Romex and IMC conduit

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drhoads

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Question: Where in the code does it reference not installing Romex in IMC conduit? I have a friend who is remodeling his basement. He wants to put IMC conduit on the outside of his finished walls and use Romex cable for his terminations. I told him he should use single conductors because the code prohibits putting Romex in conduit due to having no way of dissipating heat? I cannot find it in the code to prove my point. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
 
I think you'd have better luck arguing that the conduit is a 'wet' location, and Romex isn't allowed in wet locations.

Or, looking at wire fill; you need to treat that Romex as if it were 3/4" in diameter- which means using 1" pipe (my estimate).
 
There's no code prohibiting NM in IMC. Only if the IMC is installed in an area that prohibits NM would it be an issue. A basement, IMPO, is not such an area.

Design-wise, IMC in a resi basement is like hunting squirrels with an elephant gun.
 
Who even uses IMC? Are you sure he's not using EMT or RGS (that's really hunting squirrels with an elephant gun)?

Besides, if he's finishing it ... why run exposed conduit?
 
renosteinke said:
I think you'd have better luck arguing that the conduit is a 'wet' location, and Romex isn't allowed in wet locations.

Or, looking at wire fill; you need to treat that Romex as if it were 3/4" in diameter- which means using 1" pipe (my estimate).
Click to expand...

He said, "I have a friend who is remodeling his basement," how is that a wet location?:confused:
 
The raceway articles tell us when a cable can be installed. See 342.2
Wire fill is based on the large dia of NM, see Chapter 9, (9).
IMC? Was there some left over from a job? Just as good to use MC cable...or PVC with NM.
 
His walls are already done with some type of horizontal 1/4" x 3" boards. He said IMC, but aren't IMC and EMT the same type of conduit??
 
drhoads said:
His walls are already done with some type of horizontal 1/4" x 3" boards. He said IMC, but aren't IMC and EMT the same type of conduit??
Click to expand...
IMC is a threaded conduit- intermediate metal conduit- similar to rigid. Emt is thinwall electrical metallic tubing- no threading to do.

If he is doing a complete raceway then it would silly to install nm in it.
 
From what I understand, he will only be stubbing up the wall from his switch boxes just above the finished ceiling, then continuing to his breaker panel attaching the romex with insulated staples on his ceiling joists. He will also be using this type of conduit to stub down to a recepticle and then use it to go to other recepticles around the wall?? My original question was: Is the up to code to put romex in EMT conduit??
 
From what I understand, he will only be stubbing up the wall from his switch boxes just above the finished ceiling, then continuing to his breaker panel attaching the romex with insulated staples on his ceiling joists. He will also be using this type of conduit to stub down to a recepticle and then use it to go to other recepticles around the wall?? My original question was: Is this up to code to put romex in EMT conduit??
 
drhoads said:
From what I understand, he will only be stubbing up the wall from his switch boxes just above the finished ceiling, then continuing to his breaker panel attaching the romex with insulated staples on his ceiling joists. He will also be using this type of conduit to stub down to a receptacle and then use it to go to other receptacles around the wall?? My original question was: Is the up to code to put romex in EMT conduit??
Click to expand...


now that the OP question was answered, the above in red won't fly unless you plan to run all #8x3 conductor or #6x2 conductor cable? anything smaller will be required through bored holes. see 334.15(C)
 
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