Thin wall PVC conduit?

Dennis, just go in the plumbing aisle of HD. They usually have two foot sections of white PVC pipes. It is maybe  1/4 inch thick.

Not it.  1/4 inch thick is not thin wall.  One is supposed to be able to cut this stuff with a tin snip.

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Dennis

Dennis,

 

I know the pipe/tubing "necks" they use for the bottom of wash basins has a thin wall but I don't know how long they are.  Also, check where the water heaters are located.

 

I got a piece from Lowes a while back, I'll look on their website.

 

Look here:

 

http://www.thatpetplace.com/th...igid-tubing-1in-36in

 

Thinwall rigid tubing.  it's clear but comes in 36" lengths.  Maybe PetSmart carries it.

Dennis, I know what you want to make. I have them on my layout. Anything thinner would not hold the wires. Are you thinking of the plastic straps?

Don, Yes I am making wire straps.

 

Bob Delbridge, you are correct, they work and I already used one.  They are only 12 " long and at $7.95 a pop it is going to get real expensive.  I got six straps out of one piece.

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Dennis

Here is a shot of my PVC rings. These just happen to be black.

 

    Lowes may have what you want the last time Iwas in there.

 

 

DMasso, your rings appear to have permanent wide slits in them and the rings thick and I suppose quite stiff.  The article I read, I can't find now, but it had white conduit that was thin and flexible so the slit snaps shut and you won't have a wire pull out easily if you start into a curve to the next ring.

Dennis, Sch. 40 will work just fine.  Just cut your rings and drill holes for screw/screwdriver.  Cut a slot 90 degrees away from the holes, mount the ring and slide your wire through.  No need to spread the wire slot.  Look carefully at Don's Picture.

Might look at the plastic sleeves that cover shower rods.  They are 59" long x 1" dia.  Can be cut with kitchen shears.  Most are already split length wise.

schedue 40 CONDUIT will be over in the electrical aisles.  It'a about .1 inch thick.  Schedule 80 is about .15 inch thick.  Stuff in the plumbing aisles is much thicker.

Yup.  As I said above, I found the schedule 40.  It is way too heavy for this project the way I read about it.  Where did I read about it?

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Dennis

Thanks Bob Delbridge.  I just looked at your Pet Store link.  That rigid aquarium tubing may do the trick.

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Dennis

white "thin wall" PVC is irrigation water line, for landscape and lawns.  Thinner than sch. 40 and cheaper too.

Schedule 10, I've seen it. Kinda a ivory white color.

Schedule 10 . . . . I wonder who sells it.  I'll go Google it.  Out for the night, yawn.  See ya tomorrow.

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Dennis

I worked with aquariums and related gear for years the standpipes for undergravel filters is what I think you are referring to. It would be an inexpensive experiment if you want to try, but in my opinion, after a year of exposure to light, they become too brittle and break easily. Of course in an aquarium they get a direct blast of intense UV light most of the day. That's my two cents. but a few bucks for one of those tubes to try it out is worth it. Who knows, it's under the layout and shielded from light anyway.

 

I bought a 25 pack of these. http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/203701806?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=conduit+clamps&storeId=10051&N=5yc1v&R=203701806#.UWTbyZPFVmA for about $3.

Got the idea from somebody on the forum here. Screw in the bottom screw and leave the top one open.

Dennis,

 

What you are looking for is schedule 20 PVC. It is available at any Lowes or home depot in the plumbing department.  It comes in 3" and 4" sizes by 10' long.  The ivory colored PVC that was mentioned is actually CPVC.  More costly and does not come in the size you want.  Schedule 40 PVC will also work but as you pointed out, it is a much heavier piece of material.

 

Good luck!

A large part of the structural integrity of the tube is because it is a tube.  The really thin stuff is going to start to sag and eventually break once you cut the slit to pass wired through.

 

You may want to look at the hardware for hanging window treatments.  There are U brackets for various diameter curtain/drapery rods.

I think I'd use the thicker stuff.  As Chuck says, the thin stuff will sag after a time.

Most computer stores sell a corogated plastic conduit in various lengths for this purpose. Microcenter might be a good choice. They have an on-line as well as instore listing.

However, all things considered, any hanging system will provide a trip,snag line when trying to maneuver around under the platform.  The longer you have you layout the more complex and in some cases "Rats nest" it becomes.

 

I find it is hard enough to crawl around under any platform, I would not want to decrease the clearance.

 

I strongly advise thru holes in cross members for a clean installation.  Also best to pre wire standing up as much as you can before any decking is applied.

 

Sorry, can not correctly turn the image.

 

 

 

 

I agree on prewiring all possible runs while standing before covering and, using the 1x4 upright grid joists as wire looms....sending wire runs through center drilled holes.

 

Used the flexible blue conduit over the door casing to enable looping my Railpower Bus back to home base and, to extend wire runs over to the Village side of the round-the-room layout for controlling Tortoise switch motors, control lighting and accessories and to control a lever switch for killing power when my Drop Section is down. [Initially ran wire under the carpet in a hard cover to crossoverunder but abandoned it].

 

Power center located on wall under the layout to the right of the entrance to free up topside area.

Hi Dennis:

 

I got this idea from one of our Forum members (excuse me if I step on anyone's toes):

 

I used 1/2-in PVC Clamps and just put one screw in on of the two holes. You can tighten it just enough so that the clamp doesn't turn, but you can still pull it open (with a little muscle) to slip the "next wire you forgot to run" into the clamp. I included a link (wonder if it'll work), but I found them at Lowe's. They are CARLON 1/2-in PVC Clamps, a five pack costs $0.70. The item number for Lowe's is 2529, the model number is E977DC-CTN.

 

Here is the link:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_2529-2...clamp&facetInfo=

 

I am not at home, so I cannot forward any pictures, but I'm sure if you search the Forum the original thread will come up (with good photos). It works pretty well and avoids having to cut PVC pipe, etc.

 

Bruce

Dennis:

 

Forumite Rich883 is the person I got the idea from. If you search his posts, you'll find some nice pictures about how he wires using these conduit clamps.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Bruce

Best use I have found for Schedule 40 PVC pipe...excess cord accumulators.

I'm not 100% clear here if you're looking for conduit or clips.  If you're looking for conduit and need something flexible, I suggest sprinkler irrigation tube.  You can buy huge rolls of it for relatively small amount of money.  (~$15 for 200 ft at Lowe's) http://www.lowes.com/pd_208028-13598-052020P_0__?productId=3136429&Ntt=irrigation+hose&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dirrigation%2Bhose&facetInfo=

 

The tubing is thin enough so you could slit it lengthwise with a razor blade to allow access to your channel. 

Bruce is on the money from my point of view, the condition lamps are the way to Go. These are cheap, work well and come in different sizes. These are similar to the original "d rings" that were used to witenagemot phone in stallations and many radio stations.

OK, Time to drop in.

I think I'll try for the Holes in the 1X4's as I do the new Benchwork but life will surely make me want to add or change something later.

These  <quote>CARLON 1/2-in PVC Clamps, a five pack costs $0.70. The item number for Lowe's is 2529</quote> look like a good solution at a decent price, tho they actually go for $0.86 up here. I chalk it up to the cost of living in New England.

They have worked well for me, and I have added at least two times, needing to wire drops from an elevated track, wires for accessories that have been added, etc. Those little clamps hold a surprising amount of 18g-20g wires, and I haven't had any difficulty adding a few extra wires (like 15!).

 

I like them also because it is easy to remove wires as well, and not too terrible to trace out wires. They do keep the wires off the floor, mind make it easy (almost too easy) to add more stuff without making a huge wire tangle.

Bruce(FV Trains) has got it right, in my opinion. I started using those clamps as I built up my layout and they have allowed me to continually change and expand. Easy to take wires out and add new wires. They keep things very neat under the layout as well. You certainly cannot beat the price. Highly recommended.

 

Jay in Ottawa

How about something like this?

 

http://www.fastenercomponents....ire-clamp-p-220.html

 

Or this?

 

http://www.hcl-clamping.com/plastic-p-clips.html

 

 

 

OK, thanks guys.  I need to explain a little. I did build and wire my whole layout already standing up, with drilled holes through the superstructure as Dewey shows.  Now, I have added a new yard and saw this great idea somewhere, either in OGR or another mag. about using light wall conduit with a slit in it to add or remove wire more easily.  What I did today is go to Lowe's, could not find any thin wall conduit, so I bought six feet of the flexible blue stuff that Dewey mentioned above.  It is thin walled and the largest diameter they had was 1".  I will only have a few wires in it (the new yard) so it won't sag.  

Hi Dennis:

 

Hope it works with the conduit. I saw Rich's (Rich883) idea about the conduit clamps before I started wiring, and they have worked well as I continued to expand into wherever I could (!). Just a thought (low cost) to keep in mind if you wind up needing an alternative.

 

Good luck with your expansion, and have lots of fun with it!

 

Bruce