An electrical conduit is a tube that routes and protects electrical wiring throughout a building or machine. Electrical conduit nipples fit on each end of a male pipe while maintaining the form of the wiring within. Electrical conduits protect the electrical wiring from moisture and pressure. Furthermore, the metal allows the electrical wiring to remain safe and in the same form.
The piping and nipples are typically made of aluminum or steel due to the long lifespan and strength of the materials. There are four different types of conduits; rigid metal conduits (RMC), galvanized rigid conduits (GRC), intermediate metal conduits (IMC), and electrical metallic tubing (EMT).
Rigid metal conduits are tubes with thick walls that are made of stainless steel or aluminum. Galvanized rigid conduits are made of galvanized steel tubing with thick walls. Intermediate metal conduits are made of heavy steel tubing and electrical metallic tubing is made up of thinner steel walls.
Electrical metallic tubing is the most commonly used electrical conduit. While the EMT is not threaded itself, the nipples fitted to it can be threaded. This type of tubing, when the tubing is made of aluminum conduit, is most commonly used in commercial and industrial settings as aluminum has a higher resistance to corrosion than thin-walled steel.
However, rigid metal conduits are more common in residential areas, especially in attics, basements, and crawlspaces. The steel conduits can be used in residential environments as they can be buried underground. Unlike steel conduits, aluminum conduits cannot be buried as they can react to alkali metals in soil and concrete.
If you need some electrical conduit nipples or pipe fittings, you’ve come to the right place! Here at Detroit Nipple Works, we offer a wide variety of nipples, pipe fittings, and pipes to help you. For more information, contact us and request a quote today!