×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Need to install tray for utilities.

Need to install tray for utilities.

Need to install tray for utilities.

(OP)
The utilities for a marina timber dock; 500' long; consists of water pipe and electric cable which serves the entire dock at each side. The transversal timber beam are notched to pass the utilities at both sides. I need to include an open top contineous tray to hold the pipe & cable. I think it'll be simple and light weight material.

Is there any ready product such as PVC or fiberglass that can be used for that purpose? I envision the tray to be one chamber or 2 chambers (for water pipe & electrical cable) as in the attached file

I researched some products at: http://www.championfiberglass.com/conduit_phenolic.html
but it seems all their products are circular. Can I use any and cut circle into two halfs?

Any other idea for the purpose?  Thanks

RE: Need to install tray for utilities.

How often do you tap off the lines? Sleeve the lines for the runs between taps. Build a box by putting in a floor under the 2x12's where you need to tap for services.

Richard A. Cornelius, P.E.
WWW.amlinereast.com

RE: Need to install tray for utilities.

Cutting conduit in half lengthwise is not fun, and it grossly weakens the conduit.

Okay, you need an open top so you can tap off anywhere, even dynamically.  But won't a closed bottom catch and hold water?

I don't know what specs you have to meet, so this may not be appropriate, but the first thing that came to my mind is ladder tray.  

This is but one variation:
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/ALLIED-Ladder-Tray-2HCL2

 

Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

RE: Need to install tray for utilities.

(OP)
Thanks all for the informative feedback,

Cable tray or ladder tray may provide what I need to hold the utilities. Both come in 6" wide which I need for the size. I'm concerned about the 3" water pipe which may be heavier in weight than typical cables besides the tray may be unsupported for 4'. The ladder tray seems to be stiffer for that purpose (?). Any idea about the performance for both in marine environment?

I found the following website includes both cable & ladder tray and other options at http://www.chalfantcabletray.com/docs/frmMain.asp

I am assuming there may not be similar option to the above in fiberglass(?). I also thought of aluminum channel; the thinnest for 6" wide.

Any rough idea on which may be the most cost effective option overall?
    

RE: Need to install tray for utilities.

Am I reading this correctly?  You are going to notch the top of the joists to support these trays?  Aren't you concerned about compromising the strength and durability of the structure?  Why not hang the services underneath?

RE: Need to install tray for utilities.

Fiberglass ladder tray is available.
Could not 3" water pipe support itself, between the hangers needed for the cable tray, which could be combined with those needed for the pipe?

Again, I don't know what codes and/or specifications you need to meet for the installation; they should guide your way.


 

Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources