Interior Conduit Usage?

[Micscience]

So to make a long story short. I am remodeling my kitchen with a friend who happens to do this stuff everyday.

My question is if conduit can be used inside a home with your basic12-2/12-3 wire? He told me the only conduit that can be used inside a home is if the wires are coming in the home from outside and that it can't be something like romex wire which is bundled together with a hot, nuetral and a ground. He said the wires have to be single without the second form of insulation that holds the wires together because it will create to much heat.

I personally thought that many people use conduit inside their homes. It makes for nice clean setup. Can anyone clarify this up please? Thanks

 

[wyliesdiesels]

So to make a long story short. I am remodeling my kitchen with a friend who happens to do this stuff everyday.

My question is if conduit can be used inside a home with your basic12-2/12-3 wire? He told me the only conduit that can be used inside a home is if the wires are coming in the home from outside and that it can't be something like romex wire which is bundled together with a hot, nuetral and a ground. He said the wires have to be single without the second form of insulation that holds the wires together because it will create to much heat.

I personally thought that many people use conduit inside their homes. It makes for nice clean setup. Can anyone clarify this up please? Thanks

Your friend is misinformed.

There is no restriction on using NM-b such as Romex, in conduit indoors.

however, unless you need to use the conduit because the NM-b is subject to damage, it is not advisable since it can be difficult.

why do you need to run conduit indoors?

 

[Stuart in MN]

It's a common misconception but there's nothing in the National Electric Code that prohibits installing Romex in a conduit, as long as the conduit is sized properly. However, in most cases if you're going to use conduit there's no reason to use Romex, it makes more sense to use individual THHN/THWN conductors.

 

[sberry]

You can pipe inside a house. Conduit can be used as a sleeve for physical protection but is not meant to run cables inas part of a system, kind of defeats the point of a cable, nothing is as good as single conductors in pipe. Especially steel pipe.

 

[Micscience]

Thanks for clarifying that. I wasn't planning on using conduit. The topic came up and when I asked him if he was going to use conduit that is when he told me conduit isn't supposed to be used inside.

I always liked how neat it looked when installed properly. Honestly it was when he mentioned an electrician told him to take the conduit it off because it was against code is when I really started to think about it. I would rather not go through the trouble of installing conduit unless it was maybe in a garage outside of an interior wall or if there is no sheetrock or something like that.

One more question.

I want to install one of those nice outlets with two USB ports on them in my room. Instead of feeding the wire from the basement up to the second floor would running a wire in a conduit pipe be a viable option outside and into my room?

I don't want to replace the old outlet because I only have three outlets in my room.

 

[dogdog]

It's a common misconception but there's nothing in the National Electric Code that prohibits installing Romex in a conduit, as long as the conduit is sized properly. However, in most cases if you're going to use conduit there's no reason to use Romex, it makes more sense to use individual THHN/THWN conductors.

^^^^
Not to mention harder to pull nm-b inside a conduit... and waste $$$ and effort.

 

[dummptyhummpty]

One more question.

I want to install one of those nice outlets with two USB ports on them in my room. Instead of feeding the wire from the basement up to the second floor would running a wire in a conduit pipe be a viable option outside and into my room?

I don't want to replace the old outlet because I only have three outlets in my room.

You can get them with two outlets and two USB ports so that you’re not losing an outlet. Costco usually has a two pack, otherwise Home Depot has them.

 

[Norcal]

Thanks for clarifying that. I wasn't planning on using conduit. The topic came up and when I asked him if he was going to use conduit that is when he told me conduit isn't supposed to be used inside.

I always liked how neat it looked when installed properly. Honestly it was when he mentioned an electrician told him to take the conduit it off because it was against code is when I really started to think about it. I would rather not go through the trouble of installing conduit unless it was maybe in a garage outside of an interior wall or if there is no sheetrock or something like that.

One more question.

I want to install one of those nice outlets with two USB ports on them in my room. Instead of feeding the wire from the basement up to the second floor would running a wire in a conduit pipe be a viable option outside and into my room?

I don't want to replace the old outlet because I only have three outlets in my room.

Conduit not supposed to be used inside? That’s a laugh and maybe he should tell that to Chicago and it’s suburbs where EMT is used exclusively in homes.

 

[sberry]

They use it a lot in block homes in the south, they come in right after the block, Ramset the boxes and hanger clips on the wall and then its fir strips after that for the walls.

 

[strutaeng]

Conduit not supposed to be used inside? That’s a laugh and maybe he should tell that to Chicago and it’s suburbs where EMT is used exclusively in homes.

I was just going to post the same thing! Chicago! Here's an article from Journal of Light Construction showing how ONLY EMT is used in residential:

https://www.jlconline.com/how-to/running-wire-in-conduit_o

I wish EMT was used more often in homes. I'm building an addition and plan on installing "some" empty EMT and boxes for any future work. I guess people think they can ONLY use Romex, because that's all you see?

I love the way EMT looks. I'd leave it exposed if it was me...

 

[acer66]

I was just going to post the same thing! Chicago! Here's an article from Journal of Light Construction showing how ONLY EMT is used in residential:

https://www.jlconline.com/how-to/running-wire-in-conduit_o

I wish EMT was used more often in homes. I'm building an addition and plan on installing "some" empty EMT and boxes for any future work. I guess people think they can ONLY use Romex, because that's all you see?

I love the way EMT looks. I'd leave it exposed if it was me...

Thanks for the link, I was about to ask Norcal why Chicago does that.

 

[strutaeng]

Thanks for the link, I was about to ask Norcal why Chicago does that.

The article states that it is because of the Chicago Fire. I read somewhere else it is because of labor unions? Who knows.

"When in Rome do as Romans do."

 

[b-boy]

I want to install one of those nice outlets with two USB ports on them in my room. Instead of feeding the wire from the basement up to the second floor would running a wire in a conduit pipe be a viable option outside and into my room?

I don't want to replace the old outlet because I only have three outlets in my room.

I'm not a fan of those things. In my experience the USB part is kinda fragile. They stop working after a while if they undergo any heavy use.

 

[CoogarXR]

I always wondered on those USB-outlets, if you had a few of those, if you'd see an increase in your electric bill since the 5v circuit stays on all the time. I know it wouldn't be a whole lot, but why have a parasitic charge if you don't have to.

If I was going to install one of those, it'd be on a switch.

 

[alfredeneuman]

The article states that it is because of the Chicago Fire. I read somewhere else it is because of labor unions? Who knows.

I think it's both.
The original intent was the "Cow kicked over the lantern" incident.
The Union propagated it long after other proven safe wiring methods were in use.
Knob and Tube wiring and conduit were the only options available in the early 20th century.

 

[alfredeneuman]

I always wondered on those USB-outlets, if you had a few of those, if you'd see an increase in your electric bill since the 5v circuit stays on all the time.

They draw less than $5 a year, even if they're innefficient.

If you're that worried, you could this product https://www.newertech.com/products/power2u.php/ which turns off the power to the usb port

 

[Bert_]

Knob and Tube wiring and conduit were the only options available in the early 20th century.

In those days it wasn't emt either, I don't think it was invented until sometime in the 30's?

The only option in those years was rigid if you wanted to run conduit. All the pipe and boxes were painted black instead of galvanized. Kind of interesting looking at the wiring from buildings of that era.

 

[Slowgsr]

You should see the residential guys try and bend pipe up here.

 

[alfredeneuman]

The only option in those years was rigid if you wanted to run conduit. All the pipe and boxes were painted black instead of galvanized. Kind of interesting looking at the wiring from buildings of that era.

In the really early days they ran electric through black iron gas pipe in order to retrofit the gas lights to electric.

 

[ford33]

I live in the Chicago area and we use EMT in residential everywhere. I like the look of a well done EMT conduit installation. I liked it so much I ran EMT on the outside of my interior drywall in my garage. Outlets and light fixtures all connected by EMT. It took me multiple attempts to get the bends and spacing right but people remark how nice the installation looks. It was a great learning experience and it built my confidence to work on other home electrical improvements.

I would consider installing EMT in my next house outside of Chicago where NM-b is allowed.