Panel Build - Component reccomendations

What size wire ducts is everyone using for, lets say a 42"x30" enclosure with a 40ish Local I/O ..

I'm not happy with the past few sizes I used. Just curious what sizes everyone is using.. I'm half tempted to order a variety of different sizes to find something I'm happy with.

Snap25 said:

I'm half tempted to order a varied of different sizes to find something I'm happy with.

Click to expand...

That's what I do,
Stock lots of sizes and just use what works best for that particular application.

Of course this could have something to do with the fact that, I am not able to run down the local supplier and pick something up, if I don't have it.
Parts are usually 21 to 30 day turn around for me, from the time I order it, till the time I receive it.

BCS

Really just depends on the panel and how many wires have to go through the duct, I'd do as BCS suggested. Most of our control panels are pretty simple / low wire count, so I've been using 1"Wx2"H and 1"Wx3"H lately. We used to use 2"Wx3"H and it was just ridiculously big for the amount of wire going through.

I keep 1" x 3" and 2" x 3" on hand. I did at first use some shorter (2" tall) wire ducts but found little advantage and on one project had one a little more full than I anticipated. We build mostly small panels and not a lot of them, so have not invested in high end software tools to calculate sizes properly. We often have a lot of analog I/O which can pack the ducts full pretty quickly. I probably only use the 2 x 3 about 10% of the time.

I love panel building

IME, it has as much to do with the amount of wires as it does with the layout, a balance of what's adequate and what looks right.

Our vendor will bring over various sizes for a job, I pay for what I keep and return the rest. I prefer white over gray. For a tall narrow panel, It depends on if your terminal block are along the bottom or along the side. If you go bottom short and wide, If it's along the side, tall and narrow.

Good luck, and above all have fun.

Something to consider..... Most of your panels are going to be between 6 and 12 inches in depth. When it comes to laying out panels, the 3rd dimension of depth is often not thought about. It is the height and width that generally dictates layout and sizes, but the depth can be used to make your panels smaller by always using a deep wire duct, such as 4" deep. You can generally get a wide range of wire duct widths in a depth of 4 inches.

For example, if you use a 2" wide x 4" deep, your panels can be smaller than if you use 4" width x 2" deep. It also helps in reducing the various sizes of duct you need to keep on hand.

So my advice is to always use 4" deep and keep on hand everything from 1" wide to 4" wide.

Also Iboco makes a useful clip that attaches inside the duct to hold the wires in while building a panel, which is useful and saves frustration if you have a lot of wires:

https://www.automationdirect.com/ad...-z-_T1E_-z-_TSH_Wire_Duct_Accessories/CL-4040

Snap25 said:

What size wire ducts is everyone using for, lets say a 42"x30" enclosure with a 40ish Local I/O ..

I'm not happy with the past few sizes I used. Just curious what sizes everyone is using.. I'm half tempted to order a variety of different sizes to find something I'm happy with.

Click to expand...

Panduit offers a wire fill capacity chart, but I've always gone one size larger than their recommendation, since the chart makes no assumptions for the clutter that can occur from wires crossing one another from different directions.

https://www.cableorganizer.com/images/panduit/wire-duct_fill-capacity-chart.pdf

I agree with Archie in that one should take advantage of wire duct depth. When using deep wire duct, I always employ raised DIN rail and/or terminal rail to facilitate easier wire termination.

Archie said:

Also Iboco makes a useful clip that attaches inside the duct to hold the wires in while building a panel, which is useful and saves frustration if you have a lot of wires:

https://www.automationdirect.com/ad...-z-_T1E_-z-_TSH_Wire_Duct_Accessories/CL-4040

Click to expand...

Could have used that one the last build, 6X6 panel, between high voltage, low voltage and all the i/o, close to 2500 feet. Those little jewels would have made it alot easier.

Thanks for the tip Archie

John Morris said:

Could have used that one the last build, 6X6 panel, between high voltage, low voltage and all the i/o, close to 2500 feet. Those little jewels would have made it alot easier.

Thanks for the tip Archie

Click to expand...

Short lengths of nylon tubing (1/4") snapped between the fingers works well too, and you can slide them out when the covers are on.

I never would have thought of that.

Thank you Okie

I rarely build a panel under 2000 x 800 x 400 these days. Have been doing it for a year or two (first panel in 1961) and just eye it. For doors I use 40W x 60H and 25W x 60H. In the main panel all ducts are 80H and minimum size is 40W with 60, 80, 100 and 125W as required. I have a lot of power cabling as well as a heap of control - they are all motor control cubicles except for generators where there are some very large items utilised (generator controllers, voltage regulators and the like). I only use Legrand duct as they have an inexpensive quick cutting tool to cut out wall segments and then you just snap the base of the duct - quick and clean. Small slots as well - hate big slots. A piece of cable is inserted through small holes in the duct to retain cables and removed later.