dpb wrote:
On 05/26/2016 1:37 PM, Cydrome Leader wrote:
wrote:
On 05/26/2016 11:05 AM, Cydrome Leader wrote:
...

The next question is has the wall thickness of EMT dropped over the years
to save fractions of a cent? I don't have any decades old scraps to
compare to stuff made recently.

AFAIK the spec's haven't changed; I think the current large-market
retailers are carrying Chinese or Indian or similar import stuff that
looks to me to be softer/sorrier steel even though wall thickness seems
the same as the old stuff here, some of which probably dates from the
late 40s, I know much is late 50/early '60 vintage and it is stiffer it
seems.

I've not seen any import junk here in Chicago yet. We have one of the
largest conduit makers (Wheatland) in the city and another just ouside it
(Allied). It's all even the big box places carry, and they love the
cheapest junk.
...

Just checked at Allied site; the spec's are the same as those from an
old (60s college-days) handbook--0.042" wall thickness for 1/2" EMT.

Thanks for looking this up.

I hadn't really paid any attention; just thought it likely the local
Mead Lumber/DoItBest chain would be import; turns out it's actually
Allied. I _still_ think despite the spec's it isn't as hard and
certainly the exterior finish isn't as clean/uniform as the old, old stuff.

The new stuff has the shiny spangled zinc coating, older stuff seem to
have a thicker, dull grey coating. Neither flake off, but the grey looking
stuff looks like it's galvanealed. I don't see any conduit with the inch
markings on it anymore either, but it may exist somewhere or be an options
you can pay for.

I'd say they've "cheapened-up" the manufacturing still keeping to at
least the minimum of the pertinent UL and ANSI Standards.

That's quite possible. I'm sort of surprised they still make this stuff
here and not in mexico. Maybe the plant costs too much to move, and I know
the union is involved. The Wheatland plants are pretty large.