Wiring in block walls?

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220/221 said:
3. Install ground screws and pigtails BEFORE installation. It is a helluvalot easir when they are in your hand.
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Yeah, I often wished someone made a 10-32 tap that had a masonry bit tip just for those special occasions when you have mortar oozed into the threaded hole.
 
Yeah, I often wished someone made a 10-32 tap that had a masonry bit tip just for those special occasions when you have mortar oozed into the threaded hole.
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That's why they make self tapping screws :)

Nothing I hate more than crawling down on my knees, looking into a black hole and trying to manuver a ground screw into the back of the recep box. It's a really bad angle for me.
 
tedge said:
The blocks aren't up, it is only at the bidding stage. I'm just trying to get an idea on the work involved so I can make an accurate estimate.

Cadpoint- No I haven't worked w/ a mason before. I see them building chimneys and rock walls, but there's not a lot of block buildings going up in my area. So I should plan on having a couple of guys there to keep ahead of them eh? Pardon my ignorance, but why would I need to make offsets? Couldn't I just come straight down the void w/ my conduit sections into the top of the box? Am I missing something?
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Tedge, Sorry if my answer was so cavalier, or stark.

As the reply's started and, & "Well Put All! You'll soon see it just different working with these guys. I can only describe it as working in front of the framer with the sheet rocker waiting, and that doesn't capture the mason's work.

Tape everything, pigtail, and tap you your stubs and fitting, Pvc is cool too. and all said before...

The mason doesn't care about your conduit, its just another rod to them. Beside there might just be reinforcing rods in the mix. We are there just for our service. With filled block, the mason doesn't care to carry your conduit everytime to the device side of the wall, thus the offset. Beside the inside cavity of 6" is a prety big float and an offest sometimes is required.

It's more of a trail by fire for you, and the Mason will show there cards of respect for you, reflective of the respect you show them.

Be ready, don't hold them up, stay out of there way, and you'll do fine. :D
 
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they don't like removing blocks that they just leveled and set because you weren't up on your game and missed one. And they dont' like putting boxes in the center of the block, they'll usually move it 2" either way, this is alright as long as you don't need that box DEAD CENTER, in that case, put a 90 on the box in the side and that will bring ur conduit in channel
 
Speaking of 90's, bring a box of factory 90's or whatever you need to do the job. Bring tie wire. Use PVC for gods sake.. Have different boxes taped with connectors in and ready to go. You might have rebar in the way and have to put in a masonry box or go shallow w/4 square if there is a lot of rebar to the back.
 
Another thing to watch for is to make sure you'll clear any steel beams placed above doors. Nothing is worse than finding out the switch box conduit you've carefully installed as the mason 'hop' up is finding out it's going to run smack dab in to the end of a beam. Check the details on the prints carefully, and you may have to offset the conduit a cell or two to clear the beam.

boxbeam.jpg

Look close at the opening on the right of the photo. The red iron beam extends one cell into the wall below, and there's an identical beam in above the gray door frame. That beam extends over the first full cell to the right of the door fram. So if you go straight up from the switch box, you'll run right into it.
 
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Be flexible...Understood...

Of the four buildings I'm bidding, one requires EMT in the walls, and the others allow PVC. In either case, I'll take MDSHUNK's advice and be on-site to make sure it is right.

None of the buildings are very big, so I'd imagine they'll put them up in 3-4 days.
 
Having a fully-charged sawzall on hand really helps, too. If you're running EMT, you can just hang your bender on the scaffold somewhere handy. Just stay out of the masons' way until it's time for you to do something.

Another tip: When you put the last straight piece of conduit on, take a quick measurement from the top of the brick to the top of the conduit. Then, as you're back out of their way, calculate how long the 90? needs to be to come out of the wall at a mortar joint. Brickies love you doing that... they can just take their brick hammer and notch the brick by hand. If your pipe comes out somewhere else, they tend to get grouchy.
 
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