Steel Ventilated Trough

The 1999 NEC® added the word ‘ventilated’ in front of trough to clear up some confusion that solid trough is treated the same as ventilated trough. It is not. Solid trough is recognized as solid bottom cable tray.

Ventilated trough cable tray is often used when the specifier does not want to use ladder cable tray to support small diameter multiconductor control and instrumentation cables. As no drooping of the small diameter cables is visible, ventilated trough cable trays provide neat appearing installations. Small diameter cables may exit the ventilated trough cable tray through the bottom ventilation holes as well as out the top of the cable tray. For installations where the cables exit the bottom of the cable tray and the system is subject to some degree of vibration, it is advisable to use B-Line Trough Drop-Out Bushings (Cat. No. 99-1124). These snap-in bushings provide additional abrasion protection for the cable jackets. Just as for ladder cable tray, ventilated trough cable tray will not pipe moisture into electrical equipment.

Standard widths for ventilated trough cable tray systems are 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 30, and 36 inches. The standard bottom configuration for ventilated trough cable tray is a corrugated bottom with 2 7/8 inch bearing surfaces - 6 inches on centers and 2 1/4 inch x 4 inch ventilation openings. Since a corrugated bottom cannot be bent horizontally, the standard bottom configuration for horizontal bend fittings consists of rungs spaced on 4 inch centers. This difference in bottom construction may be objectionable to some owners, so be sure you are aware of the owner's sensitivity to aesthetics for the cable tray installation.

Vent. Channel Cable Tray

(B-Line's Cable Channel)

Cooper B-Line, Inc

Channel cable tray systems (B-Line's cable channel) are available in 3, 4, and 6 inch widths with ventilated or solid bottoms. The 2002 NEC® now recognizes solid bottom cable channel. Prior to the 2002 Code, the NEC® did not have any specific provisions for the use of solid cable channel.

Instead of large conduits, cable channel may be used very effectively to support cable drops from the cable tray run to the equipment or device being serviced and is ideal for cable tray runs involving a small number of cables. Cable channel may also be used to support push buttons, field mounted instrumentation devices, etc. Small diameter cables may exit ventilated cable channel through the bottom ventilation holes, out the top or through the end. For installations where the cables exit through the ventilation openings and the cable channel or the cables are subject to some degree of vibration, it is advisable to use B-Line Cable Channel Bushings (Cat. No. 99-1125). These snap-in plastic bushings provide additional abrasion protection for the cable jackets.

Aluminum Solid Bottom Trough

Some specifiers prefer solid bottom cable tray to support large numbers of small diameter control and multiconductor instrumentation cables. Solid bottom steel cable trays with solid covers and wrap around cover clamps can be used to provide EMI/RFI shielding protection for sensitive circuits.

Unlike ladder and ventilated trough cable trays, solid bottom cable trays can collect and retain moisture. Where they are installed outdoors or indoors in humid locations and EMI/RFI shielding protection is not required, it is recommended that 1/4 inch weep holes be drilled in their bottoms at the sides and in the middle every 3 feet to limit water accumulation.

Cable Tray Manual