Questions Installing Romex


  #1  
Old 03-10-16, 06:33 PM
D
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: USA
Posts: 12
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Questions Installing Romex

pcboss,

I am going to put some Romex in my attic in the garage, from a new sub panel. I plan to make the attic space usable for storage. Would placing the wire runs between 2x4's or 1x2's be adequate?

2 sets of the romex runs will be 240v for shop equip, the other will be 120v

Thanks in advance....

Ed
 
  #2  
Old 03-10-16, 07:02 PM
pcboss's Avatar
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Maryland
Posts: 13,976
Received 194 Upvotes on 170 Posts
Are you running on the floor area or below the truss? How close to the access hole or attic stairs?
 
  #3  
Old 03-10-16, 08:01 PM
D
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: USA
Posts: 12
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Not sure, I haven't put an access in the ceiling yet. I'm sure I will be within 6 ft of the opening. I will be putting down plywood for a storage area. The roofline indicates that there will be some space for that.

What would you recommend?

Ed
 
  #4  
Old 03-10-16, 08:28 PM
PJmax's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Jersey
Posts: 64,928
Received 3,947 Upvotes on 3,540 Posts
Is this a truss system in the attic ? Not much weight carrying capability with a truss.

If the cables will be laying on top of joists we try to install them close to where the roof joins the floor so that they can't get damaged or stepped on.

You're talking about putting two 1"x2"s down side by side and running the cables between them ? 2"x3"s might be a little better. That should be ok as the cables are protected but what about the flooring ?
 
  #5  
Old 03-10-16, 08:57 PM
D
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: USA
Posts: 12
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
The attic is most likely a truss system.

thanks for the 2x3 idea

As far as the flooring I will probably use OSB or plywood supported by 2x4's ( if needed ) Thicker OSB will provide less flex. The weight of objects to be stored will be fairly light.

Do you think storage on a truss system is a bad idea?

2nd question. When running conduit from the surface mount sub panel into the attic space ( about 6 foot vertical hight) should the conduit passing through the ceiling sheet rock,( with the romex for my outlets) affix to a Jbox and then bare romex out of the Jbox ?

I have have been told and read that romex can be in a conduit in a dry space. I have concern of heat build up from the use of 240v shop equipment. Running (2) 240V 20amp -10/2 romex and a (1) 120v 20 amp 12/2 romex What diameter conduit would you recommend? Or is there another way?

Thanks

Ed
 
  #6  
Old 03-10-16, 10:46 PM
ray2047's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 29,711
Upvotes: 0
Received 15 Upvotes on 13 Posts
Best practice with conduit is to use individual conductors. While running cable in conduit is code compliant it is harder to pull and may require larger conduit. Short non continuous lengths of conduit are sometimes used to protect cable where exposed to possible damage,
 
  #7  
Old 03-11-16, 06:16 AM
P
Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: United States, Virginia
Posts: 1,705
Received 273 Upvotes on 230 Posts
2nd question. When running conduit from the surface mount sub panel into the attic space ( about 6 foot vertical hight) should the conduit passing through the ceiling sheet rock,( with the romex for my outlets) affix to a Jbox and then bare romex out of the Jbox ?
The conduit as a sleeve to get the Romex from the panel up the wall surface through the ceiling does not need to terminate at a box. The Romex can simply exit the end of the conduit up in the attic. If using EMT put a Push-On EMT Insulating Bushing on the end of the EMT where the Romex exits the conduit.

Romex in EMT sleeves is okay but it's best not to use Romex in EMT for normal runs of EMT for complete circuits. It's code compliant to put Romex in complete runs of conduit but you need to size conduit based on the widest dimension of the Romex when calculating wire volume.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: