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Conduit Duct Sizes

CONDUIT AND DUCT SIZES

In general it is recommended that conduit sizes be governed by the National
Electrical Code. Unless strict adherence to NEC is specified, larger conduit sizes may be
governed by the determination of 1/2 " clearance between the conduit inside diameter and
the circumscribing diameter of the installed cable(s).
Formulas for computing the minimum conduit inside diameter based on the above rules are
shown below.
POWER CABLE CONDUIT AND DUCT SELECTION
Number of Cables
Per Conduit

One

Two

National Electrical Code

Max Percent
Occupancy

Calculation
Formulas

Non-leaded
53%

D = 1.374 x d

Lead Covered
55%

D = 1.348 x d

Non-leaded
31%

D = 2.540 x d

Lead Covered
30%

D = 2.582 x d

Standard Utility
Calculation Method
2" and Larger Conduits

D = 0.500 + d

D = 0.500 + (2 x d)

Three

All Types
40%

D = 2.739 x d

D = 0.500 + (2.155 x d)

Four or More

Non-Leaded
40%

D = 1.581 x N x d

D = 0.500 + (F x d)

D = Minimum conduit I.D. (inches). Select nearest trade size conduit that is larger than the computed figure for
D.
d = Individual cable O.D.
N = Number of individual cables in same conduit.
F = Multiplying factor for computing circumscribing diameter over multiple conductor cables.

2.000

2.155

2.414

2.700

6 or 7

3.000

CAUTION:
When installing three or more parallel cables in the same conduit, avoid ratios of 2.8 to 3.1
(Ratio of conduit I.D. to one cable O.D.) to minimize potential jamming. This caution does
not apply to twisted assemblies (triplexed, quadruplexed, etc.) in normal installations, but
should be considered when multiple bends occur in the same conduit or long, difficult pulls
are anticipated.
APPROXIMATE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE CABLE DIAMETERS (IN INCHES)
Per NEC
http://www.kerite.com/catalog/catalogfiles/conduit_duct_sizes_power.htm

Per 1/2" Clearance

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Conduit Duct Sizes

Conduit

Internal

Conduit

3 or more

Trade

Diameter

Area

Size

(Inches)

(Sq. Inches)

Conductor

3
Conductor

parallel

Conductor

Conductor

(AVOID)

Steel or Schedule 40 PVC

1/2

0.602

0.29

0.44

0.22

0.19-0.22

3/4

0.804

0.51

0.59

0.29

0.26-0.29

1.029

0.83

0.75

0.38

0.33-0.37

1 1/4

1.360

1.45

0.99

0.50

0.44-0.49

1 1/2

1.590

1.99

1.16

0.58

0.51-0.57

2.047

3.29

1.49

0.75

1.55

0.72

0.61-0.73

2 1/2

2.445

4.70

1.75

0.89

1.95

0.90

0.79-0.87

3.042

7.27

2.21

1.11

2.54

1.18

0.98-1.09

3 1/2

3.521

9.74

2.56

1.29

3.02

1.40

1.14-1.26

3.998

12.55

2.91

1.46

3.50

1.62

1.29-1.43

5.016

19.76

3.65

1.83

4.52

2.10

1.62-1.79

6.031

25.57

4.39

2.20

5.53

2.57

1.95-2.15

Cement Conduit or Duct

2

1.9

2.84

1.38

0.69

1.40

0.65

0.61-0.68

2.9

6.61

2.11

1.06

2.40

1.11

0.94-1.04

1/2

3.4

9.08

2.48

1.24

2.90

1.35

1.10-1.21

3.9

11.95

2.84

1.42

3.40

1.58

1.26-1.39

1/2

4.4

15.21

3.20

1.61

3.90

1.81

1.42-1.57

4.9

18.86

3.57

1.79

4.40

2.04

1.58-1.75

5.9

27.34

4.30

2.15

5.40

2.51

1.90-2.11

Fiber Conduit or Duct

2

2.0

3.14

1.46

0.73

1.50

0.70

0.65-0.71

3.0

7.07

2.18

1.10

2.50

1.16

0.97-1.07

1/
3 2

3.5

9.62

2.55

1.28

3.00

1.39

1.13-1.25

4.0

12.57

2.91

1.46

3.50

1.62

1.29-1.43

1/
4 2

4.5

15.90

3.28

1.64

4.00

1.86

1.45-1.61

5.0

19.64

3.64

1.83

4.50

2.09

1.61-1.79

6.0

28.27

4.37

2.19

5.50

2.55

1.94-2.14

Example: Determine the minimum plastic conduit size for three 1/C 500 kcmil, 15kV,
copper stranded, 175 mil, 100% insulation wall, copper tape shield with a PVC jacket. The
three conductors are paralleled and the individual conductor O.D. is 1.51".
Using the first formula for three cables per conduit based on NEC requirements:
D = 2.739 x d
D = 2.739 x 1.51"
D = 4.136"
The NEC requires a 5" conduit for 1.51" diameter cable. Using the second formula based on
standard utility practice of 1/2 " clearance.

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Conduit Duct Sizes

D=
D=
D=
D=

0.5000" + 2.155 x d
0.5000" + 2.155 x 1.51"
0.5000" + 3.254"
3.754"

A 4" conduit may be used for a 1.51" diameter cable.

Note: The 1.51" diameter cable does not fall into the jamming range 1.30" to 1.44" for a 4"
conduit or 1.63" to 1.80" for a 5" conduit. If it did, simply twisting the assembly or a larger
conduit size would remove this objection.

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