Putting exterior cord in a raceway

[bnbowen@uiuc.edu]

We recently bought a "new" house with a nice brick fireplace with a wood mantel. We put the TV on the mantel and ran an extension cord for temporary power. There are soft cushions on the hearth. The cord runs under the cushions for now. What I would like to do is run steel Wiremold at the intersection of the wall and hearth and put an exterior cord inside the Wiremold. Then run up the wall to the back of the TV. The TV uses less than 3 amps. The 16/3 SJTW 75 degree C cord is rated at 13 amps. I was going to tape a ground wire to the cord from the steel Wiremold to the ground screw of the receptacle it plugs into. This whole setup is for mechanical protection of the wire and it would look nice. I know this against the code due to heating of the wire. However, the load will not change and is well below the rating of the wire. Would you do it in your house? Of course there is no inspector but... I don't want to burn down the house. Thanks, Brad

 

[Ponchik]

You probably won't burn the house down. But it is a code violation to use an extension cord for permanent wiring.

Since you are using a wire mold why not use individual building wire?

If I would do this in my house? Probably not, but I still have...... It comes to mind, "shoe maker's shoe always has holes"

 

[cpinetree]

Would you do it in your house? Of course there is no inspector but... I don't want to burn down the house. Thanks, Brad

No way.
Just use the wiremold the way it is designed.
Install an extension box at the receptacle you are going to plug the cord into, and use the other wiremold fittings as needed with Thhn wire.

Seems silly to have a cord plugged into a receptacle, sticking out of the wall, and then protect it with wiremold.
Won't take much longer or cost much more to do it right. (shoe makers shoes, not withstanding :ashamed

 

[bnbowen@uiuc.edu]

More information and another thought...

More information and another thought...

The TV currently plugs into a multiple outlet strip that is inside a cabinet (away from the wall with the DVR) and the cord/receptacle would lay flat on the fireplace mantle and would not be seen. That was the reason for the cord. Another thought would be run greenfield/THHN wire with cord bodies on each end. I can paint it and it might be "invisible." I'm open to any recommendations. Thanks, Brad

 

[bullheimer]

not getting it. do as adviced above, wiremold all the way! outlet by the tv. whats the problem? as for using cord in the wiremold, not an issue as long as the terminations of same are kosher.

 

[iwire]

not getting it. do as adviced above, wiremold all the way! outlet by the tv. whats the problem? as for using cord in the wiremold, not an issue as long as the terminations of same are kosher.

You cannot put cord in a raceway ... Well you can but it is an NEC violation to do so

 

[K8MHZ]

I was going to tape a ground wire to the cord from the steel Wiremold to the ground screw of the receptacle it plugs into.

Personally, this sounds kind of like a hack job.

I know this against the code due to heating of the wire.

So, are we being asked for advice in circumventing the code, which is pretty much a bare minimum standard?

 

[JFletcher]

We recently bought a "new" house with a nice brick fireplace with a wood mantel. We put the TV on the mantel and ran an extension cord for temporary power. There are soft cushions on the hearth. The cord runs under the cushions for now. What I would like to do is run steel Wiremold at the intersection of the wall and hearth and put an exterior cord inside the Wiremold. Then run up the wall to the back of the TV. The TV uses less than 3 amps. The 16/3 SJTW 75 degree C cord is rated at 13 amps. I was going to tape a ground wire to the cord from the steel Wiremold to the ground screw of the receptacle it plugs into. This whole setup is for mechanical protection of the wire and it would look nice. I know this against the code due to heating of the wire. However, the load will not change and is well below the rating of the wire. Would you do it in your house? Of course there is no inspector but... I don't want to burn down the house. Thanks, Brad

No extension cord as permanent wiring. Nothing smaller than 14ga as permanent wiring. Wouldnt hack bond steel wiremold. Why not use #14 NM in plastic wiremold to a j-box in the attic/crawlspace?

I wouldnt do what you suggest in my house because if/when it were sold, it would have to be fixed. and there are multiple NEC violations, and there is another way that wouldnt cost much if any more at all that is code compliant.

 

[bnbowen@uiuc.edu]

A little more information

A little more information

I apologize for leaving this information out: The whole wall with the fireplace is white painted brick. There are two white painted brick columns that hold up the mantel. The exterior wall is brick and on the front of the house so exterior raceway is not an option. I can't get down from the attic due the low roof. There is ductwork under the fireplace in the crawlspace. UGH! Whatever I do will stay this way "forever" and probably never be touched until the TV dies and then will be replaced. I know when the house was built 30 years ago nobody ever thought of putting a TV up there. Any thoughts would be most helpful. Thanks! Brad

 

[JFletcher]

I apologize for leaving this information out: The whole wall with the fireplace is white painted brick. There are two white painted brick columns that hold up the mantel. The exterior wall is brick and on the front of the house so exterior raceway is not an option. I can't get down from the attic due the low roof. There is ductwork under the fireplace in the crawlspace. UGH! Whatever I do will stay this way "forever" and probably never be touched until the TV dies and then will be replaced. I know when the house was built 30 years ago nobody ever thought of putting a TV up there. Any thoughts would be most helpful. Thanks! Brad

The fireplace here is much the same, as is the 4/12 pitch roof. Heart yellow pine wooden panelling inside, brick exterior. I'd run wiremold inside, over and down to the crawlspace to a spot you can poke thru, run NM inside plastic wiremold. or, if it is possible at all, run wiremold straight up to the attic, and use a fish stick/stick of emt with a hook on the end to grab the nm from a more accessible spot.

You could just use extension cord sans raceway to the nearest receptacle. The coax will have the same issue. Depends of the level of ugly you can live with.

 

[bnbowen@uiuc.edu]

Many thanks JFletcher. I like the NM in plastic Wiremold. I think that will look nice as I can paint the Wiremold to match the white brick and it can be anchored to the brick with a few screws. Thanks again - Brad