Hanging MC Cable Questions...

[legotech7]

Got a lot of help here on a previous thread for a sub panel to garage. Now I have some questions on running wires through out my metal building. Initially I thought I could just run some romex ( 14-2, and 12-2 ) through out the building. But doing some research I thought I might run some MC. Here is where I stumped on. I have metal studs in my building, but as I was reading further, A lot of the metal studs used for framing have through holes used to run wiring. The framing in my garage is all solid no holes anywhere. So how am I to run the wiring I mentioned through out my building? Am I able to use the romex as first planned? Or the MC cable? Can I just go over the metal studs? And if so, how would I secure them if needed? Sorry if the questions a perplexing, because they certainly are to me.... I could use more clarity on this

Any help would be greatlly appreciated.......

 

[rockwithjason]

You can drill holes in the center of the stud for the cable. I recommend using bushings for ease of installation. You can use romex as long as you bush all of the holes but i dont recommend it. You can use 1 hole straps to secure the mc but you will have to find an appropriate fastener for the romex

 

[legotech7]

rockwithjason, So just drill through each stud and run the mc cable or romex? What type of bushings do you mean? I'm not clear on that... I'm sorry, this is really new to me, so please bear with me. What do you mean by bushing the holes. I need to make sure that running romex through drilled metal studs is permissible. Would doing it this way pass an inspection? If I can run the romex, I think that would be easier for me.

 

[dw1]

You can get 1/2" (Trade Size) plastic snap in bushings, they are cheaper and better quality from Supply House, rather than individually pakaged at HD or Lowes, get a 7/8" hole saw to drill your holes in the metal studs. You can use Romex

 

[rockwithjason]

Google greenlee gl712a100 and that will show you the bushings. You can run romex and pass an inspection. The cable must be protected from any sharp edge or anything else that might damage it. If you pass thru a stud do it in the center so no screws will hit the cable. The cable must be 1 1/4 in from any surface or protected with a nail plate

 

[pattenp]

Go to a tool rental place and see if you can rent a metal stud punch. A lot easier than drilling.

 

[_Dock_]

Go to a tool rental place and see if you can rent a metal stud punch. A lot easier than drilling.

Do the above... Or one of these, don't skimp on the hole saw, this thing will eat through a thin metal stud and you wont need to debur the hole...

http://www.lowes.com/pd_125687-1270...l=1&currentURL=?Ntt=ideal+hole+saw&facetInfo=

 

[legotech7]

Wow guys, your knowledge is invaluable. I would much rather use the romex, and I think the the hole saw will work great. As far as elec. outlet placement, does the 4 feet from the floor still hold with the romex?

Thank you gemtlemen, for the info and the pics. When I get to hanging the lights, I might have a few more questions..... Thanks again.....

 

[Rock knocker]

, does the 4 feet from the floor still hold with the romex?

No required height except for ADA, and it can't create a dangerous situation

 

[legotech7]

Thank you Rock knocker..................... Cool Beans......

 

[legotech7]

Ok, I was in my building sizing up my electrical project. Where to rout the romex, and where to put the outlets that I need. My building is pretty raw... if you will. I will not be covering up the walls with sheet rock or any sort of insulation as of yet. So, the suggestions of using the romex through the steel post's or studs with the plastics bushings appealed to me more. But than I thought wouldn't I need to protect that romex from any sort of damage just like it says to do for the MC cable? Can I run the romex along the inside if the beams? I hope I'm explaining this correctly... In the first pic, ( I know pretty messy ) you can see the beams I'm talking about. This Is the wall where the service entrance will be coming through. If I run the romex from the subpanel going up away from anything that might damage the wire than back down to my outlets and so on, would that be satisfactory?..... The other pic of the angled beams is where I plan to hang my lights... If not I may be relegated in to using the MC cable?.... Thanks again for all you input...........

 

[_Dock_]

A lot of it depends on your local AHJ, call and tell them what you want to do, most will talk to you about your project as it may keep them from having to come out multiple times.

 

[alfredeneuman]

I will not be covering up the walls with sheet rock or any sort of insulation as of yet.

In that case the inspector may want you to either finish the walls off or use conduit.

 

[legotech7]

So perhaps, I might have to do it in12-2 MC?

 

[alfredeneuman]

So perhaps, I might have to do it in12-2 MC?

MC Cable shares the same "subject to physical damage" restrictions as Romex.

You'd have to run conduit, be it flex, pvc 80, or EMT.

 

[legotech7]

Doing some research alfredeneuman, I believe, you may be correct. But again, and please forgive the redundancy, is it possible to run 12-2 romex sheathed wire in the metal conduit? Or do I have to pull the wires individually through it? This what I thought would be a quick project is turning out to be a big one, and can only do this as time permits... Added note: Looking furhter, I understand that romex is ok in metal conduit but only in dry locations. So I'm assuming that the inside of my garage is a dry location, correct?.........

Thanks All........

 

[Aceman]

In that case the inspector may want you to either finish the walls off or use conduit.

This.

 

[alfredeneuman]

Doing some research alfredeneuman, I believe, you may be correct. But again, ....... is it possible to run 12-2 romex sheathed wire in the metal conduit? Or do I have to pull the wires individually through it? correct?.........

I am correct, believe me.

It's OK to run Romex through conduit. Because of the difference between physical size of the romex vs individual wires, you'd generally need a bigger conduit with romex to avoid overfilling the conduit.

 

[jgorm]

I just went through this same issue. I retuned the MC and bought THHN spools and EMT. $500 later I'm on my way!

 

[legotech7]

Yep I think I'll probably use the romex. conduit combination, but I'll go with the 3/4" conduit. I was a bit worried about the cost of all this, but what are you gonna do? It is what it is.............. I started the subpanel part of this project, and when I get done, I'll wait a while to plumb the garage, all before the summer , I hope......................

 

[happy2rv]

As others suggested on your other thread, I definitely wouldn't punch holes in the metal framing shown in the pictures. If it were me, I would probably run conduit along the surface strapped to the face of the metal upright "studs." Personally, if I could work the conduit into the triangle at the top between the brace from the wall to the ceiling, I would run the horizontal runs there and drop down from that for each location. If you are good with a bender, you could bend the conduit coming down so that the boxes could be mounted to the sides of the "studs" and the conduit could run beside them and not have all the conduit below those angled supports flush.

I know the romex is cheaper, but it will be much more difficult to work with in conduit and may end up requiring much more conduit. I'm not an electrician, but I have a fairly extensive DIY background in electrical. So having said that I'm not 100% up on specific code requirements, but do have a general understanding. I'm sure some of the professional electricians here (and perhaps some of the less professional) will have more specifics, but I believe that attempting to put more than 1 12/2 nm-b (romex) into a 3/4" conduit will exceed it's rated fill capacity and I know from experience that it would exceed any normal person's desire to attempt to push it through a run of any length. With THHN, you could run many THHN 12 gauge conductors through the single horizontal run dropping to the appropriate vertical drop for each location. Just glancing at a chart, based on fill capacity you could have 16 THHN 12's in a 3/4" EMT. There may be other factors that limit that number, but certainly more than the 3 conductors required for 1 circuit.