Flexible Metal Conduit to Protect Inverter Wires
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- čas přidán 27. 08. 2024
- I'm installing a flexible metal conduit called Greenfield Flex. This was suggested by my friend Ben. It turned out to be very easy to work with. It's thin aluminum and could be cut with just a hacksaw.
This is part of my larger off-grid solar project. I'm working to decrease my energy bills and have a back-up plan for grid black-outs.
The conduit connection are going from my SMA Sunny Island inverters, to my 6x6 wire-way. This metal wire-way has some pre-punched knockouts, but I still needed to make some. I made 2" DIA holes for nominal 1.5" conduit. This larger conduit will be for the thick battery cables.
I punched the holes in the wire-way using a hydraulic punk kit from amazon. Link below. It worked surprisingly well.
If I did this again I would buy 6x6 wire-way without any punched holes. I didn't know any better when I bought this, but the wire-way comes with or without knockouts. It could have looked cleaner if I made all the holes myself. O-well, next time.
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Thank you everyone for watching.
What an amazing tool to cut a large hole!! Never imagined something like that even existed. Tools make all the difference :)
Hydrolic knock out set.
David I've been considering using one of these to hide my wiring in my basement you have helped me to decide ty
Cool. Personally I like seeing wires, but I had to do this for safety.
Most important is that both feed and return of each circuit goes though the same conduit so heating my induction is not an issue. The one thing that was not included but should have been is a plastic insert that goes inside both ends of the conduit.
Wrong. Every drive that I wired in the directions stated you must use a separate metallic conduit, greenfield or metal sealtite for the input power, output to motor and one for control wires.
I went to my local discount electrical supply store this morning to look at the flex conduit you're using and had price sticker shock. So I just purchased the same size in thin wall tubing and used my bender to make the angles necessary. Also purchased a hole cutter similar to yours off of eBay. The flex is really spendy. Nice looking, however. Another good video Dave. Thanks!
how do you bend 1.5in EMT?
I see videos where they do 1.25in max and it looks tough.
Dave Yeah got to swap out the plastic bushing with metal bond bushing on both sides of the flex.
Thanks for talking with me off-line about this. I'll make the correction.
Nice job as always . The flex conduit alignment is just fine . Does not trigger my ocd.
I think it looks just fine. I'm following you closely. I'll be doing this soon for my house.
Thanks.
That's a slick way to punch a hole. Never seen a reverse hydraulic punch before. Figure if I watch this one to completion it will be time to start implementing finalization of mine. Another quick, precise complete video and like you, I though the wire channel panels all had punch outs. Always learn something good from watching you. Thanks!
Thanks
The sign in the background is misleading...
Paying bills is NOT optional... HAVING them in the first place is...
I like your hydraulic knockout tool! Mine is headed and sockets are needed...
I saw those, do they work well?
DavidPoz yeah, but yours looks easier...
Even the company does not do so much perfect work, what have you done?
Great work
wow, language really is more culture than vocabulary
We have over 500 drives where I work and not one has ugly looking greenfield for short run to a trough. We always use EMT conduit. We never run low voltage control wires in a trough or box that has the 240 or 480 volt wires. I never purchase troughs or panels with knock outs.
looks good
Thanks.
Cutting greenfield is even easier than that... all you need to cut is through one rib, and he conduit just comes apart! And then you don’t have any sharp edges.
They even make a hand crank cutter hat has a round saw blade, and it makes short work of the conduit!
Good Job. Your wife deserves some jewelry for her birthday to make up for all that stuff you buy. LOL.
Brother I am not setting updates when you post videos. I am going to remove my sub and try over. I did this for a few guys and it work.
Thanks for the video. God Bless.
OK, cool.
@DavidPoz I decided I've had enough of the ratchet-based knock out punch and am considering getting a hydraulic one. After having used yours for a while, would you still recommend the same one? It seems like the blade on my cutting heads are worn. I know I can probably sharpen them but honestly, the hydraulic would have been a better investment from the start. Thanks :)
wow that pneumatic punch is a whole lot less drama than a 2" step drill bit; ask me how i know lol
Be aware that if you run any conductor(s) in a metal conduit that it must be derated. Same applies when you bundle cables. Very short segments likely will not have any measurable impact.
The hydraulic hole cutter is bad-a** !
Yeah, when it cut I was like "was that it?"
@@DavidPozEnergy I seen that- and I felt it, also. That die is so damn hard, probably Rockwell 70, it just cuts and laughs at that sheet metal :-)
Do IT!! Conduit!! I'm thinking about possibility using something like this, I have expandable braided loom I was going to use, it's more automotive grade, but keeps things together, and protected, (somewhat) a couple 1.25" and .75" or so pieces would do what I need, and maybe some , about 4' long,
That hydraulic cutter is pretty cool! But shearing cutters leave sharp burrs - watch your fingers!
Yep, found that out, just follow the drops of blood to the first aid kit.
David , did you clean the ends of the flex with a file or something else before putting them into the connectors? They need to have a smooth edge on them so they do not cut into the wire. A hack saw or your power saw will leave a ragged edge.
When do you have to use the bushings vs don’t have to? Nice video
those 6x6 gutters are expensive $175! any cheaper alternatives? I'm guessing most DIY solutions won't meet code.
Great work. You can also punch out a knockout and use the hydraulic punch thru that hole too if there’s and alignment issue. In fact the 1/2” knockout gives you some wiggle room for lining up your conduit. Great job David it’s coming along really nice. Did you order that 4/0 cable?
Thanks for the tip on using a knockout. I did buy wire. I ordered 2/0 for each inverter, since the inverters are 5750 watts continuous rating.
DavidPoz I just now put the 4 packs in series to make 48v. My son is going to help me pull out the 24v inverter and put in the 48v one. I think I will move it down lower so I don’t need a steep ladder to work on it. Move the shelf up and when I move it overseas I can install those those 32 new lifepo4 batteries above that. That whole setup is moving downstairs. No way am I carrying those packs up the stairs.
heya that looks like a good intall
GOOD VIDEO.. EXCELLENT
Could use straight PVC.
Thanks admin for this video. Many kinds of products for conduit steel flexible in Nam Quoc Thinh from Viet Nam
I don't really get the need for conduit. So I did some googling around but I'm still unconvinced. If it were a complex mess, or if the wires needed protection, or people needed protection from the wires I could understand. In this case here the conduit seems to only be used to learn how to use it. That for most people it would be better to do without it.
I suppose it is all in the eyes of the beholder. For me I want all my pipes and wiring to be exposed. I want them clean and visible so if they ever have problems I know about them. I want them to look like art work too. Hiding things behind drywall, in the ceilings, in the cement, floor, or underground just bothers me...
Actually, I'm with you. I love seeing all my wires. I think wires look better than conduit, and I like being able to trace it visually from A to B. But, I have kids. I want to be able to have my kids in the garage with me and I'm worried about them reaching up and pulling on wires.
1:50 Dude! That's soooo cheating!!! 😜👍
LOL
So Im assuming you went with the SMA units so you could have UL listed install. Sounds like a reasonable install. I'm assuming you can set these up so you can have both 120 and 240 if you have two of them. Being in California SMA may be the way to go. I'll go research these for a later install. For now I have the Sigineer 15kw Low Frequency Inverter. Nice clean install.
I have two inverters on the wall. They are SMA Sunny Island, low frequency. I hung them on the wall in this video: czcams.com/video/aU9gNSoep-o/video.html
Sigineer is nice too. I used to have an Aims that I liked, and the Sigineer look identical to that.
Here I though this was a pro video, and then 2:34 hit lol
Other than that looks great.
First view, first comment, first thumbs up.
Thanks.
YOU GUESS?!
Had you used pvc flexible conduit you could have gotten away with plastic bushings
Typically exposed wiring has to be armored (especially if it's AC) to be code compliant. PVC is typically acceptable for other wiring tasks.
👍
I would recommend using grey flex tubing, not this horrible industrial post-apocalyptic stuff ;-)
also, get you some "cowboy" straps
For exposed AC wiring to be code compliant you need to use armored shielding. PVC wouldn't be code compliant here.
More importantly are they CLEAN Inverters or if someone walks arounf with a vhf uhf radio do we hear noise all over the place like most filthy dirty inverters one more reason why solar is a no go
the rest of the world uses non metal conduits