Cable in concrete - legal??

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K8MHZ

Senior Member
Location
Michigan. It's a beautiful peninsula, I've looked
Occupation
Electrician
I found this pic on Wiki

View attachment 8675

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_wiring

If this is UF, then it is not allowed in poured concrete, cement or aggregate. Does that mean poured concrete, poured cement or poured aggregate, or does it mean cement, aggregate or poured concrete? Is troweling in mortar acceptable? There is an exception for plaster. It doesn't say poured plaster, just plaster. I don't think I have ever seen plaster poured on a ceiling or a wall. Just the floor, and that was by mistake.

If this is NMS, then absolutely no concrete of any kind.

So then, what's going on with the cables on the floor?

I have never seen this type of wiring installation in the field.
 

GoldDigger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Placerville, CA, USA
Occupation
Retired PV System Designer
I found this pic on Wiki



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_wiring

I have never seen this type of wiring installation in the field.

1. I can't quite be sure of the wire colors, but they look european to me.
2. I have never seen a structural clay tile wall in the US.
3. The information on the Wikipedia page you reach by clicking on the image states:
Installing electrical wiring "the old way". This kind of electrical wire installation is still commonly practice in Europe, yet is wasteful (a lot of brick is lost due to the cutting), time-consuming, not very handy when there is a burned trough/damaged wire, ... A better alternative is the use of cable trays (although they are somewhat more expensive).
4. Every other illustration on the wikipedia page (except for the knob and tube and the green/yellow ground wire) applies to EU wiring practice.

Conclusion: The picture was not taken in the US, so neither NEC nor standard US practices apply, and the wire is probably not a recognized US type.
 

GoldDigger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Placerville, CA, USA
Occupation
Retired PV System Designer
I found this pic on Wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_wiring

I have never seen this type of wiring installation in the field.

1. I can't quite be sure of the wire colors, but they look european to me.
2. I have never seen a structural clay tile wall in the US.
3. The information on the Wikipedia page you reach by clicking on the image states:
Installing electrical wiring "the old way". This kind of electrical wire installation is still commonly practice in Europe, yet is wasteful (a lot of brick is lost due to the cutting), time-consuming, not very handy when there is a burned trough/damaged wire, ... A better alternative is the use of cable trays (although they are somewhat more expensive).
4. Every other illustration on the wikipedia page (except for the knob and tube and the green/yellow ground wire) applies to EU wiring practice.

Conclusion: The picture was not taken in the US, so neither NEC nor standard US practices apply, and the wire is probably not a recognized US type.
 

K8MHZ

Senior Member
Location
Michigan. It's a beautiful peninsula, I've looked
Occupation
Electrician
1. I can't quite be sure of the wire colors, but they look european to me.
2. I have never seen a structural clay tile wall in the US.
3. The information on the Wikipedia page you reach by clicking on the image states:

4. Every other illustration on the wikipedia page (except for the knob and tube and the green/yellow ground wire) applies to EU wiring practice.

Conclusion: The picture was not taken in the US, so neither NEC nor standard US practices apply, and the wire is probably not a recognized US type.

Thank you!!!
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
For the record there are many old building in this metropolitan area that used Terracotta blocks for wall construction. I've even seen some that used it for floors supports with something they used to call Terracotta arch construction.
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
For the record there are many old building in this metropolitan area that used Terracotta blocks for wall construction. I've even seen some that used it for floors supports with something they used to call Terracotta arch construction.

There are tons of them around Boston as well but the ones I have worked in used RMC as the wiring method.:)
 

PetrosA

Senior Member
It's definitely from Europe. The wire is something between our NM and UF - the outer covering doesn't encase each conductor, but isn't as flimsy as what's on NM here. It's kind of like the really thick jackets you saw on NM back in the late 70s, early 80s before they started using THHN-like wires inside the jacket.

A more modern style of wiring there would be to use smurf tube and pull conductors. They'd still be embedded under the plaster and concrete though, since there really isn't any other option, and the bends don't necessarily allow easy repulling of damaged conductors.
 

jumper

Senior Member
For the record there are many old building in this metropolitan area that used Terracotta blocks for wall construction. I've even seen some that used it for floors supports with something they used to call Terracotta arch construction.

There are tons of them around Boston as well but the ones I have worked in used RMC as the wiring method.:)

Add MD to the list.
 

acrwc10

Master Code Professional
Location
CA
Occupation
Building inspector
If they were on the NEC it would take a truck load of nail plates to cover that job. ;)
 

James S.

Senior Member
Location
Mesa, Arizona
It isn't a cable of any type. It is a flexable conduit (looks like white 'smurf' tube) with solid wires running in it.
 

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sparkyrick

Senior Member
Location
Appleton, Wi
Yup, looks like white smurf tube

Installing_electrical_wiring.jpg
 
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