Conduit Elbows

[TheScullster]

Hi all

I intend to fit an outdoor socket and went looking for some conduit and an elbow this morning at B & Q. In terms of elbows, all they seem to have is long radius inspection type elbows. Now I want to come straight out the wall and up into the socket box gland, so even with a short radius style elbow, it looks like the top of the hole in the wall will need enlarging to accommodate the fitting curve IYSWIM. Looking on web sites they also show inspection elbows, but nothing suitable for my application. Do such things exist, or is it usual to bend the conduit with a spring? Either way, the curve length seems unsuitable - I can see why swept curves would generally be appropriate for cable pulling etc.

Thanks

Phil

[Andy Wade]

Use a 1-way round conduit box (aka 'BESA box') mounted on the face of the wall, with a short vertical run of conduit up to the socket. Mount the conduit through the wall first, terminated in a male adaptor with its shoulder flush with the wall. Drill a 20 mm hole in the back of the round box before fixing it to the wall and use the lock-ring that comes with the male adaptor to secure the joint.

Drill a small drain hole (5 or 6 mm) at the lowest point of the round box, in case any water gets in. (NB The lid for the round box comes separately, and sealing gaskets are available for outdoor use. Using a gasket doesn't do away with the need for a drain hole though.)

Black conduit will usually look much better than white on outdoor jobs. You may need to go to a proper electrical wholesaler, rather than B&Q!

[TheScullster]

"Andy Wade" wrote

Thanks Andy - I'm fairly sure that those boxes are available in our local B & Q warehouse.

Phil

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I dunno about conduit, but B&Q prices mean that for most things any alternative is better. And any electrical wholesaler would be glad of the business.

[Andy Burns]

They certainly were a couple of years ago when I used conduit last.

I went out and checked what elbows I'd used, they weren't the "long swept" variety, but even the "short" variety have an inspection cover and aren't particularly short, I think you'd be better with the round box idea than an elbow protruding from the wall ...

[Gazz]

probably breaking all sorts of regulations to use with mains, but when i ran in the wires from the garage under the paving stones and halfway accross the lawn to the ornamental garden thingy, i used overflow pipe and it's elbows,

i was only running some 2 core figure of 8 wires for 12 and 24 volts power, to run a few lights pointing at the little trees, and the 24 volts was for the tacky xmas crap my parents like to put in there every year.

i put a hole thru the garage wall on a slight upwards slope (up towards the inside) shoved some of the overflow pipe through the wall, then on the outside part put on a 90 degree elbow, bit more pipe downwards into the trench, another 90 degree elbow, then pipe accross the lawn under the slabs,

90 degree elbow at the end and a short stub of pipe and an old garden lamp for the junction box,

i ran the cables with the joints appart, then glued them in place, as even the highly flexiable low voltage wire would have had a hard job negotiating

3 90 degree bends if pulled through,

looks neat and tidy and the pipe that goes down the garage wall hugs it nicely,

i believe the overflow pipe fittings are a different size to proper conduit fittings, but maybe for your application of only a very short run, you could use it... if the regs allow or you care.

[Nightjar]

...

Thats how I do it, although I prefer to use a female adaptor for a smoother cable turn.

Colin Bignell

[Andrew Gabriel]

Water always gets in to conduit, via condensation if not a direct leak. Same for the socket back box, which should also have a drain hole. Conduit passing through an outside wall is a good "conduit" for generating a condensate drip/leak on the inside.

Just wondering why the OP wants to use conduit for this? I would use one of the outdoor cables (depending on susceptability to damage in that location) with a suitable gland. SWA tends to be significantly tougher than PVC conduit, but there are less tough cable options where that's not required.

[TheScullster]

"Andrew Gabriel" wrote

To be honest I was/am tempted just to take the T & E straight through the wall and into the back of the socket box via the supplied grommet. The instructions with the socket say something about not using the supplied PVC gland anywhere other than in the bottom of the socket box. I'm not sure whether this requirement also holds for the cable grommet. I would have thought that if I sealed between the cable and the hole in the wall and had the cable going straight through a grommet in the back of the box, that would have been preferable to potential moisture carrying conduit. Then just drill out the drain hole in the socket box itself?

Comments welcome

Phil

[John Rumm]

Its probably what I would do...

You would not need a glad at all if T&E is entering from the back.

I normally seal along the top of such boxes against the wall, and down each side a bit (leaving the bottom interface open).

Yup.

[John Rumm]

You can do this, but its difficult to get a particularly sharp bend. Thick walled PVC bends best. Heat it (rub vigorously with your hand encircling it in a manner which may come naturally but you would never dare admit) ;-) Slap spring in and bend over a knee. Treat like copper pipe in the days when that used to bend with a spring (i.e. over bend a bit, and unbend to relax and release the spring).

[ARWadsworth]

And me, with silicone to seal the hole. I'd still put a drain hole in and "dress" the cables so that drip do not enter the terminals.

A non-visible line of silicone across the tops and sides is good.

Agreed.

[TheScullster]

"ARWadsworth" wrote

Thanks guys - that's saved me buying conduit and fittings etc unnecessarily. But will Mr B approve or even notice it's there?

Phil

[ARWadsworth]

He will see a waterproof outside socket. That's all he needs to know.

[John Rumm]

IIRC - outside socket on the wall of a house, fed from an existing circuit is a non notifiable job anyway.

[ARWadsworth]

So hide it behind the wheeliebin/BBQ/wheelbarrow/cannabis plant etc.

Adam

[John Rumm]

No need to hide it if its not notifiable. Tell anyone who asks, its none of their business!

[Robin]

possibly and idiot boy question: but if, as I understand it, The Lord Scullster is doing "the whole thing" under a building notice (and has included this in "the whole thing") then isn't "the whole thing" subject to inspection and required to meet the relevant regs?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I did just that on a brick wall. Can't remember the make - came from TLC. But I sunk the entire thing into the brick by about an inch or so - looks less just stuck on. So may prevent water getting in from the back.

[John Rumm]

Only the bits he has listed on his building notice. So if the BN specs revuilding kitchen, including electrics, and he decides to go do some "minor electrical works" elsewhere in the property then its not a part of the stuff covered by the building notice.