3rd floor conduit

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Bob McKinney

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I can't find a the ruling in the NEC about having to run conduit in a commercial three story building. I had someone tell me that it is required for the 3rd floor but not necessarily for the 1st and 2nd floors. Help me if you can. :confused:
 
Re: 3rd floor conduit

I'll try to help you in a round about way. See articles 334.10 & 334.12 of the NEC. That is for romex uses permitted & not permitted. I think prior to the '02 code, romex was not permitted above three stories. That has been changed & is based on the type of construction a building is. I hope this helps. Ron
 
Re: 3rd floor conduit

Under the 2002 and earlier rules romex was allowed in a 4 story building IF the first floor is used strictly for parking.

However, the reference to building construction types now allows up to 5 stories IF the building has a sprinkler system and the contruction method has a 1 hour fire rating.

However, if your building code is BOCA, UBC or whatever you then face the task that building construction is named and rated differently.

Also, some states ( Ohio, Pa., Mass. )allowed romex in more than 3 story buildings if the circuit stayed on 1 floor and the building had a sprinkler system. There was even a version of romex that was rated for use in plenum ceilings.

However, 334.10 seems to require that romex in barns be concealed behind type X drywall!!!! This seems to be an oversight because barns and factories are still allowed to be wired with open wiring on insulators provided that the wiring does not need to be articles 501 or 502 rated.
 
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