Where to run wire

[Mdaddyrabbit]

In my all metal building I gearing up to wire it. The question I run into is this. Where do I run the wire? I would hate to drill holes through all those metal beams. I though about running it in the ridge between the beam and the outside sheeting but I don't know if that is code. In my wood building I would take a auger bit and drill a hole in every stud. I would like to use 12/2 Flex aluminum conduit. Any suggestions would be nice.

 

[nadogail]

Pictures would be a great help in recommending a solution. There are many styles of all metal buildings.

If by "Flexible Aluminum Conduit 12/2" you mean metal clad cable your options change.

 

[Mdaddyrabbit]

Conduit

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=331918

 

[homebuilt burner]

A friend of mine is building a new shop (he is an electrician). The new building is a wooden pole shed. When asked why wood "because running electrical and air in a steel building ***** there is just no good way". His words not mine.

I have seen it run in the ceiling above the beams and between the girders and then down the walls between the beams. I have also seen the beams drilled but I would talk to the building company before doing this.

 

[Travv]

Check out a Caddy or B-line catalog. They make a ton of stuff for supporting electrical equipment. All kinds of specialty beam clamps, Purlin hangars, etc. Shouldn't be much of a problem.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

 

[Mdaddyrabbit]

Those of you who have metal garages or buildings did you drill through beams to run conduit whether it was rigid or flex conduit?

 

[nadogail]

I looked at the picture you posted of steel covered cable, you may be surprised to learn that it is not conduit. Conduit, in the electrical sense of the word, is a tube that protects conductors. Typically conduit looks like pipe.

Do the beams in your all metal building have holes?

Perhaps you could install "running boards" between your beams and attach the cables to them.

Pictures of the interior of the building will help.

 

[Mdaddyrabbit]

Excuse me. 12/2 Flex Conduit with wire

Building beams do not have holes.

The pictures of the building are in the link listed above from an earlier post I made in another section of this forum.

I looked at the picture you posted of steel covered cable, you may be surprised to learn that it is not conduit. Conduit, in the electrical sense of the word, is a tube that protects conductors. Typically conduit looks like pipe.

Do the beams in your all metal building have holes?

Perhaps you could install "running boards" between your beams and attach the cables to them.

Pictures of the interior of the building will help.

 

[Dagny]

steel with the ribs in it? EMT on the surface. 4x4s with raised covers pretty pretty.

 

[APEowner]

Personally I'd finish the interior walls and run exposed conduit.

 

[shedfullatools]

Personally I'd finish the interior walls and run exposed conduit.

Love the look of exposed conduit and boxes, can be pricey though...Go big enough with the conduit and you can also sneak things like airlines and telephone/Ethernet wires through

 

[sberry]

A blend of concealed to some exposed may work.

 

[Mdaddyrabbit]

Could you explain a little more? Thanks!

steel with the ribs in it? EMT on the surface. 4x4s with raised covers pretty pretty.

 

[matt_i]

As suggested a Eaton-Cooper-B-Line catalog will be a good source of hangers. For a red iron building you have now entered the space of industrial electrician. Unistrut and EMT and/or BX come to mind for a red-iron building. My opinion is that its acceptable to drill small holes (1/4" and under) for self tapping screws in locations that would be acceptable for wood construction (centerline of beams, etc) but no notching or boring of the steel members to pass conduits thru. I say industrial electrician because its basically like a large heavy manufacturing plant with massive steel where the main building columns & beams are completely off-limits and can have zero holes or welding modifications. Everything must clamp or pinch the steel. Lots of offsets and saddles in your conduit bending, and wiring is done almost exclusively with pulled THHN and mostly in rigid threaded conduit. Good idea to get an EMT bender and the manual or book that shows how to mark and bend for the many styles of bend you will need.