Pole Barn Wiring - Can I run wire on girts behind posts?

[Imusprofit]

Finished the interior 2x6 framing for insulation and sheet rock in my 36 x 40 pole barn. The girts are nailed horizontially to the outside of the posts, and the siding is screwed to the girts leaving a 1 1/2" gap between the posts and metal siding. Can I run the wire for my outlets on top of the girts to avoid drilling holes in the posts? If so, I can also run wire around the post corners without drilling posts. Is this code?

 

[Fueler]

I have a PB. If you have no plans for putting more insulation in there and you have no plans to hang anything on the wall it sounds like you could do that.
In a shop environment I think you want the electrical exposed for easy changes down the road. I came down from the top and all the boxes and switches are located on the poles.

Any outlets that needed to be placed in between the uprights are installed after insulation and wallboard and feed off of the lines running down the poles. So far that has only been necessary a couple of places for equipment.
On some poles I have 2 quad boxes (8 outlets). Can't have too many.
My air line drops also come down the same poles so allow room when planning so things look half way centered.

oops, never mind. I see 2x6. You are planning on a really thick wall with the poles not exposed?

 

[samert111]

Interesting question and I didn't even think about it when I did exactly what you have asked. I will be watching this thread to see what the experts have to say.

 

[mobetta]

ive seen that done many times. not sure about your AHJ.

 

[rodnok1]

That's what I did, I did however run the wires up higher to protect them but I'm not insulating.

 

[Aceman]

The way I read 300.4(D) I would say you need to have at least 1.25" spacing from your cable and the outside tin. Which would be impossible the way you'd like to run it.

So I'd run it on the flat part of the 2x6 and bore the posts. Where it's exposed, I'd make sure the wiring is well above 8 feet. Any lower than that, and the inspector would most likely want you to put it in conduit due to physical protection issues.

 

[imavanner2]

i ran it on the inside of the gerts and around the post and was told that was the way to do it township inspecter would not alow me to drill through the post. i am still doing the wiring. make sure you use plenty of staples so the wire ls tot sagging. ill get pics up today.
Chris

 

[Imusprofit]

I plan to insulate and sheet rock the interior. I just didn't think drilling holes in structural members was a smart idea. If allowed, it would also solve the problem going around corner posts.

 

[Imusprofit]

I have a PB. If you have no plans for putting more insulation in there and you have no plans to hang anything on the wall it sounds like you could do that.
In a shop environment I think you want the electrical exposed for easy changes down the road. I came down from the top and all the boxes and switches are located on the poles.

Any outlets that needed to be placed in between the uprights are installed after insulation and wallboard and feed off of the lines running down the poles. So far that has only been necessary a couple of places for equipment.
On some poles I have 2 quad boxes (8 outlets). Can't have too many.
My air line drops also come down the same poles so allow room when planning so things look half way centered.

oops, never mind. I see 2x6. You are planning on a really thick wall with the poles not exposed?

I just framed between the 6x4 posts and made them all flush to the face of the post. That way, I was able to screw the back of the 2x6 studs right to the horizontal girts. And let me tell you, those flimsey metal walls are now extremely rigid and dont ratttle anymore when the wind blows.

 

[MN BIANCHI]

Are you planning on using Romex cable?

I was required to use conduit on the pole barn I built a year ago.

Most of the conduit was surface mounted on finished interior walls.

Some of the circuits used BX cable hidden in the walls.

My pole building uses girts on both the interior and exterior sides of the walls.

 

[sealer]

I wired my pole barn exactly the way you want to. The wiring is not in conduit, and the inspector never said a word about it.

 

[Mattlt]

I nailed mine to the underside of the wall girts. Provides a little more protection for the wire that way.

My thoughts anyway.

 

[Rick98Z]

Wow I love this site, anything I am thinking of doing with my PB I search a little on here and boom...someone is experience the same thing! My post are 6x6 and I was planning on framing in 2x4 walls in between them but still insulating with 6" insulation with housewrap stapled to the inside of the posts and then to the girts which are only along the outside of the posts so the insulation wont touch any metal siding. I was also wondering about how to best run the wiring...

 

[6768rogues]

If you do decide to drill the posts, aim for the center and you will not weaken them. I dismantled a building that had the framing drilled, and mice had tried to get through the holes in the studs and they chewed the insulation off the wires at every stud. I still find it hard to believe that every stud had bare wires and there was never a short or a fire. That said, I drilled mine and got a cat.

 

[Highbeam]

The way I read 300.4(D) I would say you need to have at least 1.25" spacing from your cable and the outside tin. Which would be impossible the way you'd like to run it.

Why is it impossible? The girts are 1.5" thick and romex is less than 1/4" wide on the flat. Seems like a great idea to avoid using a monster bit to bore through the posts as well as each stud.

 

[jumbo61]

Resurrecting this thread because I have the same concerns as OP. But what I was wondering is if flexible conduit would be considered a protective sleeve from nails? I would lay it on top of the girts. Can't get rigid metal in there with the studs. Or, what I could do it drill the studs until there is a post then bend a short piece of 1/2 slightly to get around it and put those emt/nm connectors on the ends. The exterior is osb sheathing with vinyl siding. Thanks.

 

[ishiboo]

Why is it impossible? The girts are 1.5" thick and romex is less than 1/4" wide on the flat. Seems like a great idea to avoid using a monster bit to bore through the posts as well as each stud.

How are you going to staple between posts while maintaining? They should be run through the middle of the posts, IMHO, unless there will be no interior finish and the electrical need not be to code.

 

[Highbeam]

How are you going to staple between posts while maintaining? They should be run through the middle of the posts, IMHO, unless there will be no interior finish and the electrical need not be to code.

You would staple to the girt and then bend the romex up and around the post then back down to the girt on the other side. Staple, then continue.