Steel I-beams and NM-B

[jaylectricity]

Support for NM along an I-beam...there are 2X4's vertically jammed in there flush with the outer edge for them to sheetrock the beam. I'm running my cable behind the 2X4. It's pretty much resting on the bottom of the "I". I feel like it's supported and held in place by the wood, but I'm wondering if I should maybe add a staple to the back of the wood and zip tie my cable to it.

Or is there a better way, perhaps some sort of clamp made for the purpose?

 

[jaylectricity]

Some more details about the application:

It's a basement where we're not taking the ceiling down, and the joists above run one way for some of the areas and the other way for others.
For the most part I'm just cutting holes in the ceiling to run various wires, but the easiest way to get a dedicated circuit to the bathroom from one side of the basement to the other is to fish about 20' to a place where I can drop down into the new wall and then transfer to the existing I-beam and run along the center of the basement to where the bathroom is.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

In many cases it will be an authority having jurisdiction call. Imo, if the nm cable is in a place where it will not fall out during the sheetrock installation then it is probably okay.

Article 334.30 says the cable must be secured and supported so if you can meet those 2 criteria then you are good.

 

[jaylectricity]

Some more details about the application:

It's a basement where we're not taking the ceiling down, and the joists above run one way for some of the areas and the other way for others.
For the most part I'm just cutting holes in the ceiling to run various wires, but the easiest way to get a dedicated circuit to the bathroom from one side of the basement to the other is to fish about 20' to a place where I can drop down into the new wall and then transfer to the existing I-beam and run along the center of the basement to where the bathroom is.

Yeah, I'm thinking it's supported because it's resting along a steel beam, more than 1.25" from what will be the finish surface, and it's secured by being wedged behind the wood. The wood is every 2-3 feet, less than the support requirement for NM. I had to think twice before I considered it.

Another weird idea, could I use some sort of foam or glue to hold it in place? The stuff they squirt into my holes between floors comes to mind.

 

[kwired]

Yeah, I'm thinking it's supported because it's resting along a steel beam, more than 1.25" from what will be the finish surface, and it's secured by being wedged behind the wood. The wood is every 2-3 feet, less than the support requirement for NM. I had to think twice before I considered it.

Another weird idea, could I use some sort of foam or glue to hold it in place? The stuff they squirt into my holes between floors comes to mind.

Since you need to watch out for number of conductors in the cables when a hole drilled in a wood member is to be sealed and make ampacity adjustment if there are too many conductors - better watch for that in this case as well - otherwise as far as I am concerned it does secure the cable(s).