Code says "running boards". There is *no* requirement to build any sort of wooden "raceway". Simple 1-by lumber, laid flat, is quite adequate.
And *that* is the principal reason for that provision.
Maybe you should stick to answering questions on topics you actually know something about. This isn't one of them. *Everything* you wrote here is wrong.
Any place that it's legal to install romex, it's legal to install romex in PVC conduit.
PVC electrical conduit, that cheap?? Are you sure you weren't looking at PVC water pipe?
Doug--regarding PVC conduit prices-- that's what I paid for 3/4"at a Home Depot here in San Antonio a little over a month ago. This is the grey conduit from the electrical department. I don't remember the brand, or if it had the one end swaged out so you didn't need a coupling or not. That's what I couldn't understand-- it was about half the cost of PVC water pipe. In fact, about six months ago, I needed some 1/2"PVC for a drain for a small mini split a/c that I may install in the future in a house I am working on. The walls and ceiling are open (the room that will/might have the a/c is upstairs) so I am installing the copper, wiring and drain now, regardless of whether I install the a/c or not. Anyway, I had a bunch of 1/2" regular PVC in my cart at HD, and happened to walk past the electrical dept and saw the 1/2" conduit for 80+ cents/10foot. The water pipe was at least 50% more, so I put it back and got the conduit. BTW, I got the 1/2" and the 3/4" at different HD's, so I guess that was the right price. Doesn't make sense to me either, but I'm not complaining. I already have a ton of the sweep 45 and 90 fittings for 1/2" up to around 2" that I picked up over the years when our local ReStore/Habitat for Humanity stores would get it in. They ranged from about 10-50 cents dependiing on size. Larry
Pressure rating? Potability? Uniformity in size?
Would probably work great for a drain, though.
Jon
I don't see how. I have two houses that both have unfinished crawl spaces under them. All the wiring for the lower floor is run there and stapled to the bottom of the floor joists. The only place holes are made is the bottoms of the walls where the wire up into the walls. Ordinary house wire. The hot water heat is in the crawl in one of them. Disconnect attached to the floor joist above it. Ordinary 10/2 house wire to the disconnect, ordinary 10/2 house wire from the disconnect to the wh. Both houses were built by developers, both houses had all the usual inspections. You're saying both are completely wrong?
Wow. I thought I had heard what EMT was and just forgotten it, but I don't think I ever knew before.
Thansk for a great answer.
On 11/17/2009 9:25 AM jamesgangnc spake thus:
Well, yes and no:
o Regarding stapling *cable* to the bottom of joists in a crawlspace, this is technically a no-no according to the NEC. However, if this truly is a crawlspace, and not part of the inhabitable or usable part of the house, it's hard to see the harm in doing this, since it's unlikely anyone's going to hang anything from the cable. Still not the way I would have done it: would it have killed the "developer" to have bored holes through the joists the way you're supposed to?
o You're a little vague there when you talk about what kind of wiring you're using. When you say "ordinary wire", do you mean just insulated wire (like THHN) without any kind of jacket or covering? If so, then that really is wrong. You can't just run wires in midair. If you're talking about 10/2 *Romex*, then that's OK.
It really helps to be clear about these things so people know what you're referring to.
On 11/17/2009 10:52 AM mm spake thus:
Ackshooly, I find "electricAL metallic tubing" to be a better description.
I'm talking about ordinary NM 14/2, 12/2, 12/3, etc w ground. If it's a crawl space then it's not habitable. If it's habitable then it's a basement. And I have been in the crawl of a LOT of houses around here constructed within the last 20 years and none of them have holes in the floor joists, they all have the wire staples to the bottom of the joists. It's all about how fast you can complete the job and boring holes where not required is not going to make it faster. I've also never seen conduit used to connect a wh. Yes, there is a disconnect if the breaker box can not be seen from the wh. But all I have ever seen from the disconnect to the wh is more wire, not conduit. Usually ziptied to the cold pipe. The only place I have seen conduit used is on outside stuff like ac compressors or hot tubs. Now maybe someone thinks they can interprete the nec to say this is wrong but there ain't no inspectors failing it.
So, again, why does this guy need to do anything besides staple up some NM 10/2 to a disconnect nailed to a floor joist by the wh? Cause if he has a "wet" crawl then he's got way bigger problems than his wh wire.
Around here, most all electric WH's are installed with a 30 amp receptacle and cord-- the same ones dryers used before the 4 wire was required. They must have passed inspection--- brand new houses are still using that setup. Larry
*Off hand I don't see a problem with that hook up. Having the plug and receptacle is an acceptable means of disconnection. I guess the original installer figured it was cheaper to do that instead of a 30 amp switch.
On 11/18/2009 6:38 PM John Grabowski spake thus:
Why have a redundant switch when there's already one inside the breaker panel? It's not as if someone's gonna stand there and switch the heater on and off regularly, like a motor on a controller.
In the US you must have a disconnect on all hardwired appliances. It must either be visible from the appliance or lockable. This is so that the device can not be turned back on by someone else while you are working on it. Most of the time this is solved using a $10 disconnect box mounted near the appliance. A plug also works and that's why dryers do not need a disconnect.
It should also be noted the locking device has to be permanently attached to the breaker. Those pins in a LoTo kit do not count.
422.31(B) " The provision for locking or adding a lock to the disconnecting means shall be installed on or at the switch or circuit breaker used as the disconnecting means and shall remain in place with or without the lock installed." If you look about half way down on the left side you will see a legal lock out device.HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.