# Color coded conduit



## Toronto Sparky (Apr 12, 2009)

RIVETER said:


> Are any of you guys who do a lot of data, fire alarm, or phone work, using color coded pipe? Or is it just a waste of money?


Sometimes the contract requires us to paint box covers and mark long runs of conduit.

It certainly makes it easier to follow them when you're looking up at the ceiling.

Fire Alarm conduit/boxes are almost always sprayed red here in Toronto.


----------



## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

Toronto Sparky said:


> Sometimes the contract requires us to paint box covers and mark long runs of conduit.
> 
> It certainly makes it easier to follow them when you're looking up at the ceiling.
> 
> Fire Alarm conduit/boxes are almost always sprayed red here in Toronto.


I had never heard of that but was visiting a site owned by Allide Tube and Conduit. Their interior coating is supposed to be really slick for pulling cables.


----------



## Charlie K (Aug 14, 2008)

I am currently doing a large boiler room with 4 boilers. All of the emt is color coded. We are using 4 different colors. It is being done this way to minimize conduit labeling. So far it is working out nicely.

Charlie


----------



## Bob Badger (Apr 19, 2009)

Until the painters come in and spray everything. :laughing:


----------



## Toronto Sparky (Apr 12, 2009)

I remember back in the 70s when pushing 3 #12 TW though 20ft of 1/2 emt with two bends in it was next to imposable. 
These days with the slicked interior of the EMT as well as the T90 wire it just falls in..

Not that this has anything to do with colors. But I saw "Interior Coating" mentioned and it reminded me how hard it was to pull wire without it, being that I was service and always worked alone..


----------



## Vintage Sounds (Oct 23, 2009)

I wish we had coloured conduit at the job i'm on now. There are separate pipes for power, emergency lights, fire alarm, security, CCTV, data, and building automation system...and none are coloured. We just marked them with a permanent marker but even so you still have to walk around with your head pointed up to trace the origin of a pipe through a room. At least if the FA pipes were coloured that would be a lot simpler.


----------



## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Allied True Color EMT.









​


----------



## running dummy (Mar 19, 2009)

I was just on a hospital where we had all different colored pipes. worked out REALLY WELL until we started running out of colors and they got behind on ordering. then the spray paint came out and it just became a mess. :lol:


----------



## JohnR (Apr 12, 2010)

I have used the colored conduit on one job, (it was large enough). 

My estimation is, that it is fine as long as the communication between the estimator and the Foreman ordering/ releasing material is clear. 

Without clearly stating how much conduit was bid, and laid out, it is more difficult each phase of the job, from over/under ordering.
Once you start using the colored on a job it needs to be constant through the whole site. If not, what is the point.


----------



## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

480sparky said:


> Allied True Color EMT.


So then you take a basic coupling to join pieces together?


----------



## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

running dummy said:


> I was just on a hospital where we had all different colored pipes. worked out REALLY WELL until we started running out of colors and they got behind on ordering. then the spray paint came out and it just became a mess. :lol:


:laughing: That is a down side, but really how can getting paid to sniff paint fumes be a bad thing.


----------



## mikeh32 (Feb 16, 2009)

all i do is data/phone and fire. I have heard that it will soon be code in chicago that it must be in red emt. (fire/safety)

But then again everything is in emt here.


----------



## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

I've used a fair bit of red before, per job specs, but never had occasion to use the other colors. Ordering material is hard enough. I can't imagine having to place an order for not only all the right sizes, but all the right colors too. That's really more effort than I care to put fourth, voluntarily. If you're also using the colored fittings and boxes, my head would probably explode trying to keep the material orders straight.


----------



## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Black4Truck said:


> So then you take a basic coupling to join pieces together?



No, you gotta take a stick of pipe in to Home Depot (being careful to avoid Peter D.) and have their paint department scan it so they can mix up a gallon or two of top-of-the-line paint so it will match perfectly and blend in and become 'invisible'.

No, seriously... I doubt anyone who is gonna use the colored EMT is going to try to judge the use of the pipe by the fitting.


----------



## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

This actually turned out to be a pretty good thread. One more thing. What would you think that those in charge would do if you converted a red emt to normal emt under a slab? Assuming that the colored type is more expensive, do you think/know if they would mandate all red, etc?


----------



## mikeh32 (Feb 16, 2009)

also, i noticed that certain pipes where blue. more so in the elevator room, idf, and then the mechanical rooms. I have no idea what they where for, as i only do low volt. 


also, we where required to paint all plates red that had fire in them


----------



## knowshorts (Jan 9, 2009)

I did a job a few years back running f/a conduit. Painted it all myself. Bright and shiny red spray paint. Looked really good. Painted it after my bends. Went up like a jigsaw puzzle. Exposed ceiling. So pipe work was art work. That colored emt is good for hidden pipe in ceilings, but if it's exposed, paint it yourself or have a painter paint it. 

I have been painting all my conduit at the site I've been on and off for the past 2 years. Smoke gray spray paint. Like the color of gutter. All fittings too.


----------



## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

mikeh32 said:


> also, i noticed that certain pipes where blue. more so in the elevator room, idf, and then the mechanical rooms. I have no idea what they where for, as i only do low volt.
> 
> 
> also, we where required to paint all plates red that had fire in them


I just can't resist. Did you Pu.......


----------

