romex in conduit / Through sill plate

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tdjs

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I have an inspector that wants the romex to be in 6" of conduit that passes through the wall base plate inside the wall cavity when coming up from the floor below.I told him that this is to be done on the outside of a finish wall where it is exposed work [334.15.]He wants it done during the rough in stage.I asked him whats wrong using nail plate protectors on end on the bottom of the wall sill plate.He still wants it be installed in some form of conduit for nail penetration problems.He says it's in the International Building Code.Has anybody come across this?
 
I don't see anything in the IBC that would restrict this. It would be covered under 712 penetrations but I would need more details if this is a fire rated assembly that your passing through. But since your using romex is this residential use that would fall under the IRC. Can you get a code reference from this inspector?
 
glene77is said:
Where is this citation? IRC or NEC ?
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712 penetrations comes from the IBC. Chapter 7 is titled Fire resistance rated construction.

Article 712 is dealing with penetrations in fire resistance rated construction.

What that section basically says is that if an NM cable penetrates a fire resistance rated wall or floor/roof/ceiling assembly, then the penetration must be protected by either a though-penetration fire-stoping system or assembly, or a membrane penetration fire-stopping system or assembly.

Chris
 
The inspector in this case is incorrect. I would seek a higher authority unless you have a local rule. I think it would be an absurd rule. Do the plumbers have to sleeve their water lines and drain lines when they penetrate a floor inside a wall cavity? I doubt it. :smile:
 
The inspector sounds like he may be confused by the wording and is now embarassed to let you know he made a mistake. You are correct in the fact that this requirement is for the installation of the wiring inside of a wall cavity.

Most partitions, walls, ceilings and floors of a one-family dwelling are not of a fire-rated assembly. In dwellings the two areas of which may be considered for fire rating are; where the attached garage is common to living space, and the furnace/boiler room if it is inside of a room.
 
Confused inspector

Confused inspector

This is only residential work ,the inspector is a county building inspector only. I asked him why the plumbers don't sleeve their pipes ,he said just the romex wire is required to be protected.I discussed this with the local state electrical inspector and he just laughed because somebody else mentioned it to him.I think he is using his AHJ. So thats how it's going to be.
 
raider1 said:
712 penetrations comes from the IBC. Chapter 7 is titled Fire resistance rated construction.
Article 712 is dealing with penetrations in fire resistance rated construction.
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Raider,
Thanks. The world gets bigger each year.
And this is probably NOT a fire rated wall. :smile:
 
tdjs said:
This is only residential work ,the inspector is a county building inspector only. I asked him why the plumbers don't sleeve their pipes ,he said just the romex wire is required to be protected.I discussed this with the local state electrical inspector and he just laughed because somebody else mentioned it to him.I think he is using his AHJ. So thats how it's going to be.
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That is how it's going to be if you do it. He is wrong. Don't do it.
 
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