romex in commercial applications

[smooneyham62]

Under what article does it state where you can and cannot use romex in commerical applications? There is a contractor using romex in a steel frame commerical building with the studs being wood and this has caused quiet a stir with fellow contractors.

 

[iwire]

Under what article does it state where you can and cannot use romex in commerical applications?

None, the NEC does not prohibit NM in commercial work.

 

[roger]

334.10 for uses permitted and 334.12 for uses not permitted.

Roger

 

[celtic]

What State you are in might be helpful with NEC amendments and such things.

 

[cowboyjwc]

What State you are in might be helpful with NEC amendments and such things.

Or city for that matter.

 

[dcspector]

Agreed with Roger, Bob, Celtic and John...ask the local AHJ.

 

[cowboyjwc]

I don't have a problem with it, though I'm not real crazy about it in commercial, but I also don't have an ordinace saying you can't. Right up the street in Los Angeles they don't allow it in commercial. In the City of Beverly Hills they don't allow it anywhere, commercial or residential.

I do believe that some of that is because some guys just like to write ordinances.:wink:

 

[ishium 80439]

One county here has a prohibition on commercial over 10,000 sf.

When the rule was first changed (was it the '96?) I drove by a new supermarket that was being pulled in romex. I am by no means a romex averse person but I thought that was a little much.

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

I to this day cannot see why there is such a fuss over NM cable as a wiring method used in "commercial" applications. I can show one many pictures of AC or MC cable that would make the casual observer say why do they use this wiring method in commercial work.

There are many buildings in our area (an area that has not permitted NM cable in buildings over 3 stories) that are HUD buildings, well over 15 stories and not only are they NM, they are wired in Aluminum...they were built back in the early 70's, yet for some strange reason they are still standing.

 

[izak]

I agree with Pierre

however, I can see one problem with wiring a supermarket in romex - as far as the code is concerned.
in my state a supermarket could easily be considered a 'place of assembly' (100 persons or more)

that is really the only place the code says anything about NM is places of assembly, buildings over 3 stories without sprinklers, and above lay-in ceilings that dont have sheet-rock tiles (30 min finish rating)

of course without the obvious things like aircraft hangars, all classXdivX locations and stuff like that