[OneTripper]

Hello Folks,

I'm moving my shop to a new garage. This spider-infested bugger has unfinished walls (ie with exposed framing). Down the road I may want to insulate and hangdrywall, so I want to run all the wiring with that in mind.

But I really don't want to run EMT. So my question is, if I run romex as though for finished walls but don't finish the walls just yet, will that violate the 2008 NEC? Specifically, I wish to run feeder circuits downstream of the subpanel using NM cable, where the horizontal runs are thru holes drilled in the studs or rafters or, for gable ends, stapled to the top of the upper sill. For vertical runs, cable would be stapled to the center of the wide face of the studs.

Oh... what about plastic boxes?

Thanks

 

[J. V.]

The rule is the NM cannot be subject to physical damage. Run your NM cables and set all your boxes for lighting and receptacles with the future addition of drywall addressed. I see no problem with your approach. However your AHJ may think differently. Do you own this property?

 

[ScottR]

horizontal runs are thru holes drilled in the studs

^^^ That's the only place where I think you'd have a problem.

If you did the horizontal runs either at the top of the wall, or along the top plate and then just did a vertical drop for each recep. you'd probably be in good shape.

If you don't want to use EMT, consider AC.

IMO if you're going to use the garage heavily as a workshop, AC (or any metal covered wire) is the way to go. I know I've dinged my walls quite a few times moving materials around... Better off that I didn't hit any exposed NM.

Plastic boxes are OK if you end up going the NM route.

 

[OneTripper]

Thanks for the replies, yes I own the place, and both of you made excellent comments. After I posted I ran into some pro electricians at Home Despot unloading a trailer, so I pitched in some help in exchange for talking over my job for free. They basically said the same as you, though they suggested just tacking in scrap 2x4 to give the vertical romex runs and plastic boxes some protection from accidental impact until the walls get covered.

 

[theatretch85]

they suggested just tacking in scrap 2x4 to give the vertical romex runs and plastic boxes some protection from accidental impact until the walls get covered.

Just what I was going to say, be a lot less wire to have to go up and back down again. You can staple the wire to the under side of the 2x4 blocks, I know in my basement remodel, these blocks were required. Came in handy in a few areas where I just stapled the romex to the block.


And I think you might have meant "horizontally" not "vertically" in your last post...

 

[OneTripper]

No, Theat, I meant vertically. This was a retrofit in an existing backyard shop. I tucked runs in the rafters above the top plate, nice and out of the way. Sure it used more wire, but that was cheap compared to the time and effort of moving stuff to stick the runs in the walls. The drops got scraps of plywood nailed across the wall cavities. Problem solved. Thanks everyone.