons to use strut in that situation:

1. uneven surfaces
2. To match up KO's conduits, other cabinets
3. If the surface is tricky to fasten to or fastening points are to far apart.
4. If its damp/wet I'd like the extra clearance

That said, I also wouldn't have a problem fastening equipment direct to the wall if none of those conditions existed. In some situations, like typically inside where a bunch of equipment needs to go on a drywall wall, I prefer a painted plywood backboard over unistrut.
 
Well, Kindorf and Unistrut are two different things... or were. Kindorf is the electrical industries strut system. Unistrut is the mechanical industries strut system. Both offer similar fittings and clamps, BUT they were incompatible with each other. Clamps would not fit each other's strut. At some point several years ago Kindorf redesigned to be compatible with Unistrut and the other strut systems.

I know because I just threw out boxes of the old style Kindorf clamps.

-Hal
 
Tainted said:
How come they used kindorf to mount the panel, why can't they just mount it on the wall?
Click to expand...
As Tom said you have multiple holes in the strut to catch toggle bolts into the terracotta. The chance that you could hit 4 hollows spots in the block to match the 4 mounting holes in the panel are slim to none.
 
hbiss said:
Well, Kindorf and Unistrut are two different things... or were. Kindorf is the electrical industries strut system. Unistrut is the mechanical industries strut system. Both offer similar fittings and clamps, BUT they were incompatible with each other. Clamps would not fit each other's strut. At some point several years ago Kindorf redesigned to be compatible with Unistrut and the other strut systems.

I know because I just threw out boxes of the old style Kindorf clamps.

-Hal
Click to expand...
I started I.the trade in 1980. Never seen or installed Kindorf, but installed a lot of “strut”. Perhaps Kindorf is more common where you are
 
infinity said:
As Tom said you have multiple holes in the strut to catch toggle bolts into the terracotta. The chance that you could hit 4 hollows spots in the block to match the 4 mounting holes in the panel are slim to none.
Click to expand...
small lightweight item like the panel OP pictured is supported fine by plastic wedge anchors. Should a hole blow out too big for some reason a toggle bolt may be the next option
 
hbiss said:
Well, Kindorf and Unistrut are two different things... or were. Kindorf is the electrical industries strut system. Unistrut is the mechanical industries strut system. Both offer similar fittings and clamps, BUT they were incompatible with each other. Clamps would not fit each other's strut. At some point several years ago Kindorf redesigned to be compatible with Unistrut and the other strut systems.

I know because I just threw out boxes of the old style Kindorf clamps.

-Hal
Click to expand...
None of the electrical supply houses around here have Kindorf...they all sell some brand of strut that is 1.625" square. Kindorf is 1.5" square.
Did not know that Kindorf changed their clamp design to fit the 1.625" square strut.
 
don_resqcapt19 said:
None of the electrical supply houses around here have Kindorf...they all sell some brand of strut that is 1.625" square. Kindorf is 1.5" square.
Did not know that Kindorf changed their clamp design to fit the 1.625" square strut.
Click to expand...
Back in the day we always used Kindorf because it was union made and the only strut that union supply houses would sell. Now they sell both Kindorf and some type of strut like Unistrut.
 
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