How Do You Choose a Conduit Jacket?

How Do You Choose a Conduit Jacket?

You want a safe, liquid tight, flexible and durable electrical conduit? Meeting liquid tight, flexible and durable requirements for electrical conduit is just the start.

There are options you may not have considered. These conduit jacket options are now available from ANAMET Electrical, Inc.

• High flexibilty
• Temperature resistance
• Chemical, oil, and corrosion resistance
• Anti-Static
• Food Grade (NSF and FDA compliant)
• Prolonged UV (sunlight) exposure resistance
• Halogen Free (no chlorine or fluorine)

Conduit jackets provide a liquid tight barrier around wiring. The jacket blocks dust, oil and water intrusion that can degrade or damage electrified cable and wiring. A flexible conduit jacket also conforms to liquid tight fittings for an end to end seal against intrusion.

Old liquid tight conduit was made with lead, asbestos or other toxic substances. However, conduit from ANACONDA SEALTITE® now meets WEEE RoHS and REACH approval for safe use worldwide.

Anamet Electrical, Inc. offers advanced solutions engineered to meet the rigorous demands of food and pharmaceutical processing, building and construction, telecommunications and factory automation industries.

Considerations for Selecting an Electrical Conduit Jacket

High Flexibility

If your conduit must withstand vibration or frequent bending, non-UL listed Type MTC can stand up to the abuse.

How flexible does your conduit need to be? The flexibility of conduit is the result of the assembled conduit core and the jacket. Lower bend radius values are the significant numbers to compare among conduit options.

Even if buried underground or embedded in concrete it pays to use a conduit that can take a little shaking or quaking. UL (Underwriters’ Laboratories) listed ANACONDA SEALTITE® electrical conduit is suitable for Direct Burial and in concrete.

Temperature Resistance

If you are not sure how hot or cold the temperatures will become where you must protect wiring, you can’t go wrong in selecting a conduit that is durable in extreme temperatures.

Chemical, Oil and Corrosion Resistance

Before you purchase a large quantity of conduit, always test a conduit sample by exposure to the unique chemistry of the location where you must protect wiring. Although most PVC conduit will resist common household chemicals, there are industrial chemicals that nothing can withstand in combination.

If you need to protect wiring from cutting oil, grease and other lubricants, UL listed conduit must meet oil resistance requirements to wear the UL approval mark.

If exposed to salt spray, consider stainless steel core conduit in three different jackets:

• SS-UA standard UL 360 listed
• SS-HTUA High Temperature UL 360 listed
• SS-ZHUA  Zero Halogen UL 360 listed

Anti-Static

In dusty locations, where there is a lot of particulate matter in the air, consider Type ASUA conduit. This conduit jacket meets the NEN-EN-IEC 600079-0 Section 26-13 anti-static surface resistivity requirement of less than 1 billion (thousand million) Ohms. This is a safety feature to reduce or avoid static electricity buildup and discharge.

Food Grade (NSF and FDA Compliant)

In food and pharmaceutical production, Food Grade equipment wiring must be protected from frequent decontamination and washdown. NSF approved conduit and fittings are suitable for these conditions due to anti-bacterial jacket material and high quality seals against intrusion.

Prolonged UV (Sunlight) Exposure Resistance

For longtime outdoor use, select a jacket that stands up to UV (ultraviolet or sunlight) exposure. Type UVUA ANACONDA SEALTITE® withstood over 3.8 times the UV Weatherometer exposure of UL 360 approved conduit. UV resistance prevents the jacket from cracking or fading over time, sustaining a liquid tight barrier against dirt or liquid intrusion.

Halogen Free/Zero Halogen

In confined areas, with limited or no reliable ventilation, install a Halogen Free or Low Smoke conduit that will not produce toxic chlorine or fluorine fumes in case of fire.

Flexible Electrical Conduit

ANAMET Electrical, Inc. offers a comprehensive range of electrical conduit solutions and related accessories designed for flexibility, safety and ease of use. Secure your connections.

PVC Non-Metallic Conduit

• Offers a balance of flexibility and durability
• Ensures liquid tightness for indoor and outdoor use

Liquid Tight, Flexible Metal Conduit

• Superior flexibility for challenging installations
• Maintains durability and liquid tightness in confined or exposed areas
• Excellent resistance to heat, chemicals and weathering, suitable for confined, exposed or hazardous locations
• Can be routed easily around corners or fit in confined spaces without compromising protection

Both PVC Non-Metallic Conduit and Liquid tight, Flexible Metal Conduit deliver reliable  flexibility, durability and liquid tightness. These attributes ensure ease of installation, longevity and effective protection for cable and wiring.

ANACONDA SEALTITE® from Anamet Electrical, Inc. Delivers

ANAMET Electrical delivered innovative conduit solutions since 1908. Our ongoing work  with manufacturers, builders and international regulations provides us with a depth of experience meeting and exceeding user’s needs.

If you need help selecting conduit to meet your project parameters, please contact us today.

How Deep Must Electrical Conduit Be Buried?

Have you ever wondered how deep an electrical conduit needs to be buried? Or perhaps you’re undertaking a landscaping or construction project and need to know how deep to bury electrical conduit.

For safe electrical installation, these are crucial questions. We will provide guidance on how deep electrical conduits must be buried, based on various factors influencing the depth. Keep reading to learn more.

Start by planning to bury liquid tight conduit (LFMC or LFNC) 24 inches deep. This meets general National Electrical Code (NEC Article 300.5(A)) guidelines. Then consider the location and climate conditions where liquid tight conduit might be buried at a different depth.

The common reason for burying electrical wiring is to protect wiring from wind damage and exposure to extreme weather. However, regions that have extreme cold conditions (such as Alaska, Minnesota and parts of Canada) require deeper burial of building foundations, pipe and conduit.

NOTE: Call before you dig. Call 811 in the USA. Utility personnel can identify underground utility lines and mark ground to make sure your digging is not dangerous.  

Understanding Electrical Conduit

Electrical conduit serves as protective piping for electrical wiring. Conduit can be metal or plastic and comes in different sizes to accommodate bundles of wire. The National Electrical Code (NEC) governs use of conduit, providing standards for how much wiring may fill the conduit and how many turns the conduit may take. If you install wiring, pulling wire through conduit is easier when there is plenty of space in the conduit, with few turns.

The primary function of conduit is wiring protection from elements like moisture, heat, corrosion or mechanical stress. Conduit shields wiring from abuse, preventing wiring from breaking, delivering a shock or causing a fire. Wiring protection is essential for electrical safety, so conduit is required in the building codes of most countries. Moreover, conduit can be a bonding or grounding device in an electrical system. Also, conduit organizes wiring so that  troubleshooting and repair is easier, allowing critical circuits to be routed through color conduit for quick identification in an emergency.

It’s important to carefully evaluate the specific location and environmental factors to ensure the best choice is made. Knowing how deep electrical conduits need to be buried is crucial to ensure electrical safety. Properly burying the conduit sustains wiring protection and makes repair or improvement easier.

Factors That Influence the Depth of Electrical Conduit

The depth at which electrical conduits must be buried varies by location and purpose. These include:

• Location: Different regions have types of soil that make deep burial difficult. Consult local authorities or building codes to determine the depth required for your specific location.
• Type of Conduit: We recommend liquid tight conduit, either metal conduit with a PVC cover (LFMC) or flexible non-metallic conduit (LFNC). We recommend UL listed liquid tight conduit, tested and proven for crush and corrosion resistance.
• Local Building Codes: Building codes protect owners from loss, making sure buildings can be insured and ensuring safety and reliability through years of use. It’s crucial to consult local building codes to determine the minimum burial depth required for your specific project.
• Plan ahead: Call your utility service to identify the location of existing lines. Measure twice and bury once. Make a straight shot between your power source and the intended outlet–fewer turns in the conduit make pulling wire easier. If providing temporary power for an above-ground pool or an outdoor grill, lightweight PVC LFNC may be all you need to bury to protect wiring for a summer. However, if you are planning on powering a new garage or outbuilding, install larger conduit that gives you flexibility and opportunity for upgrades, saving later expense.

How Deep Should You Bury Electrical Conduit?

As mentioned earlier, burial depth varies with conditions and locations. However, as a general rule, most safety codes require burial at 24 inches. This depth provides adequate protection and minimizes the risk of damage. Under concrete or roadways, conduit may be buried at 18 inches. However, local building codes may require a depth that avoids frost heave in areas with extreme temperatures and deep ground freezes.

It is worth noting conduit must be installed without crushing force, impact, water intrusion, corrosive chemicals or exposure to high heat. Even though LFMC and LFNC conduit is flexible, it can be damaged by abuse.

Here is a list of ANACONDA SEALTITE® conduit suitable for Direct Burial and in Concrete.

Your Go-To Partner for Secure and Smart Conduit Solutions

Understanding how deep electrical conduits must be buried is critical to any construction or landscaping project. The proper burial depth ensures the safety and longevity of the electrical system, minimizing the risk of accidents while ensuring compliance with building codes.

Ready to start your next project or need assistance with electrical conduit? Anamet Electrical, Inc. is here to help. Our sales representatives are near you, experienced and knowledgeable about local requirements. Contact us for more information, contact a sales representative or  request a quote today!

For an overview about the benefits and issues with Direct Burial, see the document What is Direct Burial?