Fiberglass Conduit Versus PVC Conduit: How Do They Compare?



 

PVC Electrical Conduit may no longer be in your budget. You can’t delay the project you’re working on any longer and you need an alternative to PVC Conduit because it’s another 5 months until it will arrive. Fiberglass Electrical Conduit is the solution you’re looking for. In some cases Fiberglass Conduit is a much lower price than PVC Conduit, if cost of materials isn’t lower, installation costs will be lower due to fewer labor hours needed to install fiberglass conduit. Let’s take a closer look at how Fiberglass Conduit matches up when compared to PVC Conduit.

Q: My industry doesn’t typically use Fiberglass Conduit, is it an option in my industry?

A: In some cases Fiberglass Conduit is a stronger, more durable solution compared to PVC Conduit. It a lot of commercial and industrial cases it’s the material of choice, but often overlooked due to price. Many bridges, tunnels, data centers, utilities and more currently use fiberglass as the conduit channel. It is corrosion resistant to many chemicals so it’s a top choice for many chemical plants, port authorities, coastal environments, and wastewater treatment facilities.

 

Q: What is the lead time on fiberglass conduit?

A: Order lead times are short. Elbows and other fittings may be able to ship in less than a few days. Projects are shipping about 4-5 weeks after the order is placed. Contact us if you need a shorter lead time, some special cases may be able to move more quickly.

 

Q: Which material has the better installation rates, Fiberglass or PVC Conduit?

A: Fiberglass conduit installs faster, in one-third the time as PVC. According to the NECA Manual Labor Rates to install 100-foot length of 6” diameter conduit it would take 9 hours for fiberglass conduit. For PVC SCH 40 it would take 24 hours.

 

Q: How much does Fiberglass Conduit weigh?

A: Fiberglass conduit weighs significantly less than the SCH 40 PVC Conduit. The lighter weight of fiberglass conduit does not add much weight to supporting structures compared to heavier conduit systems. One hundred feet of 4” SW Fiberglass (RTRC) conduit weighs only 72 pounds. Whereas SCH 40 PVC Conduit would compare at 231 pounds.

 

Q: Does Fiberglass Conduit integrate with other conduits?

A: Fiberglass elbows are often provided with PVC Couplings to transition to underground PVC conduits. PVC or fiberglass male/female adapters are used to transition to GRC and PVC-coated rigid steel conduit. It is recommended only using fiberglass coupling for fiberglass-to-fiberglass connections.

 

Q: Does Fiberglass conduit pull longer than PVC Conduit?

A: Yes, with a lower cable coefficient of friction (.38 for fiberglass and .90 for PVC) fiberglass conduit can be pulled longer. This also means fewer pull boxes are required for long runs providing an additional savings on material.

 

Q: PVC has a burn through issue, is it the same with Fiberglass conduit?

A: Champion Fiberglass elbows do not burn-through (fewer conduit repairs). The conduit is durable and strong with increased longevity over PVC.

 

Q: How is Fiberglass conduit affected by cable fault?

A: Fiberglass conduit will not melt or weld the affected cable to the inside of the conduit during fault conditions. PVC, Steel, and aluminum conduit is susceptible to melting or welding affected cables during fault conditions.

 

Q: How does fiberglass conduit perform in high-heat situations?

A: Flame resistant Champion Fiberglass conduit can withstand a temperature range of -60 degrees F to +250 degrees F. PVC SCH 40 and PVC SCH 80 can only withstand a temperature range of +40 degrees F to +150 degrees F.

 

Q: How does fiberglass compare to lower temperatures?

A: Fiberglass does not get weak or brittle in freezing temperatures. In fact, gets slightly stronger in cold temperatures.

 

Q: How does Champion Fiberglass conduit compare to PVC Conduit in price?

A: When compared to PVC, Champion Fiberglass conduit is competitively priced in sizes 2” and greater.

 

As you can see Fiberglass conduit is a superior product in many ways. If you have any additional questions that you would like answers to, please contact us and we’ll get an answer for you. If you’re interested in getting a quote, click here to tell us more about your project so we can get you an accurate quote today!

 

 

*source: https://championfiberglass.com/fiberglass-vs-pvc-conduit/