Exterior Conduit Work

Since 2011, Miami Business Telephone Corp. has become fully versed in underground confined space work.

All of our technicians have been trained by OSHA standards to comply with all confined space safety requirements.

Miami Business Telephone Corp. is fully able to install conduit/ raceways for any application.

Below are the most commonly used forms of tubing/raceway/ conduit used for Telecommunications applications.

What is a conduit raceway?

A raceway is an enclosed conduit that forms a physical pathway for electrical wiring. Raceways protect wires and cables from heat, humidity, corrosion, water intrusion and general physical threats. Many people erroneously refer to electrical metallic tubing (EMT) as “conduit.” EMT is actually a tubing rather than a conduit. Conduit and tubing are two different wiring methods that differ in application and installation requirements, although neither is defined by the Code.

The term “raceway” can be used to refer to an enclosed wiring method, including both conduit and tubing. Just remember that there are other types of raceway as well, such as wireways.

Electronic Metallic Tubing (EMT):

Electrical metallic tubing (EMT) is a lightweight raceway that’s relatively easy to bend, cut, and ream. Because it isn’t threaded, all connectors and couplings are of the threadless type and provide quick, easy, and inexpensive installation compared to threaded metallic conduit systems. Consequently, EMT is very popular. EMT is manufactured in galvanized steel or aluminum; the steel type is more commonly used.

Intermediate Metal Conduit (IMC):

Intermediate metal conduit (IMC) is a circular metal raceway with an outside diameter equal to that of rigid metal conduit (RMC). The wall thickness of IMC is less than that of RMC, so it has more interior room for conductors.

IMC is lighter and less expensive than rigid metal conduit, but you can use it in all of the same locations as RMC. Though IMC has thinner walls than RMC, IMC is actually the stronger of the two — because of the steel alloy used to make it.

Polyvinyl Chloride Conduit (PVC):

Rigid polyvinyl chloride conduit (PVC) is a rigid nonmetallic conduit that provides many of the advantages of RMC, while allowing installation in areas that are wet or corrosive. PVC conduit is an inexpensive, easily installed raceway. It’s lightweight, easily cut, and relatively strong.

On the downside, conduits manufactured from PVC are brittle when cold, and they sag when hot. PVC is commonly used as an underground raceway because of its low cost, ease of installation, and resistance to corrosion and decay.

Here are some images from an EMT installation we performed for a medical facility in Miami, Fl.