Cable channels for electrical wiring: types, types, sizes, application

If for some reason it is not possible to make hidden electrical wiring or you need to regularly inspect the wires, then mounting brackets, terminals, boxes, clamps and other similar devices are used as fasteners. But their common drawback is that the wires remain open, and this is far from always permissible. To hide the wiring, electrical cable channels are used, the types and sizes of which we will consider in this article.

Plastic cable channels, their varieties and sizes

Most often, plastic types of cable channels are used for laying information cables in offices and, if necessary, make open or temporary wiring - in this case, they also lay power cables and wires for lighting lines.

Shape, materials and sizes

Initially, these were white or gray profiles, of rectangular cross section in the form of the letter “P” (single-section) or “Sh” (for two or more sections). Then began to produce cable channels of various shapes and colors, designed for laying cables for various purposes. Triangular cable channels or in the form of a hemisphere have appeared - it has become more convenient to use them for wires for various purposes depending on the purpose of the room, the materials used in its decoration and the need for free access to cables hidden inside.

Non-combustible PVC or polyethylene is used for the production of cable channels. The length of one section is usually 2 meters, but manufacturers can use other standards, so if necessary, you can find cable channels longer. The width and height in the section is from 10 to 60 mm, but there can be exceptions.

The most popular are U-shaped cable channels. U-shaped cable channels can be made with solid or perforated walls. As their advantages can be noted less weight and lower price.

The dimensions of the cable channels of the U-shaped type and their useful section:

Profile	The size (width × height), mm	Useful section mm2	Thickness walls, mm
	12x12	130	1
	15x10	135	1
	16x16	230	1
	20x10	180	1
	25x16	360	1,1
	25x25	563	1,1
	40x16	576	1,3
	40x25	900	1,3
	40x40	1440	1,3
	60x40	2160	1,7
	60x60	3240	1,7
	80x40	2880	1,7
	80x60	4320	1,7
	100x40	3600	2
	100x60	5400	2

* Useful cross-section of cable channels of some manufacturers may be disregarded in the table.

Surface Mount Method

Depending on the material of the surface on which it is necessary to fix the cable channel, collapsible and non-collapsible fasteners are used. The first include a dowel-nails (6CH40), metal staples or self-tapping screws - for them holes have been cut in some cable channels from the factory. Fixed mounts are used on plasters and similar materials - cable channels are simply glued to them (although the weight of the box with wires should be taken into account here).

Additional items

In order not to have to manually cut the trunk for turns or forks of the highway, manufacturers produce additional elements - turning angles, tees, plugs, etc. for each type of cable channels. They allow you to create a wiring of any complexity without compromising the interior and loss of installation time.

Separate fasteners for sockets and switches are also provided - these elements of the electric circuit are mounted in special elements that are fixed directly in the cable channel.

Floor and skirting cable channels

Floor and skirting cable channels are a separate category.

Floor cable channels.

All floor and baseboard cable channels also have their own additional elements simplifying the laying of highways.

Skirting cable channels inside are hollow and can accommodate a lot of wires. This is a great option for laying antenna or computer cables.

Metal boxes - types and sizes

Since metal trays and boxes are designed for heavy loads, the need for their use in domestic conditions is quite rare. The types and sizes of metal cable channels are mainly suitable for external and internal cabling in industrial premises where there are highways consisting of a large number of wires. So that the material of the boxes does not rust, galvanized steel is used in their production. Like plastic ones, the section of metal cable channels is U-shaped - with or without a cover.

Depending on the conditions of use, perforated, smooth and ladder trays are made. The former are easier to mount and fasten cables inside them, while the latter are heavier and are mounted on special supports.

Cable Tray Dimensions:

Dimensions (width × height × length), mm	Metal thickness mm	Useful cross-sectional area, cm2
50×50×2500	0,55	24,22
100×50×2500	0,55	48,44
200×50×2500	0,7	98,44
300×50×2500	0,7	147,44
400×50×2500	1,0	198,44

Due to the high weight, gluing of metal boxes is not practiced - they are attached to the surface with anchors, dowels or “sit” on a bolted connection. For the installation of smooth trays, shelves or brackets previously fixed on the surface are used.

Most often, metal boxes are used to form electric highways in raised floors or on suspended ceilings. For their installation, additional blocks are used - rotary, lifting (for transferring wires between planes), branching, etc.

Corrugated plastic pipe

If cable ducts, plastic or metal, are more suitable for smooth surfaces, then in the case of frequent transitions between planes or turns, their installation will be extremely difficult due to the need to use a large number of additional components. In such conditions, flexible pipes that bend at any angle and fasten along the entire length to standard clips are more suitable material.

Externally corrugated plastic pipe looks like an elastic channel of circular cross section.It is used for laying any cables and wires, providing them with additional protection against moisture and mechanical damage. It is mainly used in the installation of electrical circuits with a complex path of wiring - raised floors, suspended ceilings, wiring behind plasterboard walls.

Sizes and accessories

For the production of corrugated plastic pipes, PVC is used. Most often, products with an internal diameter of 16 to 32 mm are used, but when choosing, you must additionally pay attention to the purpose of the corrugation - it can be light or heavy.

The first are standard products that are used for the installation of electric circuit lines inside buildings. Heavy corrugations provide more solid protection and can be used outdoors, and in some cases under water.

Since it is not always possible to push a wire through a pipe in long highways without auxiliary parts, additionally corrugations can be equipped with probes from a single-core metal “steel”, however, usually installers have their own.

Dimensions of corrugated pipe for cable:

Headline	Outer diameter mm	Inside diameter, mm
Corrugated PVC pipe without probe	16	10,7
	20	14,1
	25	18,3
	32	24,3
	40	31,2
	50	39,6
	63	5,6
Corrugated PVC pipe with probe	16	10,7
	20	14,1
	25	18,3
	32	24,3
	40	31,2
	50	39,6
	63	50,6

Corrugated metal pipes

A distinctive feature of metal hoses from plastic pipes is in the manufacturing method. If the latter are completely solid and sealed, then the metal ones are twisted from galvanized steel tape, which determines the advantages and disadvantages of use.

Sizes of metal hoses for cable:

Outer diameter mm	Inner diameter mm
11,6	7,8
13,9	9,1
15,9	10,9
18,9	14,9
21,9	16,9
24	18,7
26	20,7
30,8	23,7
38	30,4
44	36,4
58,7	46,5

All other parameters are similar to PVC pipes.

Smooth rigid pipes for electrical wiring

Smooth rigid pipes are used for maximum protection of the wiring and ease of maintenance. If you wipe the wires in a rigid pipe in the wall, you get all the advantages of hidden wiring, but if you need repair, you don’t have to wall the walls - the cables are simply pulled out for repair or replacement.

Dimensions of rigid pipes for cable:

Outer diameter mm	Inner diameter mm
16	13,6
20	17,0
25	22,0
32	28,4
40	36,2
50	46,4
63	56,5

These are all the most common types and types of cable channels for electrical wiring in domestic and industrial conditions. Which of them to use must be decided in each case separately - depending on the specific conditions.