Crossing Electrical Service Entrance with Romex Branch Circuit

[RBM]

[BaC]

I'm adding a branch circuit to my home. I current have an underground service entrance (SE) that runs up through my wall to the breaker panel. The SE is encased in PVC conduit. Because of the proximity of the panel to my gas line, and the location of all the other branch circuits, the best route for the branch circuit is down through the bottom of the breaker panel, crossover the vertical SE conduit, then through a 2x4 framing member, and up to the attic. Since the Romex will be within 1.25 " of the edge of the 2x4, I'll be covering that area with a steel plate before sheet-rocking it.

Does anyone know if vertical SE with a horizontal line of Romex crossing it is within NEC code? I couldn't find a reference. From a safety perspective, I think I'm OK. I was thinking that there may be a restriction in doing this because of the magnetic field being produced by the SE feed. Maybe its a non-issue. Any advice would, as usually, be greatly appreciated.

[jwalters]

The real problem is that this device was not installed by a professional electrician. If you knew what you were doing, it would work. Obviously you are incapable of doing this yourself, and the average homeowner should never touch any electrical wiring. Leave it to the professionals to insure your safety. Besides that, tampering with electrical things will void your homeowners insurance.

A general rule of thumb is this: A homeowner should only flip light switches, and plug UL Approved electrical things into outlets. That's ALL you should do, except to turn off a circuit breaker in an emergency. You should hire a Union Electrician for all wiring. Hire an electrician to change light bulbs, and hire an electrician to turn ON or OFF all circuit breakers in non-emergency situations. Also, if you have the old fuses instead of breakers, DO NOT touch them even during an emergency. They are extremely dangerous and can explode if handled by an inexperienced home owner. Even light bulbs are capable of exploding and killing people. Thousands of persons die every day as a result of electricution and fire caused by non-certified people tampering with electricity. Just last week an entire family consisting of three adults and seven children died as a result of an inexperienced homeowner attempting to change a light bulb, which exploded and released toxic gasses, killing the entire family, and causing one of the worst fires in U.S. history

Learn not to burn.

John Walters Professional Electrical Consultant and Union Certified Electrician

1030 Market St. Los Angeles, California [e-mail]

[w_tom]

My first concern would be that the branch wire is too close to the wall surface. SE is in conduit. It is well protected. But I don't understand why that wire does not come out the top or side of breaker box to go up to attic. IOW a SE in conduit inside a 2x4 studded wall leaves that wire exposed; too close to plywood or sheetrock. If really concerned, you could put that branch circuit inside conduit where it leaves breaker box and bypasses SE conduit; where it would be too close to plywood or sheetrock.

Magnetic fields created by SE are completely irrelevant to human safety issues addressed by code. Those field problems would only be a concern to things beyond what the code addresses.

A good sign is that you appreciate the "1 inch from sheetrock" requirement. That protection is also important where wire is between studs.

You have the right attitude. Ignore those who posted without any useful > I'm adding a branch circuit to my home. I current have an underground

[indago]

050420 1758 - BaC posted:

It's a non-issue...

[Beeper]

[Chris Lewis]

According to :

Electrical devices _don't_ _care_ whether the installer knows what they're doing. They're not psychic. All they care about is if they're wired _correctly_, which is possible, even if only accidentally, by the totally clueless.

Ah, you're trolling.