Conduit is piping for electrical wiring. Steel conduit is the most common conduit used. It is often left visible in industrial atmospheres and can be seen running to electrical outlets, lighting panels, electrical panels, etc.
In electrical terms it represents Rigid Steel Conduit. It is also known as Rigid Metal Conduit (RMC).This is not to be confused with Electrical Metallic Tubing (EMT) also known in the trade as thin wall conduit.
There are many types of conduit used for the containment of electrical wires. PVC is a non-metallic option. If you need something that provides mechanical protection, EMT is a steel conduit with a thin wall. Need even more mechanical protection, you can use rigid conduit. It comes in steel or aluminum, and must be threaded together.
Steel conduit weighs more, provides more protection, and costs more than plastic conduit. Plastic conduit weighs less, is easier to work with, and costs less than steel conduit.
Conduit, usually fabricated of steel, which encloses electrical wiring, thereby protecting the wiring from outside damage. The difference between electrical metallic conduit and electrical metallic tubing (EMT) is that conduit is heavy-walled and usually has threaded ends; in contrast, tubing is thinner and is not threaded. Between these two is an intermediate metallic conduit (IMC), which is 25 percent lighter and less costly than EMT; it may be threaded or threadless
In the true definition of a conduit yes a steel sleeve is in that category.
Armored electrical cable contains insulated electrical service wires protected by a flexible steel covering. Metallic Conduit is a tube or pipe though which we lay electrical cable.(Most commonly lighting cables).
One can buy a steel conduit online at various websites. One can purchase a steel conduit online at websites such as the Home Depot and Lowe's official websites.
The prices of PVC conduit seem to be a bit cheaper than steel conduit. PVC is light and lower in cost to produce and manufacture. Depending on the place that the conduit is needed, can determine the type of conduit you need.
Heavy wall threaded conduit comes in steel or aluminium. The aluminium conduit is NOT galvanized because you can not galvanize aluminium. Steel conduit used to come in two types: ENAMEL and GALVANIZED. The ENAMEL was not approved for outdoor or wet locations and is not currently generally commercially available but is still found in many existing buildings. It is NOT galvanized. The GALVANIZED type is approved for all locations.
There are no advantages or disadvantages over which type of junction box to be used on electrical wiring. As long as the junction box is of an approved type (CSA or UL approved). It is cost or location which dictates which boxes will be used. PVC boxes for home wiring are the cheapest. Aluminium or steel are usually used in rigid or EMT conduit systems. PVC again when the conduit system involves underground wiring. In large electrical installations it is the electrical engineer that states what the conduit system type is and what type of electrical junction boxes that must be used.
Poly Vinyl Chloride composition is used for many products these days. Junction boxes, fittings and conduit are a few products that are made for the electrical trade that are made out of PVC. Most electrical engineered underground installations specify that PVC conduit be used because of its resistance to corrosion. Steel conduit systems, that PVC replaces, were found to disintegrate after a few years in the ground.