There are many reasons engineers, contractors and construction managers are choosing aluminum conduit pipe over steel conduit. Switching from steel to aluminum can reward you with superior quality and performance, as well as thousands of dollars of savings on a typical job.

Aluminum Conduit Pipe

American Conduit is a product brand of Hydro, the world’s leading integrated aluminum company with activities in about 40 countries. We offer 35-plus years of experience in the production of rigid aluminum conduit and aluminum electrical metallic tubing, with multiple stocking warehouses throughout the nation and coast to coast distribution.

Electrical conduit is a path for either power or communication (low voltage) electrical wiring. It is usually tubular and made of metal (galvanized steel, aluminum, stainless steel) or non-metallic materials (plastics) and is either rigid or flexible. Conduit materials are typically chosen for their mechanical protection, corrosion resistance, and overall installation cost.

American Conduit manufactures Aluminum Electrical Metallic Tubing (EMT) in diameters from ½-inch to 4-inches in a wide range of lengths. Rigid Aluminum Metal Conduit (RMC) is available in diameters from ½-inch to 6-inches in a wide range of lengths.

For your joining needs, combine conduit, couplings, and elbows to create the perfect system for your installation. We have rigid aluminum conduit couplings and rigid aluminum conduit elbows available in a range of sizes to match your aluminum conduit order.

FAQs About Aluminum Conduit

Here are some of the questions our customers frequently ask about aluminum conduit compared to steel:

  1. Does rigid aluminum conduit meet the same code requirements as rigid steel conduit? American Conduit’s rigid aluminum conduit meets Federal Spec WW-C-540C, UL-6A, ANSI C80.5, and Canada’s CSA C 22.2 No. 45.
  2. Can galvanized fittings be used with rigid aluminum conduit? NEC 344.10(A) permits the use of either aluminum or galvanized fittings.
  3. Is it more difficult to cut and thread aluminum compared to steel? Use your standard cutting tools and dies, and you will get fast, easy cuts and threads.
  4. Any differences in terms of bending aluminum conduit? Use your standard equipment, but it will be much easier. You can even use an EMT bender on sizes under one inch.
  5. Is it more difficult to pull cables through aluminum conduit? Independent tests show that aluminum and steel are comparable. Get in touch with us if you would like further details.
  6. Why is rigid aluminum conduit less expensive than steel? The two main factors are the combination of extrusion technology and the weight of the material. Aluminum extrusion is much more productive than its steel counterpart. Since aluminum weighs one-third as much as steel, you can cover three times the distance with the same amount of weight. One pound of aluminum = three pounds of steel.
  7. Are there any applications where you should not use aluminum conduit? If your project calls for burying it in concrete or soil, we recommend using PVC-coated rigid aluminum conduit. Also, certain chlorine-based chemicals may reduce the life of either steel or aluminum conduit. In these applications, we recommend using PVC-coated rigid aluminum conduit.

To learn more about how switching to aluminum conduit pipe can reduce your installation costs, enhance performance and improve safety on your project, get in touch with American Conduit at 1.800.334.6825.