This video shows how to Measure Back of Bend, Double Sets and Running Couplers in Steel Conduit. A learning guide for apprentices, refresher for electricians and AM2s Candidates.
Hello John not too sure if you look at the comments but I was in your refresher course on the 10&11/12/20 and just wanted to say I smashed my conduit because of you and I appreciate all the help you gave me. Anyone reading this just make sure to watch it as much as you need because it’s the best explanation out there. Thanks again John!
Wow its a virtual learning platform. I hope, there are lots of things can be learnt from your video. And waiting for trunking work how to bend 90, 45, Bridge and so on
That was excellent just what I needed not enough videos on conduit bending for uk electricians,apprentices,adult trainees it seems to be all American with the Klein bender keep them videos coming guys its very important and helpful thanks for sharing 👍
@@pokechamp003 I agree with you I have used the Klein bender before and I did like it but getting a 20mm or 25mm shoe in the uk is very expensive and when we have to thread the ends to fit the coupler we need a vice I believe the American version of the coupler is push fit also a better idea
We have threaded pipe in the US (rigid metal conduit and intermediate metal conduit), but there's a lack of videos available online on how to assemble the entire run from start to finish. It's especially challenging, IMO from point to point and against surfaces, where we're taught to spin on the whole conduit run. Else, we're encouraged to use some sort of specializing fitting in tight situations above with a 3 piece coupling, or a threadless connector. This method you've shown avoids such things with a running coupler and the other end with a coupler/male bush, which don't require specialized fittings and makes everything straightforward overall. Thanks for making this video.
Glad you’ve found it useful … from what I can see on RU-vid - US bending machines are a lot more robust than ours … we have also seen a few “slip-lock” type fittings reappearing in the UK recently … but I hope that the old school conduit skills never leave the industry 😀
Just a question - with regards to the depth of your double set - you’ve been quite accurate with your measures - 53 mm - and here’s my question - do we not need to take into account the depth of the saddle ? They’re usually around 3mm and up deep. I’m learning - it’s just something that caught my eye :)
Hi … you are correct, and you would want to consider saddle depth, particularly for saddles deeper than spacer bar saddles. Generally a few mm’s here and there can be easily tweaked as shown in the video. Most wall corners aren’t exactly 90 degrees, bending millimetre perfect is unlikely .. the important thing is to be as accurate as you can and allow yourself a little to play with. Then “offer up” the bent conduit in position and tweak it as required. This is aimed at the AM2s, where you have one chance to complete the pipe in one piece … so they give you tolerances in the marking. Getting the right distance between the set & 90 is key, leave the coupler cuts to the end .. 👍🏻
Thank you for your comment. The measurements on this video are specific to the job in hand, however the requirements for the AM2s are similar to the task in this video. Therefore this video shows you all the techniques and planning that you will need in your assessment. Good luck 👌🏻🤞🏻😀
Exelente video amigo soy electrisista desde costa rica.... Yo para aser cambios de direccion o offset.. Tengo mi forma y se trata de tomar medida usar calculo con el teorema de pitagoras y centro marca dobladora y sale super biem amigo
Gracias por tu bonito comentario. Me alegro de que te haya gustado mi vídeo. Diferentes naciones tienen diferentes formas de compensar. Creo que Estados Unidos también usa cálculos de Pitágoras. En Inglaterra, nuestras dobladoras no son muy precisas, por lo que las marcas fijas no funcionan tan bien para nosotros. Este método es más común en Inglaterra. Es fantástico para mí recibir mensajes tan lejos de mi casa. Muchas gracias.
You can increase the depth of the set by either making the 2 bends deeper, or by increasing the distance between the bends. In the AM2s there is a maximum length that the set can be, detailed in the spec. When setting out your bends you will need to decide what looks best and fits best in each circumstance. Hope this helps ..
Hi, got my am2 Monday I'm pretty confident on all aspects but my lack of fault finding is where I'm struggling do you have any tips or anything I should watch or read before the fault finding test part? Thanks
There are videos on fault finding (mine will follow soon I hope) that can help.. but fault finding is really a test of your knowledge of circuits and testing. Listen carefully to the symptoms and look at the state of the protective device .. this should tell you the type of fault you are looking at. Then make sure you locate it correctly .. you haven’t found it until you can identify it between 2 positions, if you have a short and you split the circuit in the middle, the fault will still show on one of the cables there, that doesn’t mean the fault is at that point - keep splitting until you find it at both ends of one piece of cable. Also - when looking for shorts to earth - NEVER DISCONNECT THE CPC’s at the MET .. the fault is on one of the live conductors !! .. Good luck
@@headsup4sparkies Thank you I absolutely nailed my build I had this band and the S plan to do today with 5 hours to spare I done it! This video helped so much appreciate your time to make it👍 I'm doing my fault finding and online exam tomorrow I'm abit worried about the fault finding if I'm honest
When the conduit is resting in the former, the bend will be at the point where the conduit and former separate (underneath) … I generally place my little finger underneath to “feel” where that point is - and try to get the mark in the conduit at that point.. However - you don’t have to get it exactly right, as you can simply adjust the depth of the set. To add depth, put a little more in each bend. To decrease the depth, take a little out of each bend. Making sure to adjust the existing bend and NOT putting and additional bend in. Some people attempt to “mark” the former on top at the “point of bend” but you often have to change the position of the “stock” to get the measured conduit mark where you need it - as soon as you do this, the mark on the former will now be in the wrong place. Try not to over think it - bending conduit is more of a knack than an exact science. The ability to manipulate the bends neatly is the main skill. Practice makes perfect 👌🏻
That’s the beauty of leaving the coupler cut till last ... I gave myself a 70mm margin of error and only needed to worry about the depth of the set, and not the position of it, initially .. therefore placing the mark at the approximate point of bend on the former is sufficient.
Why not just use a battery powered porta band saw to cut the pipe and a hand bender.also when bending offsets you can just eye them from experience or just use the multiplier for the degree of bend to make the marks ..with a small bend like that I wouldn’t even measure it .you can just bend it and lay it flat on the floor also to check the height and then grab a tape measure to see if you have the right height if eyeing it as well as making sure it’s in the same plane .
Hi Chris … this is all true …. However, this video is aimed at apprentices with little conduit experience, who are taking their AM2s exam. Where they have one attempt to complete a piece of conduit without a coupler between the bends, with only these tools available to them. They’re work will be closely examined and must come with-in the tolerances allowed in the marking criteria. Competent and experienced electricians like yourself, would not find this task challenging, but for electricians less experienced with steel conduit, it is useful to have a reminder of the basic skills required.
Hi ... the most common way to bend a long length is upwards. Using the bender in exactly the same way, except that the stock and bending arm will be at the bottom of the former, and you bend the conduit upwards .. hope this helps
@@headsup4sparkies thank you for the reply. Do you know which brands can do this as i see some that state maximum lengths of 1100mm so I'm assuming not all can work upside down
cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-7holhynnib/images/stencil/original/products/50562/40912/5adab7f8ee8a76000e5dfa02__88558.1583489141.jpg?c=2&imbypass=on&imbypass=on ... any bending machine that looks like the one in this video, can bend upwards. The link shows an image with the Stop & Bending Lever hanging under the former. Place a foot on the bending machine and pull up to bend.
@@headsup4sparkies thank you for your time and patience in answering my question. You've been a great help. I managed to hire a machine from HSS and it bent my long conduit upwards as you said. You've been a great help.
where you had the running coupler and lock ring can you not just measure say half of the coupler so that when you tighten up the running coupler with the end you wont have any tread showing ?
I’m afraid not .. the running coupler needs to run from one piece onto the next piece. Therefore it will always leave some thread behind it. The way it’s shown leaves half the thread on the existing piece, and puts half the thread on the new piece. Therefore leaving half the thread exposed on the back of the existing piece, with both ends electrically (earthing) and mechanically secure.
That is true - good spot ... although I was using spacer bar saddles which are only a 3mm base. I left that bit out for clarity as conduit bending is not an exact science and most sets need a little “tweaking” to sit perfectly 👍🏻
There are different names, but I think the most common in the UK is made by Hilmor .. here’s is an example link from a UK wholesaler .. www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Conduit_Steel_Index/Conduit_Bender/index.html?ad_position=&source=adwords&ad_id=414374435730&placement=&kw=&network=g&matchtype=&ad_type=&product_id=&product_partition_id=&version=finalurl_v3&gclid=Cj0KCQiAwqCOBhCdARIsAEPyW9lmDNmlUux6qJls7H9S6mp5RPNTMG9YdOS4OYPuVNj5bmCCiSHvCiQaAn33EALw_wcB
Pretty much any UK electrical wholesaler … here’s a link from a quick search www.toolstop.co.uk/irwin-hilmor-el32-conduit-bending-machine-with-vice-and-20-25-32mm-formers-t113100d-p80043/
I know ... I didn’t want to complicate it - I used spacer bar saddles so it’s only a couple of mil - and as it happens.. it fitted nicely (walls clearly not that square 😀) .. Thank you for the feedback .. I should be posted an S-Plan Heating wiring connections very soon.
American conduit installations and equipment does differ quite a lot to our UK methods. More Robust and accurate bending machines and a more “mathematical” approach to setting out bends. We do use Unions occasionally, usually only in explosive Zones (Ex fittings). Here’s a link for any UK electricians reading this .. www.eaton.com/content/dam/eaton/products/conduit-cable-and-wire-management/crouse-hinds/catalog-pages/crouse-hinds-unf-unl-uny-unions-el-elbows-catalog-page.pdf . Thank you James for your comment 😀
They do a lot more conduit compared to us in UK.. working there for 10yrs the biggest one I worked with was 6" conduit...Fortunately I was old enough to remember imperial units which helped me a lot.. Still think we do a neater installation in UK ...that's my opinion ...
The video is primarily aimed at students taking AM2s exams. Leaving the couplers as the last cut is the safest way to ensure accuracy. Particularly when you have a finite length of conduit and limited time to complete.