During electrical installation and wiring, conduit bending is inevitable. For example, in corners, obstacles, or fit into confined spaces, straight pipes cannot meet wiring requirements and must be appropriately bent.
So, can you bend conduit yourself and if so, how to bend conduits? Professional bending tools make the process easier, but not everyone has access to them. Fortunately, conduits can still be shaped effectively using common household items.
This article will help you explore bending conduit tips, even if you don’t have any expertise and professional equipment.
4 Practical Conduit Bending Methods
Here are four simple techniques for bending pipe without a bender:
1. Heat with a Heat Gun or Hair Dryer
A heat gun or a high-wattage hair dryer provides direct and controlled heating to the pipes without causing large distortions. But how to bend conduits safely using this method? Here are steps:
- While bending conduit pipes with the heat gun, make sure that you keep the heat gun a few inches away from the pipe surface to prevent overheating, while a hair dryer may require a longer heating time.
- Once the pipe becomes flexible, bend it slowly over a rounded object or a prepared form to maintain the desired shape.
- Waiting for cooling and fixation.
2. Use Boiling Water
Boiling water provides a simple and accessible way to soften conduits for bending. It is particularly useful for thinner pipes or situations where a more gradual curve is needed. But you may ask how to bend electrical pipes using boiling water. Here are steps:
- Heat a pot of water until it reaches a rolling boil, then submerge the section of the pipe that needs to be bent. Keep it in the water for several minutes until the material becomes pliable.
- Remove the pipe carefully using tongs or gloves, then bend it into shape while it is still warm. Holding the pipe in position until it cools ensures that the curve sets properly.
3. Use Fixed Point To Bend
For small conduit size, you can place it in a wall corner, table edge, or other stable object and bend both ends forcefully to achieve the desired curvature. Here are steps:
- Two people pull on both ends of the conduit and slowly apply force to bend along the edge of the sturdy object.
- Adjust the bending angle to ensure smoothness and no twisting or deformation.
4. Heat Short Pipes in an Oven
For short conduits, an oven can be an effective alternative. The controlled temperature allows for even softening and reduces the likelihood of overheating or weak spots. Here are steps:
- Set the oven to a low temperature, typically between 250°F and 300°F (120°C to 150°C), and place the pipe inside on a tray.
- Heat it for a few minutes and check it frequently for flexibility. Once softened, remove the pipe carefully and shape it with a bending jig.
- Allow the pipe to cool in position to retain its new form.
Precautions for Bending Conduits
Although bending conduit pipes by yourself brings convenience, there are also some precautions to be taken to avoid injury during the bending process and ensure the quality of the bending. Here are precautions on how to bend conduits:
1. Safety First
Knowing how to bend conduits safely is important, as it will save you from much trouble. Working with heat requires caution to prevent burns, accidental fires, or inhalation of harmful fumes that emerge from the hot plastics.
Always wear heat-resistant gloves when handling hot pipes, and work in a well-ventilated area, especially when using heat guns, ovens, or other direct heating methods. If working indoors, ensure there are no flammable materials nearby. When using boiling water, handle them carefully to avoid spills that could cause burns.
2. Control the Heating Temperature and Time
Excessive heat can weaken or even damage conduits, while insufficient heat may lead to cracks when bending electrical pipes. Applying heat gradually and evenly is essential to achieving a smooth curve.
If using a heat gun, move it continuously over the surface rather than focusing on a single spot. When using an oven, set the temperature at a controlled level to avoid overheating. For the boiling water method, allow enough time for the pipe to become fully flexible before bending.
3. Maintain Bending Stability
A poorly supported pipe can develop kinks or an uneven curve, making it difficult to install properly. Using a bending form, jig, or a rounded object as a guide can help maintain a consistent shape. Remember to hold the pipe in position until it fully cools will help it retain its intended shape without springing back.
4. Check the Quality of Conduits After Bending
While knowing how to bend conduits is important, what’s more important is to do it with perfection. That is why you need to check the quality of the bend after the work to ensure that it has properly bent.
For this purpose, inspect it carefully for any signs of stress, thinning, or cracks. A properly bent curved conduit should maintain uniform thickness without weak points that could lead to leaks or failure. Applying slight pressure can help test its durability.
Order Flexible and High-quality Conduits
After mastering the conduit bends method and precautions of the conduit, it is also crucial to choose high-quality conduits, as they can not only improve the success rate of bending processing but also ensure safety and durability in subsequent use.
LESSO offers a wide range of high-quality conduits designed for residential and industrial buildings. Our product lineup includes PVC-C underground power cable ducts, PVC solid wall ducts, PE single-wall spiral ducts, PE multi-hole ducts, etc, available in various sizes to suit different installation needs.
Our products are well-known for excellent insulation performance, ring stiffness, flexibility, corrosion resistance, and ensure long-term reliability. With a dedicated R&D institute and CNAS-accredited laboratories, we keep on innovating to enhance product performance.
Wrapping-Up
Bending electrical conduits without professional tools is entirely possible with the right approach. But make sure to follow the safety measures that will safeguard you as well as the conduits. Do not forget to choose high-quality and long-lasting pipes, such as those manufactured by LESSO, that provide durability, flexibility, and secure connections for various applications. Contact us now to determine the specifications and quantity you need!
