condo wiring in an apartment complex

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mshields

mshields

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Boston, MA
Doing a small condo in MA consisting of 3 floors and something like a dozen units each of which I intend to run SER cable to from a meter center in the basement. Within the unit I intend to run Romex. I know that this has traditionally been allowed in MA but when I've done work in RI, we used MC cable. Where is this requirement in the NEC spelled out?

Just want to make sure nothing has changed and in general what drives the requirements.

Also are the rules the same within the units as they are outside of the units such as in the hallways. Can Romex be used for both?

Thanks,

Mike
 
mshields said:
Doing a small condo in MA consisting of 3 floors and something like a dozen units each of which I intend to run SER cable to from a meter center in the basement. Within the unit I intend to run Romex. I know that this has traditionally been allowed in MA but when I've done work in RI, we used MC cable. Where is this requirement in the NEC spelled out?

Just want to make sure nothing has changed and in general what drives the requirements.

Also are the rules the same within the units as they are outside of the units such as in the hallways. Can Romex be used for both?

Thanks,

Mike
Click to expand...

Take a look at 334.10. Also by careful of any possible local amendments.
 
SER is ok pretty much anyplace you run NM.

Usually, in a multi-family building like this, there is a meter center with an OCPD for each dwelling unit. That makes the SER technically a feeder and not a service, but it also provides protection which you wouldn't have if there was a service drop to each dwelling unit. It makes a difference.
 
Ragin Cajun said:
How should one get from the meter center to the units at the other end? Can one go through the adjoining units? If not, how?
Click to expand...

You can run SE or SER cable in the concealed space above the adjoining units, just like romex. You can't run it in a plenum ceiling, but you seldom have that in multi-family.

When there is no meter center, you can't do that (according to my interpretation of 230.3 and 230.70(A)(1),) because the cables from the meter to each house's main are unprotected.

The key is that when there is a meter center, they are feeders and not services. This affects the way you think about the grounding and bonding too.
 
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