emt mounting question

[NakeDiesel]

I'm starting to mount the emt pathways around my shop and my brother the electrician isn't available for me to ask this question(s).

My interior shop walls are lined with low rib panels, and for my first runs, I'm wiring up my compressor, an outlet for my auto drain and air dryer and to power a light in that room.

So it will be one run of 3/4 emt for the compressor and another run of 3/4 emt for the outlets/light.

For the outlets/light, I will install a 4" box before the drop into the storage room so that I can continue on with other outlets off that circuit. I know the deratings and all of that.

Questions:
What I have a question about is mounting the 4" box, is it better to bend the emt down to the flat area of the panel to mount it or is screwing it to a rib ok, it's just a junction box, not an outlet box. My outlets will be fully on the flats?

I'm planning on using the self tapping screws I put the panels up with to mount the 4" box, any issue with this?

 

[awdblazer]

unistrut!!

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

You could always practice making box offsets.

 

[NakeDiesel]

Not using unistrut.

I'll just do the offsets if I need too. I'm using the deep 4" boxes, so i'll see how it all lines up.

What about attaching them to the wall? self tapping screws?

 

[spotco2]

What about attaching them to the wall? self tapping screws?

Yup.

 

[gymbo39]

unistrut!!

i like the unistrut but it's expensive

 

[BFBOB]

What's on the other side of those panels? Something those screws may snag? If so, use machine screws - #10 or so - from the other side, nuts inside the boxes.
Offsets - you may not have enough room from rib to valley to bend an offset. If so, use die-cast offsets. Added co$t vs bending, but nice and neat.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

What's on the other side of those panels? Something those screws may snag? If so, use machine screws - #10 or so - from the other side, nuts inside the boxes.
Offsets - you may not have enough room from rib to valley to bend an offset. If so, use die-cast offsets. Added co$t vs bending, but nice and neat.

die-cast offsets ,nice and neat?
From my younger days when I used to bend miles of emt.Hand bent offsets nice,pre bent 90s and cast offsets not so nice!
What can I say Im from the old school.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

What's on the other side of those panels? Something those screws may snag? If so, use machine screws - #10 or so - from the other side, nuts inside the boxes.
Offsets - you may not have enough room from rib to valley to bend an offset. If so, use die-cast offsets. Added co$t vs bending, but nice and neat.

Given the fact he would have to pay for regular box connectors anyhow, the additional cost is minimal. For a small project, they are well worth it. Offsets are a pain to bend and if he has limited room, best to not try.

$1.67 ea for ½" and $2.34 ea for ¾

If you get straight connectors, get the die cast variety.........

Don't get the formed steel ones..........

I had to throw away every single formed steel one I had. The screw threads were not cut properly in the fitting and it stripped out the screw and fitting when I tightened it up, every one of them.

Charles

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

Cant get the pictures to post,lets try this again!

 

[awdblazer]

Cant get the pictures to post,lets try this again!

hard to tell but how is that pipe supported?

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

On that particular panel room most of the stuff was strapped to uni strut,but there was more box offsets bent into 1/2" through 1" emt throughout that school by the time we were done than I care to ever try and count.
Ill see if I can get some more pictures of it off my old phone.

 

[NakeDiesel]

We got quite a bit put up today with conduit and boxes. The only thing behind the metal are 2x4's where I mounted the panels. Here are a few shots of what I've done so far

The 1/2 drop from the top box, I'm just bending the offsets. I live over an hour away and already had bought the straight connectors so I'll use them. The 3/4 emt is a tight fit with the ribs, but it's worked out good. 1/2 inch no issue.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

Looks like your pipe is dropping on far right end

 

[NakeDiesel]

No drop, was all put in with a level.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

Looks out of wack at the corner from last box where it drops down to go around the corner.
I guess I just spent too many years running conduit /cast iron and copper.

 

[NakeDiesel]

I see what you are talking about. I hadn't clamped it down yet, it was just hanging there as it was the last piece I was working on yesterday. It's now clamped and level.

 

[legotech7]

I see this particular post was a few years old, but I have a question if you can recall, on mounting your conduit to the the metal walls from inside your structure. I am doing the same thing to mine but couldn't figure out how to hang the conduit. The straps, if you will, that you you used, looks like you screwed them in directly through the metal panels. Did they screw straight though? where there any exposed screws pertruding to the out side? And if they where, did you just leave like that? I don't think I want anything sticking on the out side of my building, with out at least trimming them down somewhat. Thanks for any information ,all help is appreciated....

 

[NakeDiesel]

Nothing went thru the outside wall. There is about 7 to 8 inches of space between the inside steel and outside steel. The screws i used are about an inch long.

 

[legotech7]

Oh. so you had space in between you walls... Well that answered my question. I have none. I'll have to figure this one out..
Thank you for the reply.....

 

[NakeDiesel]

No problem

 

[sberry]

Put in a shim.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Given the fact he would have to pay for regular box connectors anyhow, the additional cost is minimal. For a small project, they are well worth it. Offsets are a pain to bend and if he has limited room, best to not try.

$1.67 ea for ½" and $2.34 ea for ¾

If you get straight connectors, get the die cast variety.........

Don't get the formed steel ones..........

I had to throw away every single formed steel one I had. The screw threads were not cut properly in the fitting and it stripped out the screw and fitting when I tightened it up, every one of them.

Charles

Ive had issue with screwed up threads(pun intended) on steel connectors but dir cast connectors are ugly in some locations...

 

[NakeDiesel]

I used the short straight connectors and bent all my conduit for the curves. wasn't hard once you got into the swing of things. I do have to use the offset ones for when I put my ceiling fans up on the ceiling because the ceiling fan boxes are so short and right between the ribs. Not enough room to make conduit bends to get into them (I tried).

 

[Basstracker34]

Ive had issue with screwed up threads(pun intended) on steel connectors but dir cast connectors are ugly in some locations...

Guess I got lucky with my pack of steel connectors I got from Home Depot. Just checked each one and they all work fine. I needed 4 connecors and most packs I've seen of the die cast ones come with 3.