moving a piece of electrical conduit

[sendtojosh]

I've been attempting to install a new ceiling fan in my bathroom. the motor in the old one started making noise, and it was about 20+ years old...so I figured an upgrade was in order.

I live in an old loft building, where I access the fan from above my bathroom (there is a crawlspace above the bathroom) but the rest of the loft is open.

I'm trying to not have to pull down the sheetrock in my bathroom in order to swap out this fan or otherwise make repairs. To be honest, I'm not the best with drywalling a ceiling..and that is a bit involved for just swapping out a ceiling fan right?

Anyway...their is a piece of metal conduit that was running next to the old fan. I need to move that conduit by 2 inches in order for the new fan to fit. The metal conduit is connected to another piece about

3 inches behind the fan...my inclination is to disconnect the conduit from the extension, and replace it with a piece of flexible conduit. that will allow me to go nicely around the new fan.

can I connect a piece of flex conduit to a piece of regular conduit (I assume I will use a junction box)? can I assume that because I have flex, I can run it diagonally and not have to worry that the wires won't make it?

I've been making bad assumptions about this project from the outset...so I thought those on the interweb could help me out.

thanks in advance

[RicodJour]

There are transition fittings that will enable you to go from conduit (EMT) to armored cable or flexible metallic conduit. Ask for a Type EFC or EGC combination coupling. There's no reason to use a junction box unless you will be cutting the wires and splicing.

No, that is your principal worry. Take a piece of string or wire and lay it on the existing layout, then move it to where you want it to be. If it doesn't quite make it, then you will have to go with plan B and install a junction box.

R

[bud--]

You can also make a "gofrom" using an EMT connector to a rigid pipe couping to a flex connector (assuming "metal conduit" is EMT). I would use a "Tomic" coupling, which is 1/2 length, but they are probably relatively hard to find.

Or re-fish new wires.

[RBM]

For two inches, I would try loosening up the straps on the pipe, carefully bend it out of the way, then reattach it.

[The Daring Dufas]

I love the Tomic connectors and can't understand why they're so hard to come by these days. I did a search and came up with a two piece connector of the type you might see holding a power cord on the back of a clothes dryer instead of the one piece connector that you pop on the end of EMT. When I worked for an electrical supply company in the early 70's we had them in stock. The last time I saw any of them was at a missile range in the late 80's. I wonder what happened to them.

TDD

[John Grabowski]

*I have no idea what a Tomic connector is. Using three search engines all I came up with is the two screw strain relief dryer cord connector clamp. Anyone have a picture or a link to a picture?

[RBM]

You kiddin me John, never heard of a Tomic connector, why it's a, a, well a kind of connector, like, you know, metal with screws, or a, OK, OK, I give up, I never heard of one either. Bud, draw us a picture

[John Grabowski]

*I'm thinking that it is something that I know by another name.

[RicodJour]

R

[RBM]

That was my thought too. In this business, I go to an electrical supply house outside of NY, and it's like I'm speaking a foreign language.

>

[RBM]

R

That's what John and I found with a Google search, but that's a range or dryer cord connector, not what Bud was describing

[The Daring Dufas]

The connectors are very compact EMT connectors that slip on the end of EMT like The Shark Bite connectors for plumbing. They were very quick to install, you would slip it on the end of the conduit and hammer it home with your lineman's pliers. It made it easy to space conduits close together at a junction box. No screw sticking out.

TDD

[The Daring Dufas]

The "Tomic" connectors I remember did not look like that. Perhaps the company name was Tomic and it was just one of the connectors they made.

TDD

[John Grabowski]

*The closet thing that I can think of that resembles what you are describing are crimp connectors, but you need a crimp tool for them. Perhaps the Tomic connectors are no longer approved.

[John Grabowski]

*LOL. When I lived on the west coast it took me a while to learn the language of the trade out there. One thing that is universal though is the numbers. If I give the counterman a manufacturer name and part number he has no trouble understanding what I want. Having it in stock is another issue.

[bob haller]

replacemnt motors are available, might be worth the effort to save LOTS of mucking around modifying opening to fit new fan

[bud--]

I don't know what a Tomic connector is either.

What I suggested was a Tomic coupling. It is the same as a rigid pipe coupling (or galvanized water pipe coupling for the not-electrically-inclined), but instead of being 1.5" long for 1/2" pipe it is half that length.

What I suggested is that you can make any "gofrom" - like sealtite to flex, by screwing a sealtite connector in one end of a rigid coupling and a flex connector in the other end. The short Tomic connector just makes a neater transition with less likelyhood of a fishtape hanging up between the connectors. "Tomic" works at the wholesalers around here, but may be local jargon, as someone said.

[The Daring Dufas]

The connectors had spring loaded teeth that cut into the metal and held it in place. The things may be out of production for some reason or other but I did like them.

TDD

[RBM]

It sounds to me like you may be referring to what we call an Erickson coupling.

>

[bud--]

An Erickson is a 3 piece rigid coupling that is the electricians version of a plumber's union fitting. (I think they used to be called a "swede" around here.)

I am just talking about a garden variety threaded rigid pipe coupling except it is 1/2 length. I wouldn't use it to join rigid pipe, but it can be handy in other applications.