# Suspending boxes



## Vintage Sounds (Oct 23, 2009)

You're going to have boxes anyway to use as pull points, so if it was me I'd just do the saddles and use 22 degree bends. 

Otherwise maybe suspend the box with a deck flange and a short piece of rod.


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## pjholguin (May 16, 2014)

Go checkout this website: www.orbitelectric.com


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## hydro (Aug 21, 2009)

That's pretty slick I'm guessing I can't get away with the emt supporting the box


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## pjholguin (May 16, 2014)

The EMT is not supporting the box, the plate is the support.


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## Rollie73 (Sep 19, 2010)

hydro said:


> That's pretty slick I'm guessing I can't get away with the emt supporting the box


Nope....you cant. The box must be independently supported.





> *12-3010 Outlet box supports*
> 
> (1) Except as permitted by Subrule (6), boxes and fittings shall be firmly secured to studs, joists, or similar fixed
> structural units other than wooden, metal, or composition lath, in accordance with this Rule.
> ...


​​​​


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

hydro said:


> Got a job coming up wiring a timberframe shop with emt. I'm running 1" around the top of the wall with 4 11/16 boxes to drop down to 1/2" to go to receptacles and whatnot. If I screw the emt tight to the wall or ceiling I have to do like 8" saddles to get around posts and beams. So I was thinking about suspending the emt on unistrut but then how could I mount the boxes? Any clever ideas would be great


I've seen a lot of them. I don't know anyone who wants to see conduit in a TIMBER FRAME.


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## Cow (Jan 16, 2008)

I never liked piping buildings like this. No matter what you do, it never seems to look as clean as pipe job without a million offsets or 90's to get around all the posts. I've seen offsetting around every post like you mentioned, or setting a large j-box on each post that was wide enough to overhang on each side. That'd let you 90 into the back from each side of the post. But that's kind of a pain depending on how big your building is and how many posts/j-boxes you have. You end up with a lot of pull points that burn a lot of labor to pull through.

One option I've used in the past that works really well is to mount your box on the post/truss/etc and use something like a caddy 16mb18a to support the conduit next to the box. If you're over 10' between these supports maybe you could drop some rod down to a minnie and get the middle of the run supported? 

https://www.platt.com/platt-electri.../Erico-Caddy/16MB18A/product.aspx?zpid=317956


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

Problem restated:

The timbers are hefty, gridded every which way, and too far apart to permit a straight shot across of un-strapped EMT sticks of ten-feet or less.

On the (big) assumption that the ceiling is tongue and groove, robust, Canadian lumber...

Skip the off-sets and run the EMT straight and true. Provide support via Minerallac straps. These would be secured to the T&G via common hardware and Sammy Super Screws [ Illinois Tool Works / ITW ] ( or their equivalent...)

What ever the magic dimension is, it will be the same time and time again. So you can prep a Minerallac strap and the hardware to establish just exactly the correct off set -- all this work done down on the floor to create assemblies. 

( Manufacture a mock-up of the box-timber-T&G to get it perfect. Then a selection of rod couplings, common bolts, 'stop' nuts, gets 'er done. )

Use a LaserJamb (FastCap) to lay out your T&G target line for screwing into the ceiling.

{ This is now an essential tool for fixture and lighting layouts. (surface mounted) This one job will 'pay' for the tool. You'll wonder how you ever lived ( or installed) without it. It's only been on the market for twenty-years. }

Then, you can elegantly route your EMT to and fro -- no off sets to speak of. 

For best optics, stay with compression fittings.

&&&&

Gimballed fixture drops are now available from most of the NEMA players. Most just mount to to a j-box face.

For strictly aesthetic reasons you may want to go with WP boxes. This is quite commonly done when the project is destined to be part of finished space -- and surface mounted. 

In this situation, you'd be mounting 2G WP (deep) boxes at every turn. These can be bought at a discount ( case lot pricing ) if you put your need out for bids.

{ WP boxes are priced to be sold in ones and twos, quite unlike 1900 boxes which figure to sell by the case. Distributors will cut their price whenever they can move WP by the case -- when they have to bid to win the order. }


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

I've tried to live by the motto that if I have to think about how to do any particular run for more than 5 minutes, I'd go with my first idea. Run traditionally and offset around the posts.


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## ponyboy (Nov 18, 2012)

MDShunk said:


> I've tried to live by the motto that if I have to think about how to do any particular run for more than 5 minutes, I'd go with my first idea. Run traditionally and offset around the posts.



Bingo. Sometimes reinventing the wheel just isn't the way to go. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## glen1971 (Oct 10, 2012)

Cow said:


> One option I've used in the past that works really well is to mount your box on the post/truss/etc and use something like a caddy 16mb18a to support the conduit next to the box. *If you're over 10' between these supports* maybe you could drop some rod down to a minnie and get the middle of the run supported?
> 
> https://www.platt.com/platt-electri.../Erico-Caddy/16MB18A/product.aspx?zpid=317956


Except the OP is from north of the 49th and he'll be supporting every 5'..

I'd do the offsets and stay as close you can to the beams.. It would be close for labour (guessing) compared to hanging a crap load of supports and then running straight. I'm trying to vision how a lengthy run of hanging conduit in a timber frame house wouldn't stick out like a turd in a punch bowl...


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

glen1971 said:


> Except the OP is from north of the 49th and he'll be supporting every 5'..
> 
> I'd do the offsets and stay as close you can to the beams.. It would be close for labour (guessing) compared to hanging a crap load of supports and then running straight. I'm trying to vision how a lengthy run of hanging conduit in a timber frame house wouldn't stick out like a turd in a punch bowl...


That's easy to fix.

The ceiling can be spray painted 'battleship grey.'

&&&&

In commercial spaces -- piped in exactly this manner -- the style is to spray EVERYTHING black. ( Well, mostly )

Once the lights go on, the distant ceiling is obscured by the lumens.

&&&

As posted before, Minerallac straps -- suitably extended -- if perfectly mounted on a straight line -- just so -- go in super fast -- and leave a clean, straight EMT look. Hand bending a ton of offsets in EMT -- when 'rolled' is going to shift the boxes and the light pattern up and back.

The eye will REALLY pick up light strings/ arrays that are not uniform.

Ditto for EMT offsets.

This situation, the offsets, will just soak up labor time -- like crazy.

This is not industrial space -- and so it's hard for those from that end of the street to imagine this build. 

And... just how fussy is your customer?


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## pete87 (Oct 22, 2012)

hydro said:


> Got a job coming up wiring a timberframe shop with emt. I'm running 1" around the top of the wall with 4 11/16 boxes to drop down to 1/2" to go to receptacles and whatnot. If I screw the emt tight to the wall or ceiling I have to do like 8" saddles to get around posts and beams. So I was thinking about suspending the emt on unistrut but then how could I mount the boxes? Any clever ideas would be great




I would not suspend the pipe , might be easier to just put a pull box on each beam so 8 inch offsets have a pull point and a way down .



Pete


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## hydro (Aug 21, 2009)

For those wondering this is the workshop where actually fabricate timber frame buildings. So lots of machinery and whatnot hence the conduit and not trying to hide the wiring


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

hydro said:


> For those wondering this is the workshop where actually fabricate timber frame buildings. So lots of machinery and whatnot hence the conduit and not trying to hide the wiring


Then anything goes. Roll your offsets away. :thumbup:

I'm surprised that you brought the issue up -- for such a space.


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## glen1971 (Oct 10, 2012)

hydro said:


> For those wondering this is the workshop where actually fabricate timber frame buildings. So lots of machinery and whatnot hence the conduit and not trying to hide the wiring


That little detail kinda helps in the aesthetics of the installation.. Since this is in the workshop and I'm guessing they use saws, planers and other wood pieces of wood working tools, is it included in a classified area (Article 500)?


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