CONLOK: Will You Ever Thread Steel Conduit Again?
A steel conduit system which easier to install than even a plastic conduit. The Conlok conduit system uses plain end steel conduit and attaches to conduit accessory boxes with a simple allen head grub screw.
Richard Gaunt takes on his first steel conduit installation using the Conlok system.
Conlok is a Demon Cato Brand - part of the Metpro group.
== AD =================
More information on the Conlok conduit system
hub.efixx.co.uk/conlok
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🕐 TIME STAMPS 🕕
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00:00 Conlok conduit system from Metpro
00:19 Rollatray and tuff sheath cable
01:17 It's level
01:24 Threaded insert
01:36 Rapid saddle
01:49 No treading conduit
02:30 Connecting to spouted boxes
02:43 Preformed 90 bends
03:16 Double set and flanged coupler
04:49 Cut and ream
05:37 Fast
06:24 Change an end box for a through box
07:05 The grub screw
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❌ This content on this channel is for electrical professionals.❌ ==================================
📹 Presented by
Gary Hayers - Editor eFIXX
& the hard work by
Richard Gaunt
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#efixx #electricians #conduit
== AD == More information on the Conlok conduit system hub.efixx.co.uk/conlok
when i trained (under 15th edition) pin grip was no longer allowed, it had to be threaded for adequate earth continuity
As a domestic electrician I didn't get any call for steel conduit until the fashion for steampunk came about. Conlok offers any easy to use product ideal for the odd time I get asked for conduit.
Can't wait to get my own house. My electrician will think I'm mad, but I intend to have the whole house specced with metal clad fittings and surface mount Conlok conduit. Cable runs hidden in the ceiling or floors. I love steampunk and would design my house around it. The whole house can then be wired with singles.
@@owenjones-wells9395 that will be a very expensive re wire 😂😂😂
My old man showed me how to bend and set out conduit. We have been doing steel tube since 1965 using traditional methods. Conlok for me doesn't come close to proper threaded conduit. I live iron wrestling I use my dads footprints handed down to him by his sparks. My dad always said you have reached the old boys conduit level when you bend and install to what you see. My dad could look at a route and bend to it. I now have also started doing this. Time ans experience which I have had the fortune to have and learn from and a apprentership and many years of commercial and individual work. Good video guys. I was altering some 3/4 tube work in a plant room last week.
Sounds good
Didn't have to go far too find the reason-free "no sir I don't like it" that I was looking for 🤣❤️
This has got nothing to do with bending, you still need that skill, people that don't keep up with progress tend to go out of business, there's no good reason for using threaded over grub screws.
@@mfx1 seen this type of conduit fail under environmental conditions. Had a load of tube in the 90s with pinch bolt loose continuity. Not much of a problem now as we run separate cpcs but everything has its place. Good product however my installs will still be threaded on show.
I gave this stuff a go about a year ago. Really quick and easy to install and found it was great for hacking onto an old imperial sized conduit system. My only gripe I found was the grub screws tend to be a bit weak so I replaced them with some pan-heads that were much stronger. Overall, nice and easy.
Gonna have to be connecting on to some old conduit soon. I guess the 20mm boxes fit onto the old imperial closest counterpart ok?
@@adambrammeld9286 Yes, the imperial equivalent to the 20mm (3/4") is a little smaller so will fit into these boxes. Havent tried the 25mm on the 1". If you try please post results back here :)
Nice job guys 😃
Handy for remedial works or to modify an existing system. Not sure i'd want to fit that outside, the saddles are great
We were shown a superior version of this over 30 years ago where the locking screw was a self tapper that actually cut a groove in the conduit when tightened giving a perfect earth connection.No doubt one of the big companies bought it out and quietly shelved it like many other improvements I saw over 50 years
You took that screw in too far and bam! Skinned wires.
Self tapping screws should be banned in any electrical application. On all my specifications and drawings I purposely call out a ban on self tapping screws!!
@@jeangadoury932 No the screw was offset from the centre line of the conduit and simply cut a groove down the side of the tube making a very strong connection with no danger to the conductors inside,cynics though we were we were mightily impressed with it but it wasn’t to be
@@anthonyschofield7807 thanks for clarifying. That actually sounds like a decent design, so it is too bad it's fallen out.
Just put an isolator in a panel I’m building, I ordered a rear mounted door isolator and gave the wrong part number and got an isolator with an actuator that won’t reach. I used my conduit skills to rectify the problem to create a stilt system. The Record bender came out (using pipe vice) and all is well now. This video is how the US sparks use EMT. I love it. That would have saved me so much time and stopped me having the same air problems as Gary.
It's not quite the same. Ours is actually significantly easier. We have a bunch of different kinds of boxes, but they all have a bunch of places we can fit conduit to, so there is no need to change out boxes like shown in the end of this video. We also have box adapters which can add depth to our boxes and give us even more locations for conduit at a different depth, so we have some clever tricks to help with the ease of many installations. We can use conduit as the means of earthing for most applications and that is with a set screw. We have IMC and RMC as well, which are threaded but, because of the expense, is only used where needed. Some situations are nothing but RMC, but most of us are just wrangling EMT most of the time. For 1/2", 3/4", 1", and 1-1/4", we bend the conduit by hand too.
Thx for sharing gaz, I am still an active follower !
Well said!
No one remember Barton’s version of this many years ago?? This is nothing new. Barton did a version with a grub screw that screwed down the side. Anyway as an old school spark (well I’m 37) I wouldn’t been seen dead using this. To me this is DIY looking stuff. Sorry Gaz, I thought you would feel the same?
I remember it well, cant remember why it never took off.
If the female end on the box didnt have a built in stop the conduit could slide well into the box and then slid it back into the other box. In this case you could fit all the boxes in situ then cut the pipe to the exact length and not have to disasemble the set. As for outdise use a silicon gell would be needed to prevent water ingress.
Used to do push fit conduit years ago so nothing new , you’d get a tighter connection if you used the Allen key the other way round
You had this on before. I still say I would prefer threaded than the tiny screw.
We do work for councils and a lot of their method statements won’t allow this style of fitting.
I thought this was April 1st….
Could the fact that its not threaded mean there is a drop in the amount of continuity of CSA of the conduit meaning it couldn’t be used instead of a single as a CPC? Or have the manufacturers confirmed the continuity of their product. Have you tested it?
Makes sense
There was another version 20 odd years back that had a sprung piece of steel locking it in place. Dont think it was around long
I was going to say the same , probably more like 25 years ago . Just knock on boxes and adaptors . I installed it for BT cables and door entry stuff , all low voltage
@@dennisphoenix1 one of those things that just didnt take off
Oh dear our company used Conlok for the first time our finding were there are design problems which I’m sure the manufacturer will sort out. The little grub screw that holds the conduit together is far to small to be able to make it supper tight . The saddles are poor with the little screw that holds the saddle together has a very small head which means it wants to fall though the saddle . The saddle itself can also easily be bent this needs to be remanufactured better.The accessories i.e. conduit boxes couplers are all over sized and are not a tight fit on to the 25 mm conduit which we were using this to could be addressed by the manufacturer. The idea is good it’s Like an updated version of the old slip tube from Way back when.Our thoughts are when these manufacturing problems are sorted I think it would be a good product until that time going to carry on with the old school cutting a thread which will never ever come apart
I started in 68 using steel conduit it was hard work for a 16 year old apprentise trying to start that thread ! a similar system was around at that time to conlok I think it was called pingrip ? as you were using the metal as an cpc in those days it was not that reliable as a good earth ! life as an apprentise is to easy now we worked 5 1/2 days a week and you were the one doing the hard graft not the sparks !
I could never get that stupid threader started. I'd push the other end of the pipe up against a wall and put all my force on the dies and take about 5mm off the pipe before they started. And the plumbers would just laugh as they had electric ones.
We do metal conduit like this in the US all the time. Threaded is only used for nuclear or intrinsically safe sites. When doing conduit like this you have to remember to debur the end of the conduit. Check out Kline tools they have a good tool for this
Bearded "Rick" should present ALL your videos!
Such a good idea why would I waste time threading and bending steel conduit when this is available absolute game changer
👍🏻
Like the idea for the boxes but a smooth bend looks better and is probably cheaper than putting in a bend piece.
This is not a new idea, this kind of stuff was about 40 years ago.
@@3Tool1 really I didn't no I've never come across but still it's a good idea
@@mikethemask1525 when I first came across it, I was taught it was what they called light gauge conduit, it didn't really have good mechanical properties so plastic replaced it, for areas that didn't need the protection offered by threaded steel conduit, ie industrial and commercial, especially where jo public can and will touch, pull squeeze or generally fiddle LOL
Yes.
A similar principal to the old 1920s pin-grip conduit ???
I can see it having it's uses but it would be better if the boxes had a snugger fit on to the conduit and had thicker grub screws.
the US system has a much bigger screw but seat has much more play the plan is not to grab onto the conduit in the us the screw dents the conduit to form a interlocking fit but the extra play is to allow for different standards of conduit the thicker stuff does not get dented as much and uses more of a fiction fit but with the added pressure it works fine a dent of even half a MM is gonna hold just fine
I'm currently using it on a job, where conlok is specified. I'm not sure the additional cost of the couplings and adaptors is worth what it saves on instalation time, plus it doesn't look as good imho
Meanwhile us Americans are over here fighting about the cost differences between Wagos and wirenuts even though we all know wagos are significantly faster.
Looks similar to the EMT system used in the US.
Is there other accessories (i.e. stuffing glands) available?
You can convert from Conlok to threaded to use glands etc - Conlok to thread adaptor
As someone from the Netherlands, where 99% of electrical circuits is pvc pipes with individual insulated wires inside, both this cable malarkey and especially the conductive conduit look very strange.
We do use plastic also - but metal has its advantages when you want strength and longevity.
@@efixx I suppose for a factory floor it makes sense. I don’t really see it as residential use other than as a fashion statement tbh.
In London it’s almost illegal to open a cafe without removing plaster from the walls and wiring in metal conduit 😆
@@efixx don't forget to put up some unfinished oriented strand board
Without threading how is it water proof/resistant? Also, wouldn't it have been more aesthetically pleasing to have the fixing points under each joint and to reduce the small possibility of nocking/catching on things?
Valid point you certainly would rely on it out side.
I don’t get this at all. You still need a bender for setting pipe, you still cut the conduit to the correct length, what’s hard about threading each end. The conduit is not waterproof, you can’t guarantee continuity of earth if a grub screw becomes loose. What’s hard about learning how to install pipe correctly like we all had to ?
A small job maybe....can't be arsed carrying your bender through central London or on the tube...there could be loads of reasons tbf
Bartman, if you’re setting bends for your job in central london you’d still need to take your bender with you.
Lot of company’s using this now, mostly above ceilings, any surface conduit in view is done in threaded. Personally I prefer threaded.
Surely it would just fill with water on an outside installation.
my thoughts too. the water would run straight into the system. on the up side though the water would also be able to escape at the other end lol
I always assume water is going to get in anyway so drill a little hole in the bottom of some of the boxes. As an apprentice I was taught to run long pipe runs slightly downhill but that looks naff.
Maybe attitudes have changed but there was a version or this maybe 30 ish years ago. I seen it used a couple times and that was it it just died out
Why would you cut the threaded portion off?
So you can use the Conlok system
@@efixx but wouldn’t the grub screw make contact against the threads? They’re cut threads, not rolled, so they only reduce the diameter.
Arg kids of today just dont know what real work is. Nothing better when in winter threading a bit of 20mm galv to get the blood flowing. They will never know the joy of realising if you cut a couple of foot long pieces of galv and slide them over the handles to make life easier then Watch them fly across the workshop when you spin the threaders off narrowly missing a chippy or 2
👍🏻😀
brilliant idea why did I think of this I would've been well in the money 😂thank's for sharing as always efix comes up tramps again 👌🏿
How do you guarantee a continuous earth only takes one loose screw to mess it up
Isn't that the case with earthing in general? Loose screw in earth clamp, loose screw at MET, loose screw at CU end of radial, loose screw at midspan of radial etc... Any one will break continuity. At least this is likely to have connections via metal socket boxes and so on as a backup.
@@JohnWatkinsUK no in hospitals the conduit is the earth no earth wires are run through the conduit this way it can be checked this method would render it useless This type of conduit been about for over 20 years never took off wonder why
Lookout for the follow up videos to answer questions like this 👍🏻
What if on a large job some of the grub screws do not get tightened, will this affect the mechanical earthing of the conduit. I used to work on a lot of large sites where sparks can get easily distracted and there for I came across a lot of loose saddles etc
Does the same not apply to conductors and screws in terminals ?
That would be caught during testing
No 32mm version available?
Another product taking the skill out of the electrical industry… any one remember the hammer on conduit couplers and threaded couplers mainly used for in-situ conduit (buried in concrete)… ??
Stocks and dies, vice and bender forever
Nope. Oh, for pretties, then maybe. But not for anything else. The screw clamp has been used in North America for decades and when I had to use it it quickly became clear that it was unreliable for maintaining connectivity. Therefore even if you are not using the pipe to be your CPC you're always at risk of having some part of the installation inadequately grounded. A fault can leave exposed metal energised. To which can be added the lack of sealing against the environment, so not suitable for outdoor use. It's obviously easier than threading pipe. But if you need a pipe install for anything other than aesthetic reasons it is equally obviously much inferior.
Con lock has been around for while, faster installation time whats not to like. Its not for every installation though.
This beats threaded any day. For the doubters I assume you are also avoiding push fit connectors and sticking in the past with terminals.
About time conduit moved with the times.
My house from the 60's the whole house is using this exact same thing so it is nothing new😂🤣
This is the same as the old slip conduit system.
Personally I don't like this idea of conduit seems more like a DIY application. I think the benefits of threading conduit well outways the potential time savings of this. Is there a rubber o ring inside the boxes and elbows? I would be worried about outside applications in terms of water ingress?
Threaded certainly doesn't mean waterproof
@@ayeroxor I get that but I have never seen water ingress through the conduit entry, the thread is a barrier especially for top entry to a box.
Obviously, alternative earthing arrangements should be made 😉
🤣😂 earth lost after years as it falls apart What’s next Push fit fuse board next yer 😱
Another skill set about to be dumbed down
Not sure we can class putting a few threads on some tube as a skill
conlok couplers and boxes are great to get you out of a hole but are not anywhere near as strong as a threaded system. and not acceptable to most engineers either.
They won't buy it on big sites as it's too expensive .....
Used on Heathrow Terminal 2
the cost could easily outweigh the additional labour to do it the traditional way.
Used both unfortunately Conlock isn't that great 💩 hate grub screws and water tracks down the pipe straight in to fittings 🤢 think the futures a hydraulic press system same as plumbing fittings
Are you serious?? You’re applauding a system that changes from a threaded screw connection to a flimsy Allen key system? Unbelievable 🤷♂️
In North America they use a similar system but with a Robertson screw and it reduces installation time exponentially.
@@dvrn86 I get that it reduces the time - but what an inferior solution. Grub screws always come loose. It means bugs/spiders will get inside. And water/moisture etc Just feels a very cheap solution. BTW - I love Robinson heads. They should be used more.
@@GrahamDIY i can say from the many service calls I done on older conduit runs with the north American way of set screws on conduit that loose screws were very rare.
🤣🤣 Going back in Time, this isn't new !!!
Not water proof, no good for outside work
Lookout for the follow up videos to answer questions like this 👍🏻
Never used steel conduit nor ever will I. We use plastic and aluminium
It’s a bit naff
NO! Just no! If you can't bent it or thread it, then don't use it! Stop trying to pretend to do something you've got know knowledge of. It's the equivalent of driving an automatic car or a moped. If you can't do gear, then DON'T use it at all!
No
Conlock / looks like we are going back to 1930 s grip conduit
It’s a con unless your getting it installed cheaper 🧐
If you can't bend or thread steel conduit, how do you become a proper electrician. I suppose it's easier to manipulate a 90 day wonder in to unnecessary training courses than a real time served sparks. Plus this is not a new idea, this type of system used to be about over 40 years ago, it dropped out of use as it wasn't very mechanically safe and plastic was becoming far easier to produce and was cheaper to use in places where mechanical protection wasn't necessary.
No not for me sorry ☹️ threaded conduit all the way 👍