# PVC or Wire Mold



## A Little Short (Nov 11, 2010)

I've got a customer that wants to add 2 outdoor wall lights on either side of his garage. His garage is finished with sheet rock. He has a light on the side of the house that he doesn't need/want. The plan is to come into the garage with the wires from the unwanted light, then up to the ceiling and around and down to both sides of the garage door. 
Question is, what to use for conduit/covering in the garage? He said he didn't mind conduit, I'm just trying to decide what would look better on the sheet rock, conduit or wire mold. I really probably just need to do the easiest for me. 
Thoughts on this?


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

Little-Lectric said:


> I've got a customer that wants to add 2 outdoor wall lights on either side of his garage. His garage is finished with sheet rock. He has a light on the side of the house that he doesn't need/want. The plan is to come into the garage with the wires from the unwanted light, then up to the ceiling and around and down to both sides of the garage door.
> Question is, what to use for conduit/covering in the garage? He said he didn't mind conduit, I'm just trying to decide what would look better on the sheet rock, conduit or wire mold. I really probably just need to do the easiest for me.
> Thoughts on this?


 
Nice garage= wiremold
Normal garage= emt


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## jw0445 (Oct 9, 2009)

If I wasn't going into the attic to fish wire (if there is one) I would use 1/2" emt. It's alot cheaper than wiremold and pvc will sag unless you fasten it alot which wouldn't look as clean IMHO.


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## A Little Short (Nov 11, 2010)

mcclary's electrical said:


> Nice garage= wiremold
> Normal garage= emt


I guess his is somewhere between nice and normal. He does have emt from garage door opener, and uncovered wires from the manual door opener switch run across the ceiling.


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## A Little Short (Nov 11, 2010)

jw0445 said:


> If I wasn't going into the attic to fish wire (if there is one) I would use 1/2" emt. It's alot cheaper than wiremold and pvc will sag unless you fasten it alot which wouldn't look as clean IMHO.


I was trying to get out of bending conduit, but probably would look better.


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

Little-Lectric said:


> I was trying to get out of bending conduit, .


Why? I could run conduit quicker than wiremold.


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## A Little Short (Nov 11, 2010)

mcclary's electrical said:


> Why? I could run conduit quicker than wiremold.


I don't mind the 90's for the conduit, but he has some off-sets above the garage door. Just have to use my brain and arms a little more.


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

EMT dude.



Little-Lectric said:


> I don't mind the 90's for the conduit, but he has some off-sets above the garage door. Just have to use my brain and arms a little more.




Cosecant of the bend angle multiplied by the height of the offset. Practice before you go. PVC will be craptacular in that installation.


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## big vic (Jan 23, 2012)

Painted EMT


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## niteshift (Nov 21, 2007)

If it's a garage,when adding/extending circuits i always recommend emt. It's a garage, too many things happen in a garage, even if it's all storage.
PVC even schedule 80, not good in a garage. at least emt will take alot more abuse.

Wiremold never impressed me. jmo.


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## nitro71 (Sep 17, 2009)

This is a good time to learn about bending EMT. There's a book online on how to bend conduit. You could pre-bend some of the offsets and cut them to length just so the customer doesn't see you struggling with it. I would come into a four square metal box on the opposite side of your light then run EMT around the garage. Junction near the first light with another box. Run EMT to both light locations. Use LBs and come in the back of a metal pan box. That's how I'd probably do it.


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## A Little Short (Nov 11, 2010)

nitro71 said:


> This is a good time to learn about bending EMT. There's a book online on how to bend conduit. You could pre-bend some of the offsets and cut them to length just so the customer doesn't see you struggling with it. I would come into a four square metal box on the opposite side of your light then run EMT around the garage. Junction near the first light with another box. Run EMT to both light locations. Use LBs and come in the back of a metal pan box. That's how I'd probably do it.


I can bend enough to get by. I used to have a co-worker that loved to bend it and I gladly let him. I wished I had taken a little more interest in it.
I had planned on coming through the wall where the unwanted light is, then up to the ceiling, around the corner to the 1st light location. Set a box there and drop down to where the light will be. Then from where the junction box is over the door then down again for the 2nd light.
I hate mounting anything to sheet rock, you either have to find a stud or use anchors. But I guess that's better than trying to fish an outside wall or making holes to be patched.


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## nitro71 (Sep 17, 2009)

Little-Lectric said:


> I can bend enough to get by. I used to have a co-worker that loved to bend it and I gladly let him. I wished I had taken a little more interest in it.
> I had planned on coming through the wall where the unwanted light is, then up to the ceiling, around the corner to the 1st light location. Set a box there and drop down to where the light will be. Then from where the junction box is over the door then down again for the 2nd light.
> I hate mounting anything to sheet rock, you either have to find a stud or use anchors. But I guess that's better than trying to fish an outside wall or making holes to be patched.


If it's a modern garage it might be hard to fish down on either side of the garage doors. Been a while but it seems like there is a lot of wood there.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

Don't overthink this. It's a garage, for Pete's sake. The owner already gave you the green light on conduit. In the time you've spent twisting yourself up thinking about this, you could have already had EMT bent and on your merry way.


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## A Little Short (Nov 11, 2010)

MDShunk said:


> Don't overthink this. It's a garage, for Pete's sake. The owner already gave you the green light on conduit. In the time you've spent twisting yourself up thinking about this, you could have already had EMT bent and on your merry way.


I like to over-think things. That way when you do the job and it's not as hard as you think, you get a pleasant surprise.:thumbup:

This is for a college professor (from India) and he probably will be standing over me calculating my every move. I just want to get it right and make it look good. We've already had a small battle over the price.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

Little-Lectric said:


> I like to over-think things. That way when you do the job and it's not as hard as you think, you get a pleasant surprise.:thumbup:
> 
> This is for a college professor (from India) and he probably will be standing over me calculating my every move. I just want to get it right and make it look good. We've already had a small battle over the price.


If he's from India, the battle over the price is a cultural thing. Don't take it personal. I honestly think that they feel compelled to haggle a bit. On the plus side, if he's from India, anything you do will look great. :thumbsup:


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## niteshift (Nov 21, 2007)

Little-Lectric said:


> I can bend enough to get by. I used to have a co-worker that loved to bend it and I gladly let him. I wished I had taken a little more interest in it.
> I had planned on coming through the wall where the unwanted light is, then up to the ceiling, around the corner to the 1st light location. Set a box there and drop down to where the light will be. Then from where the junction box is over the door then down again for the 2nd light.
> I hate mounting anything to sheet rock, you either have to find a stud or use anchors. But I guess that's better than trying to fish an outside wall or making holes to be patched.


just have a plan on your routing. no unseen surprises to pipe around.
use boxes where you have to. use bends when they help you. theres a learning curve, like other methods, just need lots of practice.

far as securing it to studs that should be easy enough with s/r walls. not like you gotta strap at every piece of framing you run across.

you can do it.

i 'm defiantly not an expert at pipe bending. some of the people on here can do some awesome pipe bending.:thumbup:


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## nitro71 (Sep 17, 2009)

First thing you do is take your GB benders, remove the handles and toss the shoe in the trash. Then you go and buy new Ideal benders. Amazing how a good bender makes it much easier.


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## A Little Short (Nov 11, 2010)

nitro71 said:


> First thing you do is take your GB benders, remove the handles and toss the shoe in the trash. Then you go and buy new Ideal benders. Amazing how a good bender makes it much easier.


Just bought a new Ideal bender a few months ago.


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## woodchuck2 (Sep 18, 2009)

I myself prefer to keep the job as clean as possible so if you have access to the attic why not fish the wires and keep a clean look?


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