PVC bending box vs blanket

Status
Not open for further replies.
V

vilasman

Senior Member
I need to bend some 4" and some 1" PVC conduit. Which is easier to use the box or the blanket? What are the advantages/ dis advantages of each?
 
PVC Bending

PVC Bending

vilasman said:
I need to bend some 4" and some 1" PVC conduit. Which is easier to use the box or the blanket? What are the advantages/ dis advantages of each?
Click to expand...

If the PVC is a stub-up that needs to be bent in place the blanket is what I use. If the bends are for new installation I use the box. I typically use the hot box for up to 2" and like the liquid bender for larger sizes. I find that with the hot box, if you are bending Sch-80 you really need to keep rotating it or it will get overheated in spots.
 
Box is very expensive and a pita to set up. The Blanket is expensive also but a little more portable as it fits in the truck better. Personally I would buy an induction heater off of ebay if they are still available. I have a set of plans but they are copyrighted Other than this most of my bends are smaller pipe and I carry 1/2 3/4 pipe vipers and a 2"blanket on the truck. I have all kinds of torches and almost every customer has a propane bbq to borrow in a pinch just keep spinning.
 
Each on has advantages & disadvantages, so which one I use depends on the task at hand.

Lots of bends get the box. One or two gets the blanket.

Blankets can stay in the truck all the time. Boxes are only put in the van for delivery to job site.

Boxes can be left plugged in all day. Blankets have to be handled, so either wear heavy gloves or let it cool off between heating pipes.
 
I do not have experience with the blanket. I have used the box on several jobs to bend 4". The box is long enough to bend a 90 on the 1" PVC without moving the conduit back and forth, just spinning. However, with the 4", we moved the conduit back and forth while spinning to heat up a long enough section to bend a 90. This took some time, even after plugging both ends.

I was curious if perhaps 2 blankets would cover enough 4" pipe to speed up the process.
 
Have used the 2 and 4 inch boxes and the main thing is to have nin 2 men, one with water the other with gloves making sure it does not dimple. Edison and other utioities say no heat shall be applied. If it is a utility run you can not bend and have to get the approved sweeps.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top