Running up the chimney

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iwirehouses

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Can I run NM up the side of a chimney to get from the basement to either the first or second floor? Maybe only if its in conduit? Or if its on a runner?
 
Sure. If the wall space is open when you install it, it would need to be secured and supported. If this were an existing enclosed chimney the cable could be fished in without support. This is very common around here when running new circuits in an old house. Drop a string with a small chain attached to the end down the side of the chimney and fish in new cables.
 
infinity said:
Sure. If the wall space is open when you install it, it would need to be secured and supported. If this were an existing enclosed chimney the cable could be fished in without support. This is very common around here when running new circuits in an old house. Drop a string with a small chain attached to the end down the side of the chimney and fish in new cables.
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I agree with this we do the same here.
 
Well I don't think inside a chimney would work at all, unless your talking about one of those fake chimney's they put up for vented gas fireplaces.
 
iwirehouses said:
no, inside. thank you infinity.
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I am hoping we have some confusion here.

When you say 'inside' do you mean inside the building or inside the chimney with the smoke and heat?

You can not run wiring inside a chimney unless it is definitely a non-functional one.
 
I may be mistaken but would a chimney be concidered a plenum?? And that would be found in 300.22 ... 2002. It don't say anything about abandoned chimneys that I can see. That's assuming it's an abandoned chimney. And if it's abandoned it would no longer be concidered a plenum because it would no longer be part of the air distribution system. Please correct me if I am wrong.
 
Shockedby277v said:
I may be mistaken but would a chimney be concidered a plenum?? And that would be found in 300.22 ... 2002. It don't say anything about abandoned chimneys that I can see. That's assuming it's an abandoned chimney. And if it's abandoned it would no longer be concidered a plenum because it would no longer be part of the air distribution system. Please correct me if I am wrong.
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I don't think so. I believe 300.22 is talking about "environmental air", such as the air we breathe via a distribution system.
 
Article 100
Plenum. A compartment or chamber to which one or more air ducts are connected and that forms part of the air distribution system.

I believe a chimney would fall under this.


"I don't think so. I believe 300.22 is talking about "environmental air", such as the air we breathe via a distribution system."
Ryan_618

Wouldn't a chimney contribute to the air we breathe by distributing the smoke outside. So the chimney would be part of the environmental air distribution system even though it isn't in such a direct manner.
 
How does a chimney distribute air? And is a flue pipe connected to a chimney an air duct?
 
That is why I am posting. I don't really know. It distributes it outside doesn't it?? A fireplace is mainly for heating the air. My assumption would be it would be part of the system.
 
Shockedby277v said:
That is why I am posting. I don't really know. It distributes it outside doesn't it?? A fireplace is mainly for heating the air. My assumption would be it would be part of the system.
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This is a REAAAAAALLLLLLL sssssttttrrrreeeetttttccccchhhh!

My assumption would be it is not a part of the system.
 
Shockedby277v said:
Wouldn't a chimney contribute to the air we breathe by distributing the smoke outside. So the chimney would be part of the environmental air distribution system even though it isn't in such a direct manner.
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No. The combustion device doesn't even necessarily get it's supply from the room. In the houses I wire, there is a special combustion supply duct run to the furnace, for the furnace to breathe with.

If NM-B in the chimney burns, where will the poisonous gasses go? Outside. No one will breathe them inside the house. That's the purpose of 300.22, to limit the poisonous gasses distributed by the ventilation system to the occupants in the event of a fire.
 
georgestolz said:
That's the purpose of 300.22, to limit the poisonous gasses distributed by the ventilation system to the occupants in the event of a fire.
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Have you looked at 300.22(A)?

300.22(A) has nothing to do with recirculation.

IMO a better reference that prohibits NM inside a chimney would be 110.11

110.11 Deteriorating Agents.
Unless identified for use in the operating environment, no conductors or equipment shall be located in damp or wet locations; where exposed to gases, fumes, vapors, liquids, or other agents that have a deteriorating effect on the conductors or equipment; or where exposed to excessive temperatures.......
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I'm confused. Are we talking about an abandoned masonry chimney flue, and active chimney flue, or up a wood framed enclosure for a metal chimney?
 
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