I was wondering your thoughts on installing non metallic cable (romex) across wood framing members(studs) in a residential home. I can't find in wiring methods where it states that you are "not" permitted to run this cable across the face of the stud before the plaster goes up without notching or boring holes. It states when boring or notching holes in studs if the cable is less than 1 1/4 inch then you need to use nail plates. That I understand. But what if I were to run the cable horizontally cross the studs without boring or notching holes and then just cove the wire with a nail plate. Either way the wire is protected from nails and screws and the nail plate does not damage the wire at all. It's just a lot easier to do this when the plaster is existing because of the hard angle of getting a drill to bore holes in the studs. Your thoughts...
Thanks,
http://www.mass.gov/eopss/docs/dfs/osfm/cmr/cmr-secured/527012.pdf
2011 Massachusetts Electrical code amendment to the 2011 NEC.
527 CMR: BOARD OF FIRE PREVENTION REGULATIONS
12.00: continued
334.17. Revise to read as follows:
334.17 Through or Parallel to Framing Members and Furring Strips. Types NM, NMC, or NMS cable shall comply with 300.4 where installed through studs, joists, rafters, and similar members. Grommets or bushings shall be used in metal studs as required in 300.4(B)(1), shall remain in place during the wall finishing process, shall cover the complete opening, and shall be listed for the purpose of cable protection.
In both exposed and concealed locations, where the cable is installed parallel to framing members, such as joists, rafters, or studs, or is installed parallel to furring strips, the cable shall be secured so that the nearest outside surface of the cable is not less than 19 mm (3⁄4 inch) from the nearest edge of the framing member or furring strip where nails or screws are likely to penetrate. Where this distance cannot be maintained, the cable shall be protected from penetration by nails or screws by a steel plate, sleeve, or equivalent at least 1.6 mm (1/16 inch) thick. A listed and marked steel plate less than 1.6 mm (1/16 inch) thick that provides equal or better protection against nail or screw penetration shall be permitted for this purpose.
Exception: For concealed work in finished buildings, or finished panels for prefabricated buildings where such supporting is impracticable, it shall be permitted to fish the cable between access points.
