Romex outdoor application

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td1236

Member
Location
California
Occupation
Electrician
Can indoor romex be used in an outdoor structure if the ceiling is enclosed. Everything else on the structure is open. it will basically be cedar covering the rafter bays.
 

garbo

Senior Member
At an IAEI meeting an inspector told us that NM ( Romex ) is never allowed outdoors or even to enter the rear of a pancake box for an outdoor luminare because its not rated for damp or wet locations.. Have the old cloth covered romex feeding an outdoor luminare. When I replaced the luminare a few years ago wire was in great shape. House was built 60 years ago. Told us to only use UF cable to feed all outdoor luminare & receptacles.
 

td1236

Member
Location
California
Occupation
Electrician
By that logic you would not be able to run it through an exterior wall to power an outdoor surface mounted plug, Though it is always done that way.
 

ActionDave

Chief Moderator
Staff member
Location
Durango, CO, 10 h 20 min from the winged horses.
Occupation
Licensed Electrician
At an IAEI meeting an inspector told us that NM ( Romex ) is never allowed outdoors or even to enter the rear of a pancake box for an outdoor luminare because its not rated for damp or wet locations.. Have the old cloth covered romex feeding an outdoor luminare. When I replaced the luminare a few years ago wire was in great shape. House was built 60 years ago. Told us to only use UF cable to feed all outdoor luminare & receptacles.
If the inside of a junction box mounted flush to the wall of a house meets the definition of a damp or wet location there is a problem that UF cable is not going to solve.
 

Canton

Senior Member
Location
Virginia
Occupation
Electrician
If the inside of a junction box mounted flush to the wall of a house meets the definition of a damp or wet location there is a problem that UF cable is not going to solve.
A raceway mounted to an exterior wall of a building subject to the elements, the interior is considered a wet location
 

garbo

Senior Member
If the inside of a junction box mounted flush to the wall of a house meets the definition of a damp or wet location there is a problem that UF cable is not going to solve.
Wish I had a dollar for every outdoor box including luminare that had water in them. We were told that all outdoor locations are considered damp locations due to guess rainfall & at times very high humidity. Maybe an outdoor box in the desert might not be considered a damp.location. Just about every time that I replaced NM cable leading outdoors the paper jacket on ground conductor was either wet, damp or showed signs of being wet.
 

garbo

Senior Member
By that logic you would not be able to run it through an exterior wall to power an outdoor surface mounted plug, Though it is always done that way.
Correct. With life time liability and so many sue happy lawyers I would rather use UF cable like an very talented & well respected inspector told us.
 

ActionDave

Chief Moderator
Staff member
Location
Durango, CO, 10 h 20 min from the winged horses.
Occupation
Licensed Electrician
Wish I had a dollar for every outdoor box including luminare that had water in them. We were told that all outdoor locations are considered damp locations due to guess rainfall & at times very high humidity. Maybe an outdoor box in the desert might not be considered a damp.location. Just about every time that I replaced NM cable leading outdoors the paper jacket on ground conductor was either wet, damp or showed signs of being wet.
So flush mounted exterior boxes, inside the building envelope, are getting water in them in your world? That's not happening in mine.
 
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