An electrical conduit is a tube used to protect and route wires and cables in buildings, structures, or cabinets. A variety of materials and designs are used to make conduits, each determined by application requirements.
Conduit is typically made of metal or plastic and is generally rigid. Conduit provides excellent protection to enclosed wires and cables from impact, moisture, and other hazardous materials, in both interior and exterior environments. Conduits can also be made to be submersible or wrapped or coated with materials to shield conductors from electromagnetic or radio frequency interference.
Because most conduit is rigid, special fittings - elbows, bends, etc. - are needed to guide cabling around corners or other specific directions. If permitted by electrical codes, a flexible conduit is available to isolate wiring from vibrations or simplify the number of fittings needed to wire a structure or facility.