Use sides of floor beam in crawlspace as raceway?

[Rutherford]

Two jobs ago, I directed an electrical contractor to not drill floor joists in a partial crawlspace, and to figure another method for running the branch circuit wiring perpendicular to joists. He screwed a 2x12 to the bottoms of joists, and stapled his Romex to its bottom face, jumping up into joist bays as required. His inspector said OK.

I'm wondering if the dropped floor beam, shown in the pic here, can be used in the same way, to avoid much of the joist drilling.

I've read 300.4 (D) and cannot get an interpretation one way or another.

 

[Hendrix]

Two jobs ago, I directed an electrical contractor to not drill floor joists in a partial crawlspace, and to figure another method for running the branch circuit wiring perpendicular to joists. He screwed a 2x12 to the bottoms of joists, and stapled his Romex to its bottom face, jumping up into joist bays as required. His inspector said OK.

I'm wondering if the dropped floor beam, shown in the pic here, can be used in the same way, to avoid much of the joist drilling.

I've read 300.4 (D) and cannot get an interpretation one way or another.

Yes it can IMHO. 334.17

 

[Dennis Alwon]

No problem at all. Running boards qualify to protect the wire so floor joist or dropped beams are okay.

 

[480sparky]

Wow. Talk about d?j? vu!

First, the actual Code:

(D) Cables and Raceways Parallel to Framing Members
and Furring Strips. In both exposed and concealed locations, where a cable- or raceway-type wiring method is installed parallel to framing members, such as joists, rafters, or studs, or is installed parallel to furring strips, the cable or raceway shall be installed and supported so that the nearest outside surface of the cable or raceway is not less than 32 mm (1-1⁄4 in.) from the nearest edge of the framing member or furring strips where nails or screws are likely to penetrate.

Now, let's dissect it, taking out all the irrelevant stuff.

(D) Cables Parallel to Framing Members. In exposed locations, where a cable-type wiring method is installed parallel to framing members, the cable shall be installed and supported so that the nearest outside surface of the cable is not less than 32 mm (1-1⁄4 in.) from the nearest edge of the framing member.

Pretty much tells me it's legal. However, your AHJ may have a different opinion, as well as the painter's next-door-neighbor's third-grade-teacher's mailman's third-born-son's sister-in-law's hairdresser's landlord.

 

[G._S._Ohm]

In the interest of thoroughness, what is the answer to the question, "Is there any remotely possible interpretation of the rule that would make this installation not legal?"

 

[Steviechia2]

No problem at all. Running boards qualify to protect the wire so floor joist or dropped beams are okay

I agree 334.15 C

 

[ceb58]

I'm just glad NC kick out the requirement.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

I'm just glad NC kick out the requirement.

Me Too :grin::grin:

 

[sameguy]

"where nails or screws are likely to penetrate" if unlikely then right to the edge.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Also you are not using the timbers as a raceway but rather as a running board.

 

[infinity]

We run cables along the sides of beams all of the time. And for clarity I wouldn't call the side of a floor beam a raceway.