Flexible liquid-tight conduit is marketed under the trade name Sealtite, which Anaconda Company first created in 1947. Sealtite can also be pronounced as seal-tight.
Therefore, seal-tight and liquid-tight conduits generally have no significant differences. Instead,they mean the same and represent a similar type of conduit. Thus, you can interchange the term seal-tight with light-tight without being accused of making a mistake.
With that said, you can use seal-tight or liquid-tight conduits in any project ranging from nuclear power plants to something as simple as the air conditioning whip.
The liquid-tight conduit comprises a flexible metal core covered with a moisture-resistant coating in numerous configurations. Crush-resistant cores made from a high-quality steel material with smooth bores for simple wire fishing make up electrical constructions.
The PVC coating wraps around the core to protect it from abrasion, moisture, and grime. The liquid-tight conduit can also be purchased for use by transit authorities in low smoke, low hazardous variants.
Liquid-tight metallic tubing can prevent water from penetrating its interior. That makes it perfect for conductors that must be shielded from moisturizing elements.
You may utilize liquid-tight tubing when installing conductors in settings with a lot of moisture and frequent exposure to mechanical vibrations. Because the aluminum strip coiled into a tube is reinforced with a PVC covering, the tubing is impenetrable. PVC is adequate housing for any wire.
Seal Tight Conduit Vs Liquid Tight: When to Use Liquid-Tight Conduit
- In Wet and Moist Environments
Liquid-tight conduits were created to prevent liquid or moisture from getting on wires and cables. It’s best when used in humid, damp, or wet conditions.
Water management facilities, food and beverage processing industries, and car wash stations are some examples of areas that need liquid-tight conduits.
When used appropriately, a liquid-tight conduit not only ensures the safety of customers and staff but also increases the lifespan of cables and averts electrical faults.
- When Cables Are Exposed to Corrosive Elements
Liquid-tight conduit is the best option for areas where corrosive substances are highly prevalent. It keeps out dangerous elements that might damage wires and cables.
That makes it advantageous to use liquid-tight conduits in HVAC systems, chemical plants, and other places that produce corrosive chemicals.
- Exterior Uses
Any electrical system that is open to the environment is highly prone to damages. Ultraviolet light and other external factors can inflict breakage and harm to the electrical installations.
To extend the life of cables and avoid damage, a liquid-tight conduit shields them from the sun, high temperatures, moisture, and other detrimental factors.
- Dirty and Dusty Areas
Short circuits and malfunctioning device operations might ensue when power line wires are not protected from dirt, dust, and other tiny particles.
A sealed, liquid-tight conduit offers protection against dust and particle penetration for agricultural industries, textile factories, wood/paper mills, and more.
Types of Electrical Conduit
Flexible conduits are undeniably necessary when it comes to the effective and secure installation of an electrical system. Although rigid conduits are more common than their flexible equivalents, flexible conduits are occasionally useful, particularly when routing wires around curves and bends.
Flexible conduits are water-resistant, anti-corrosive, and flame-resistan. Here are several various conduit types to consider for your upcoming project.
- Flexible Metal Conduit—FMC and LFMC
Greenfield is frequently used to refer to flexible metal conduit (FMC). FMC is flexible because of the spiral design, allowing it to pass through the different areas within the building.
In dry interior situations, standard FMC is frequently used for brief runs between a piece of stationary equipment or wall box.
Liquid-tight flexible metal conduit (LFMC) is a unique type of flexible metal conduit. It has a plastic covering and is used in conjunction with sealed fittings to provide a watertight seal. LFMC frequently works well with outdoor machinery like air conditioners.
The flexibility of flexible metal conduit is a bonus. Flexible metal conduit bends more readily than rigid conduit, making it a good choice for instances where it would be too challenging to install.
- Rigid PVC Conduit
Plastic plumbing pipe which is fitted using plastic fittings is comparable to rigid polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Fortunately, the PVC can be bent after heating in a heater box.
Since the PVC conduit tubing and fittings are cemented together, the conduit installations can be waterproof, making PVC appropriate for direct burying in the ground.
Furthermore, PVC conduit is acceptable to be used in corrosive environments.
- Rigid Metal Conduit—RMC and IMC
A heavy-duty galvanized steel tube called rigid metal conduit (RMC) is installed with the threaded fittings. It’s primarily used outside to protect equipment from harm and to give structural support to electrical wires and panels. RMC has threads and is available in lengths of 10 and 20 feet.
IMC, a form of rigid metal conduit that is lighter and thinner, is authorized for use in the same areas as in the case of RMC. IMC is more frequently used in new constructions than RMC since it is lighter and easy to handle.
- Electrical Metallic Tubing—EMT
Electrical metal tubing is built from galvanized steel but may also be made of aluminum. It’s another type of rigid electrical conduit.
EMT is also known as a thin-wall conduit because of how light and thinner it is compared to RMC. Unfortunately, it’s stiff, but a conduit bender may make it flexible.
EMT is fitted using couplings and fittings held in place by compression or set screw-type fasteners. Unlike RMC and IMC, the tube itself is not threaded.
EMT typically comes in diameters of 1/2 inch, 3/4 inch, and 1 inch. It’s primarily used to protect exposed interior wire lines in residential and commercial buildings. EMT should be assembled with specific waterproof connections if used in exposed places.
- Electrical Non-Metallic Tubing—ENT
Flexible, corrugated plastic tubing that is flame- and moisture-resistant is known as electrical non-metallic tubing (ENT). It’s installed with snap-lock or plastic adhesive fittings and is simple to bend.
Non-metallic tubing, unlike EMT, cannot be put in exposed places. Therefore, it’s frequently fitted inside the walls. ENT may be set within concrete block constructions and coated with concrete in addition to traditional wood- or metal-frame walls.
A popular type of ENT conduit is known as the “smurf tube” because of its blue tint, a reference to the Smurf cartoon characters.