MikeyinLA
Member
I'm new here (first post) and I found this site while looking for a date when romex was not allowed to be installed in a commercial building.
Thanks in advance!
Thanks in advance!
When was NM cable adopted as not allowed in commercial buildings?
- Thread starter MikeyinLA
- Start date
- Status
I didn't know that romex was even allowed in commercial buildings until I read it on the internet.
Those crazy East coast folks apparently rope grocery stores :roll:
Locally (AZ), commercial work has been conduit and wire for just about ever.
I've seen some stock NM wiring in a few small commercial buildings circa 1950.
Those crazy East coast folks apparently rope grocery stores :roll:
Locally (AZ), commercial work has been conduit and wire for just about ever.
I've seen some stock NM wiring in a few small commercial buildings circa 1950.
- Location
- Massachusetts
Yeah, new ideas are slow to get out west. :grin:
MikeyinLA
Member
Here in Kalifornia, we haven't used "rope" (romex) in any commercial building since I got started in 1981. And the local inspectors have echoed this. Yet I have never asked for a code section as it was just the way it is.
Time to see a few inspectors, casually of course
Time to see a few inspectors, casually of course
MikeyinLA
Member
hurk27
Senior Member
- Location
- Portage, Indiana NEC: 2008
yea but it's got to get past us Midwest folks first.:grin:
Just were not to good at passing things on, we keep it all to our selves:grin:
I have never understood the mentality behind not allowing a wiring method in a place where more then likely you will be awake all day if even there was a problem like a fire, but at home where we will be asleep, its ok to use it:confused
I'm not talking about what the NEC says, because it allows NM in commercial buildings, but over the years I have been told the same thing as the OP was told, in the last 25 years I couldn't count or remember to count how many commercial buildings I have done in rope, many Holiday Expresses, Hampton Inn, Super 8, and many more, but it was a big upset for many of the inspectors around here as when they tried to stop them from being roped, and the state AHJ went after these inspectors.
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- Location
- Massachusetts
hurk27
Senior Member
- Location
- Portage, Indiana NEC: 2008
and there will be fire escapes and fire alarm systems and sprinklers and ....
ya they get fire alarms we get smoke alarms:roll:
they ge fire hoses on every floor, sprinklers, we get to run out and try to get the garden hose hooked up or grab pots and pans.:roll:
they get conduit and we get rope:roll:
they have to stay awake, we get to sleep:roll: fair trade
macmikeman
Senior Member
- Location
- Planet macmikeman
Just for the record for the op, NEC- it was not allowed in building that had more than three floors above grade, or was it just not allowed above the third floor above grade? Seems so long ago now I hardly remember........that was like what? 5 years ago now? I'm getting foggy.
I'm coming to join you Elizabeth.....
I'm coming to join you Elizabeth.....
- Location
- Massachusetts
Hendrix
Senior Member
- Location
- New England
It all has to do with the type of construction... unless you lived in MA.
Sierrasparky
Senior Member
- Location
- USA
- Occupation
- Electrician ,contractor
No such rule for Kalifornia, Just a rule for most big cities. Rural areas have allowed it for years here in Kalifornia.
Pierre C Belarge
Senior Member
- Location
- Westchester County, New York
And big concern based on the number of people in the occupancy. More people, and people less familar with the surroundings (they are not at home) makes it more difficult to evacuate the building. Therefore the fire may be burning for a longer amount of time while the occupants are evacuating, leaving them exposed to the fumes from the burning cable...
- Location
- Massachusetts
It can but we also had amendments in MA that eliminated the 3 story rule while that was in the NEC.
- Location
- Massachusetts
Nice to see you Pierre, it almost makes me feel bad to ask what you mean?
Other than places of assembly NM can be used in buildings with 100s of people inside.
.. unless you lived in MA.
I just did a hotel(180 rooms), every unit was Romex from a sub panel on each floor. Five Floors. all the Subs were EMT from the MDP.
I personally find it cheap, but its quick.
GrayHeadedMule
Member
If it's wood construction, what's the difference? It's just an overgrown house.
petersonra
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern illinois
- Occupation
- engineer
At one time around here the city inspectors were enforcing a no Romex rule even in residences. But it was never an adopted rule by the city and eventually some non-union contractors made a big stink about it and they stopped enforcing the non-existent rule.
Personally, I can't see any reason why most buildings, can't be Romex. It's a perfectly decent wiring method and has been proven safe over many years. It's not perfect, and one could argue that there is a slightly greater chance of a fire from romex over pipe, but its small.
I am not sure there is enough benefit to make it worthwhile to mandate banning Romex. But Chicago and a lot of nearby suburbs have done so, mostly to make the EC's happy. It's all about money.
Personally, I can't see any reason why most buildings, can't be Romex. It's a perfectly decent wiring method and has been proven safe over many years. It's not perfect, and one could argue that there is a slightly greater chance of a fire from romex over pipe, but its small.
I am not sure there is enough benefit to make it worthwhile to mandate banning Romex. But Chicago and a lot of nearby suburbs have done so, mostly to make the EC's happy. It's all about money.
Pierre C Belarge
Senior Member
- Location
- Westchester County, New York
Nice to see you Pierre, it almost makes me feel bad to ask what you mean?
Other than places of assembly NM can be used in buildings with 100s of people inside.
Thanks! it feels good to be back....I think
I did not write this to mean it cannot be used for buildings with many people occupying it.
What I tried to convey is the idea that there were discussions during the years that the larger occupied buildings were took longer to evacuate during fires, etc... the longer time was a concern due to the lethal fumes from burning NM cable.
- Status