Can a cable be run diagonally across the wall?

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ny942631

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I am doing a rewiring project in my appartment and the electrician run speaker wires as well as the power wire BX type diagonally acrooss the wall. When I told him that it is a requirement to run the wire either horizontally or vertically with min 5" bends he said that there are no codes mandating how he runs a wire in the drywall with the exception of 5" rule and there are no less than 5" bends.

I tried to look for such a code but did not find any reference; it seems odd that someone will OK that a wire be run with the random path.

Please tell me who is right and refer to a specific code I can show him.

Thank you very much in advance.
 
I assume you are referring to a wire that is run through studs and will be hidden behind the drywall. There is no code section that I know of that indicates how this wire should be run. I have seen it run at various heigts and even diagonally as you have said. This is a design issue and not addressed in the NEC. What danger is present because the wire is run in this manner? Remember the purpose of the code is safety, not making work look nice; that is the job of the electrician that takes pride in their work.
 
I agree with what has already been posted based on the infformation that you have given.

One thing that should be pointed out is that you hired him to do a job (installing this system) so let him do his thing until he starts offering you advice about Data Center Operations.
 
Thanks for your quick reply. Actually this is an old hi-rise building, and there is no space between the drywall and the building wall. The electrician cut through the dry wall (looks like a trench) and put the wire in there so it later will be covered with the wall putty. I wouldn't care much if the wire was under the sheetrock, but since it is IN the drywall AND running diagonally any small nail or a pin for a poster might penetrate the wire...
 
To me, it sounds like a violation of 300.4(E). Anyone want to comment on that notion?
 
I agree with Charlie,

A "trench" in the existing wall for the installation of a cable sure seems like a "shallow groove" that is mentioned in 300.4(E)

Chris
 
haskindm said:
I assume you are referring to a wire that is run through studs and will be hidden behind the drywall. There is no code section that I know of that indicates how this wire should be run.
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jwelectric said:
I agree with what has already been posted based on the infformation that you have given.
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Sorry, I took it that this cable was being installed in the studs as haskindm had stated.
 
5" rule? What's that?

AC has a 5X cable diameter bending radius, but it would have to be a pretty large AC cable to require a 5" minimum radius.

For MC/AC/Romex in a groove on the surface I'd say its going to need a nail plate over the grove.
 
ny942631 said:
Can someone send a link to 300.4 rule?
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Here is the Article:


300.4 Protection Against Physical Damage.
Where subject to physical damage, conductors shall be protected.
(A) Cables and Raceways Through Wood Members.
(1) Bored Holes. In both exposed and concealed locations, where a cable- or raceway-type wiring method is installed through bored holes in joists, rafters, or wood members, holes shall be bored so that the edge of the hole is not less than 32 mm (1? in.) from the nearest edge of the wood member. Where this distance cannot be maintained, the cable or raceway shall be protected from penetration by screws or nails by a steel plate or bushing, at least 1.6 mm ( in.) thick, and of appropriate length and width installed to cover the area of the wiring.
Exception No. 1: Steel plates shall not be required to protect rigid metal conduit, intermediate metal conduit, rigid nonmetallic conduit, or electrical metallic tubing.
Exception No. 2: A listed and marked steel plate less than 1.6 mm ( in.) thick that provides equal or better protection against nail or screw penetration shall be permitted.
(2) Notches in Wood. Where there is no objection because of weakening the building structure, in both exposed and concealed locations, cables or raceways shall be permitted to be laid in notches in wood studs, joists, rafters, or other wood members where the cable or raceway at those points is protected against nails or screws by a steel plate at least 1.6 mm ( in.) thick, and of appropriate length and width, installed to cover the area of the wiring. The steel plate shall be installed before the building finish is applied.
Exception No. 1: Steel plates shall not be required to protect rigid metal conduit, intermediate metal conduit, rigid nonmetallic conduit, or electrical metallic tubing.
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Can you also post 300.4(E)? That is the one that I think applies here. I no longer have a CDROM version, so I can't do this myself.
 
Here is is:
300.4 Protection Against Physical Damage.
(E) Cables and Raceways Installed in Shallow Grooves.
Cable- or raceway-type wiring methods installed in a groove,
to be covered by wallboard, siding, paneling, carpeting, or
similar finish, shall be protected by 1.6 mm (1⁄16 in.) thick steel
plate, sleeve, or equivalent or by not less than 32-mm (11⁄4-in.)
free space for the full length of the groove in which the cable
or raceway is installed.

Exception No. 1: Steel plates, sleeves, or the equivalent
shall not be required to protect rigid metal conduit, intermediate
metal conduit, rigid nonmetallic conduit, or electrical
metallic tubing.
Exception No. 2: A listed and marked steel plate less than
1.6 mm (1⁄16 in.) thick that provides equal or better protection
against nail or screw penetration shall be permitted.
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if I read correct, the wire is being installed in a groove ""IN"" the drywall ... not under the drywall and covered by putty ... WOW ... must be one heck of an electrician ""NOT"" ... be careful with this guy ... m
 
I don't think this is DIY, it's IIY - Inspect it Yourself. I wholeheartedly agree with that. Nothing wrong with asking qualified people for an answer about how it should look.

The original poster has said nothing about doing the work himself. The very tone denotes disgust with the installation.
 
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