(x post) Flex aluminum RWA or EMT

[M Pete]

Looking for experience using RWA, or flex aluminum conduit, to run wires in my garage for garage door opener. Normally I'd run them through the ceiling, but with this house I can not do that. Right now the previous owner just tacked the wires for the wall mount buttons and the safety beams to the ceiling and walls which looks very terrible IMO.

I would like to use RWA since I'll be able to form it as I need easily, but will I need to use a ton of the holders to make sure it doesn't sag??? How easy is it to connect RWA to EMT? If anyone has pics of them using RWA on ceiling that would be great as well. Thanks!

 

[TRWham]

I have a short length of RWA FMC coming out of a panel, running up inside a wall then exiting and transitioning to EMT for a surface run across the garage to my compressor. There were several obstacles inside the wall so it was much more straightforward to jink around them using FMC. Connecting RWA to EMT is just a matter of using the correct fitting. Depending on the length of run (up to 6') and the ampacity of the circuit (no more than 20 A), you can use FMC as a ground conductor.

In my opinion, any significant surface mounted length should be in EMT. FMC has the same protection requirements as NM so you do not gain anything vs NM cable. You can always cheat and use fittings for the turns if you don't want to bend, but a 1/2" bender is not expensive, nor is the material, so you can screw up a lot while learning without spending much money.

 

[M Pete]

Thanks for the info.

so you can screw up a lot while learning without spending much money.

This is actually what most of my life decisions come down to.