Advice on electrical conduit

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Advice on electrical conduit

robbyp

1199 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 8

#290175 25-Oct-2021 18:01

Anyone know if electricans are permitted to use un-heated heatshrink tubing (a circular hollow tube) as an alternative to proper electrical conduit (either flexible or rigid)? FOr example, when running mains wires out of a wall. Apparently conduit should meet minimum NZ standards, which I don't think heatshrink meets. Anyone come across electricians doing this?

gregmcc

2173 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 836

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2800939 25-Oct-2021 18:14

NO...NO....NO

Conduit is required for mechanical protection from physical damage, heat shrink will never achieve this, it is designed for electrical insulation.

MadEngineer

4591 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2570

Trusted

#2800956 25-Oct-2021 19:28

Would love to hear the story or see the photos behind whatever raised that question.

You're not on Atlantis anymore, Duncan Idaho.

SomeoneSomewhere

1882 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1086

Lifetime subscriber

#2801068 25-Oct-2021 20:32

Heatshrink can provide limited mechanical protection, but only really equivalent to the plastic outer sheath already on typical cables - and even then, it needs to be have quite a heavy wall.

It's not a substitute for conduit, and frankly the flexible conduit we have here is generally pretty rubbish at mechanical protection too.