Running NM on edge of sill plate

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Lou N

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Crossville, TN
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Handyman
All,

I'm in the process of rewiring/adding can lights to my unfinished basement. The ceiling will be painted as is, no drop panels or drywall. I'll be using the basement space for a model railroad. Nevertheless I inherited some of the previous owners mess.

In the attached pic you can see a horizontal NM wire run which drops down to individual receptacles. I know you cannot run the NM perpendicular to the joists as it is now.

I think there's enough slack so that I can pull the staples and run the wire horizontally along the edge of the sill plate. Would that be in compliance with the code?

The ceiling in that area is about 8 1/2"

Thanks,
Lou
 

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As you've noted as depicted in the photo it is a violation, running on the sill plate would be fine.
 
spark master said:
Why is it illegal?
I have passed many AHJ inspections as the picture dictates.

What is the reasoning behind the violation ?
Click to expand...

It is another one of the many trivial violations that make people crazy. I think it is supposed to stop people from using the NM to hang things from.

It is supposed to be along the structure so it would be OK if it went up to the subfloor and back down the joist. But just crossing the open space is not allowed.
 
spark master said:
Why is it illegal?
I have passed many AHJ inspections as the picture dictates.

What is the reasoning behind the violation ?
Click to expand...

Clearly indicated as not permitted in the NEC. As Bob stated keeps people from hanging stuff from it.

334.15(C) In Unfinished Basements and Crawl Spaces. Where
cable is run at angles with joists in unfinished basements
and crawl spaces, it shall be permissible to secure cables
not smaller than two 6 AWG or three 8 AWG conductors
directly to the lower edges of the joists. Smaller cables
shall be run either through bored holes in joists or on run-
ning boards.
Click to expand...
 
And what if you drill through every floor joist, and pull romex through 20 joist ??

and what open going pependicular to roof rafters ? on the underside of a roof ??
 
ActionDave said:
It would be ok if the Romex was run though holes in the joists. Why that's ok but stapled to the bottom isn't is silly.
Click to expand...


Good question and it's been like that for decades. If we need to run along the underside of the joists in a basement we will just use MC cable.
 
spark master said:
Why is it illegal?
I have passed many AHJ inspections as the picture dictates.

What is the reasoning behind the violation ?
Click to expand...
The violation is 334.12(C), where you are allowed only #8 and larger to be stapled under the joists. I have also seen installs with cables, ground wires, etc stapled in the corner like that, but it is a violation.
 
So technically, you can bang 2x3's on the underside of the joist, and run against that ?


The facrt is, if I run Romex along the floor joist, in one of those fancy clips that hold 3 pieces of stacked Romex, I can still put a coat hanger on it.
 
spark master said:
So technically, you can bang 2x3's on the underside of the joist, and run against that ?


The facrt is, if I run Romex along the floor joist, in one of those fancy clips that hold 3 pieces of stacked Romex, I can still put a coat hanger on it.
Click to expand...

It is an idiotic rule, like many in the code. Why is it OK to hang things on a #8 Romex but not a #10?
 
ok, let's all drill through 20 floor joist, weakening the structure. Hours of extra work, and mess.
Just in case, someone uses Romex as a closet bar.

What's just as dumb... I can hang something off Romex no matter which direction it's strung in a basement.
The stacker Romex hangers sure make it easier.... now that the Romex is an inch off the floor joist even though it's running within the bay.

This world is about protecting the dumb & stupid.

and I can't remember the last time I had to fix damaged Romex in a basement ceiling.
The only damaged Romex I came across is when the sheathing gets ripped because it's being pulled though floor joist.:slaphead:
 
not long ago and old lady in her 80's walked me across her basement cane in right hand, reached up NM cable in her left to keep her balance.

Over the years tension on stapled NM cable has damaged the cable, it is subject to being damaged when exposed this rule is an attempt to protect the cable from being damaged
 
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