Why Romex Doesn't Belong in Conduit: Quality and Longevity

Comments · 290

• JO

  @jonwikan3986 · 2 years ago

  Yes, you can run NM in conduit and should when it&apos;s vulnerable to damage. Code recommends using conduit in this case 334.15 I believe. <br>I have read about heat buildup. Are they crazy? NM(Romex) is usually ran inside bays with insulation often spray foam; talk about a chance for heat buildup, especially in an attic.<br>So, while I wouldn&apos;t use conduit for a whole house for NM I would use it in a basement from joist bay to an outlet on a concrete wall that&apos;s exposed. Or where the wire might get trashed. In fact my home passed electrical inspection with NM in conduit in similar situations and here in Westchester NY code enforcement can be quite stringent. I hope this clears up the situation of contradictory codes.

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• WI

  @williamgrissom9022 · 2 years ago (edited)

  My AC stopped working, in a packaged outdoor unit with gas heater. &nbsp;I pulled the cover and using schematic and multimeter poked thru the compressor wiring. &nbsp;I found the two wires from the 220 VAC contactor going to the compressor were hot, so why wouldn&apos;t the compressor run? &nbsp;Pulled that panel and found one of the factory terminals at the compressor had melted away. &nbsp;It had just spade slide-on connectors. &nbsp;Apparently, corrosion had increased the contact resistance to generate heat. &nbsp;Enough of a stub sticking out of the compressor that I was able to wrap and solder the wire to it. &nbsp;I cleaned the other terminal well and coated with silicone grease. &nbsp;In Atlanta and the HVAC was on the drier sunny side of the house. &nbsp;A good guess is the same failure happened all over the southeast since problem was with the factory design and execution. &nbsp;I recall I had wired the short distance from the disconnect box to HVAC input w/ NM cable inside liquid-tight flex conduit to protect it. &nbsp;Large overhangs on the 1-story roof so the HVAC didn&apos;t get much rain even though outside. &nbsp;I don&apos;t see a concern with that vs using individual wires inside the liquid-tight conduit. &nbsp;If an NEC violation, that sounds subjective.

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• RS

  @rswind1964 · 2 years ago

  have scraps of different wire or conduit so us newbies can learn the terms. &nbsp;Thanks

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• DR

  @drsus0 · 1 year ago

  my 110 year old craftsman home still has the knob and tube wiring with zero issues lol! ...yes yes, were upgrading it, but there zero problems as of today.

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• HA

  @haroldharris1621 · 2 years ago

  Thank You For the Power of Integrity In Working On Anything We Do. God Bless

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• SG

  @SgtJoeSmith · 2 years ago

  I added 2 semi outdoor outlets to side of shop. I say semi cause they have carport roof over them and 1 Also walls blocking the weater and tarp over door so practically inside. Had some outdoor/direct bury wire left over and ran that through few feet of conduit on outside of wall down to outlets just to keep wire from getting bumped or knicked. Used gfci and wr outlets in outdoor enclosures. Rain can&apos;t reach them but gets humid in summer. Looks nice and should last longer than rest the building

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• WA

  @waguinhonagringa · 2 years ago (edited)

  Ok, u can do putting 4-12/2 Romex in a 1” pvc pipe? ( for island) like 7” to wall from island!

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• KE

  @KevinCoop1 · 2 years ago

  Ok, you are correct Romex is not approved for use in damp or wet locations. &nbsp; Couple more important points. &nbsp; Stripping off the outer jacket is a violation as well. &nbsp; Conductors approved for use in wireways has the required information stamped on the conductors. &nbsp; NM cables are stamped on the jacket, and not on the conductors. &nbsp; So, stripped jacket is a violation.<br>Another violation was in your story. &nbsp;If short circuit, it is required to find the problem and repair before turning the breaker back on. &nbsp;<br>And another probable violation. &nbsp;Manufacturers instructions are required to be followed. &nbsp; Circuit breakers are guaranteed to trip one time in short circuit condition. &nbsp; Manufacturer (if called) will ask how many amps went through the breaker during the short circuit, to which you will reply, “I have no idea”. &nbsp; The response will be, send it to us and we can inspect it.

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• KE

  @kendocashwell4537 · 2 years ago

  My response to your question of &quot;how long&quot;? My time line would be &quot;two generations&quot;. What I do for the father, when he is my younger self, should last through out his life &quot;and&quot; his son&apos;s. This way any change to the environment code, &nbsp;will be addressed at that time and by who ever now needs to improve it after a lifetime of reliable and trustable use.

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• WI

  @willpartin622 · 3 years ago

  I just found out about your channel and subscribed after watching a couple videos. Awesome work and thank you!

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• TR

  @TrendyStone · 3 years ago

  I enjoyed your video but think the title is misleading since you can indeed put romex in conduit as long as you follow the rules, like dry environments (conduit in a garage assuming the size is appropriate).

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• MO

  @monteclark1115 · 2 years ago

  Sadly when I got my first electrical job as a helper 29 years ago, we were working on a brand new apartment complex and we stubbed the Romex from the disconnects through the flashing where the refrigerant lines passed through the wall. We stripped it and just slid the seal tight right over it. Some of the wires were too short so my journeyman handed me a bunch of yellow butt splices and had me make splices inside the flex. Even though I was green, I knew this wasn’t right but I was just a helper and had no say. As a journeyman today, I will never do anything like that.

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