Gutters, wireways, troughs

[joeyww12000]

What are the differences between these three? Some applicable situations I have seen large metal enclosures used at work are this; Gutters/wireway/trough long enough to reach end to end of 5 to 6 panels, the panels were either set under or over the gutter/wireway/trough with nipple out of the panels connected to the gutter/wireway/trough, HR pipes would enter the gutter/wireway/trough in one location with conductors traveling through to desired panels.......sometimes splices would be made if conductors happened to be to short to reach desired panel; another situation I saw was a gutter/wireway/trough mounted to a wall within the mechanical/electrical room with at least 50 3/4" EMT conduits coming in from opposite room to the back of the gutter/wireway/trough, the mechanical room had panels on opposite walls facing one another so out of the gutter/wireway/trough you had conduits traveling up out and over to one side of the room to each respected panel and out of the bottom to the other side of the room to each respected panel. Are these 3 one in the same, just different when the situations change?

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Although they are very similar the code does make a distinction on some of these.

376.2 Definition.
Metal Wireways. Sheet metal troughs with hinged or removable covers for housing and protecting electrical wires and cable and in which conductors are laid in place after the wireway has been installed as a complete system.

I would say a trough is a wireway. It is my understanding that a gutter is a metal enclosure by the main distribution center. Here is another definition.

366.2 Definitions.
Metallic Auxiliary Gutter. A sheet metal enclosure used to supplement wiring spaces at meter centers, distribution centers, switchboards, and similar points of wiring systems. The enclosure has hinged or removable covers for housing and protecting electrical wires, cable, and busbars. The enclosure is designed for conductors to be laid or set in place after the enclosures have been installed as a complete system.

Hope this helps.

 

[masterinbama]

Not sure if this helps. When I was coming up in the trade, the wire space inside a panel was called a gutter. And any time you added a wireway outside of this panel it was called an axillary gutter, as in added room.

 

[RUWired]

Auxiliary gutters and wireways are basically the same. The intended use of the material is how it is clasified.Auxiliary gutters are used at panel boards, switch boards meter bases and are used to interconnect and extend wiring between the enclosures. They are limited to 30' max and cannot extend through walls. Wireways have unlimited lengths, and can extend through walls.I think of auxiliary gutters as surface mounted and wireway troughs as suspended mounted, although not always the case.

Rick

 

[BryanMD]

The difference between a gutter and a trough is the same is the difference between a 1900 box and a 4S box.

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

Auxiliary gutters and wireways are basically the same. The intended use of the material is how it is clasified.Auxiliary gutters are used at panel boards, switch boards meter bases and are used to interconnect and extend wiring between the enclosures. They are limited to 30' max and cannot extend through walls. Wireways have unlimited lengths, and can extend through walls.I think of auxiliary gutters as surface mounted and wireway troughs as suspended mounted, although not always the case.

Rick

Adding to Rick's post...


As per 366.12(1), there are restrictions as to what can be installed inside of the auxilary gutter.
Whereas, this is not so for wireways.