Conduit and hat channels...

[Brewerbob]

So, a search for "conduit" didn't turn up anything looks promising.



Question: For those of you that used conduit and spray foam, how did you get past your hat channels? I went back and looked at the deconstruction pictures and it looks like the wire loom was just sandwiched between the hats and the ceiling sheet metal. I don't want to do that.


I did a roof raise and there's a gap between the old hat and the new hat in the extensions. I could run wires there but I would like to do it in conduit. The problem there being that I would be a flexible wall conduit. Romex could stack flat and vertical thru those gaps (maybe). Guess I need to google the specs on #12 Romex. With the square tubing there's only a small amount of space. I don't want to go drilling holes thru all of the hat channels like normal 2x4 stick built houses. There's not near enough material for that plus that's way too much work even if it was possible.


Anyone with ideas. And better yet, pics of what they did?

[weboughtabus]

I think the majority of people just end up building a chase for the wiring outside of the hat channels. My bus did have some ~1" holes that were used to run wires, but a conduit that size would really only be able to carry DC runs.

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by weboughtabus

I think the majority of people just end up building a chase for the wiring outside of the hat channels. My bus did have some ~1" holes that were used to run wires, but a conduit that size would really only be able to carry DC runs.

My hats are only 1.8" deep. A 1" hole and you could damn near bend it by hand.

So, what direction does the prevailing wind of chases blow; chase at the ceiling, the floor, or a combo of both? Yeah, I know it's personal choice but just wondering. I'd imagine ceiling.

[weboughtabus]

Originally Posted by Brewerbob

My hats are only 1.8" deep. A 1" hole and you could damn near bend it by hand.


So, what direction does the prevailing wind of chases blow; chase at the ceiling, the floor, or a combo of both? Yeah, I know it's personal choice but just wondering. I'd imagine ceiling.

Personally, I'm planning one up high, but a lot of people use the cavity between the chair rail and the floor as a lower chase.

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by weboughtabus

Personally, I'm planning one up high, but a lot of people use the cavity between the chair rail and the floor as a lower chase.

Um, there is no (horizontal) gap. That's great if you are making vertical wire runs but the chair rail is riveted to the hat channels at the floor. You could make a cavity/chase outside the skin of the chair rail but there's no pre-made gap.


I'm leaning towards the top too. Cabinets will hide some of it but for the parts that aren't, I'm thinking the easiest (and probably least attractive) is exposed. Paint it to match whatever the wall/ceiling color is, conduit from cabinet to cabinet where they exist and then run a piece of molding cover exposed wires that would end up looking like wainscoting every 4 feet or however often a wire would drop for an outlet.


Maybe run a router thru the spray foam and put the wire behind whatever the wall covering is then cover it up with the wall. Leave the conduit exposed for future wire runs. This would allow me to spray foam now and worry about wiring later. Where do the outlets go; do I want it on the right side or left side of that hat channel? That would be decided well into the build if I route it out for the box and wire.