Romex over drywall….

[smokey0810]

Mounting two lights on the outside of our garage. No easy access to run the romex thru the drywall to the switch I had posted earlier. Thoughts on how to run this romex to said switch?

 

[smokey0810]

Switch is at back of 2 car garage next to door to kitchen, lights are out front, one on each side of garage door.

 

[Firebrick43]

Conduit and thhn wire.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Up to attic and back down?

 

[johnre]

Is there already power to the location of the lights? If so, there are wireless switch options that could avoid any kind of wiring over to the switch location.

 

[smokey0810]

No power to new lights. Running new wire to the lights, then single wire to the switch

 

[AldeanFan]

Conduit or raceway

 

[bronc076]

I can't think of a better place to practice your drywall finishing skills than the garage walls. I'd open the wall, run the wires, close up the wall and start taping. Only difficult thing is it may be textured which would be a hard stop for me, my walls are all smooth. With a little practice my finishing is better than the guys that did the house but I would not want to do an entire house!

 

[Wiz02]

I can't think of a better place to practice your drywall finishing skills than the garage walls. I'd open the wall, run the wires, close up the wall and start taping. Only difficult thing is it may be textured which would be a hard stop for me, my walls are all smooth. With a little practice my finishing is better than the guys that did the house but I would not want to do an entire house!

I second your suggestion. Definitely worthwhile to avoid having exposed conduit or a raceway on the walls.

Best drywall finishing tip is to add water to the premixed jount compound. It really makes it easier to work with.

 

[mike93lx]

Romex can go in conduit and doesn't require it for the entire run, like thhn.

 

[BreeStephany]

Romex can go in conduit and doesn't require it for the entire run, like thhn.

You can use conduit to sleeve NMB / romex in finished spaces / where subject to damage, but you can't run NMB in complete conduit runs. If there is conduit between 2 boxes / junction points, you must use THHN, but if you are simply using the conduit as a protective sleeve, you are permitted to use NMB.

 

[mike93lx]

You can use conduit to sleeve NMB / romex in finished spaces / where subject to damage, but you can't run NMB in complete conduit runs. If there is conduit between 2 boxes / junction points, you must use THHN, but if you are simply using the conduit as a protective sleeve, you are permitted to use NMB.

Do you have a code reference for that?

There are lots of internet rumors and opinions on NM-B in conduit, but I don't know if I have ever seen something prohibiting what you are referring to. It would be great to have something solid to refer to

 

[Firebrick43]

Do you have a code reference for that?

There are lots of internet rumors and opinions on NM-B in conduit, but I don't know if I have ever seen something prohibiting what you are referring to. It would be great to have something solid to refer to

There is no code reference because it is legal but there is a lot of gotcha’s.

The raceway does NOT negate the fact that if installed out doors, underground, or wet locations need wires rated for outdoors, underground, or wet locations. So just because it’s in conduit you can’t use Romex in those three cases which is why many want to use Romex in conduit.

Second gotcha is fill percentage. Over 24” in length fill percentages govern how many conductors you can use. With Romex it’s calculated off the widest dimension of the sheath with a 40 percent fill. This means you can install only one 12-2 Romex cable in a 3/4 raceway. You would have to go to 1” for two.

THHN wires you could however put (15) 12ga conductors in 3/4” EMT.

 

[mike93lx]

There is no code reference because it is legal but there is a lot of gotcha’s.

The raceway does NOT negate the fact that if installed out doors, underground, or wet locations need wires rated for outdoors, underground, or wet locations. So just because it’s in conduit you can’t use Romex in those three cases which is why many want to use Romex in conduit.

Second gotcha is fill percentage. Over 24” in length fill percentages govern how many conductors you can use. With Romex it’s calculated off the widest dimension of the sheath with a 40 percent fill. This means you can install only one 12-2 Romex cable in a 3/4 raceway. You would have to go to 1” for two.

THHN wires you could however put (15) 12ga conductors in 3/4” EMT.

I get both of those, for sure. But the specific issue noted was complete conduit runs, which I don't believe a prohibition exists for.

 

[PCustoms]

I get both of those, for sure. But the specific issue noted was complete conduit runs, which I don't believe a prohibition exists for.

It doesn't.

More made up Internet codes.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

Surface mount a box and run THHN in EMT.

 

[DHCrocks]

instead of running a wire to the switch, have you considered using a wireless switch? This way you only need to make the run to the lights. bonus is that you can also have it on schedule to automatically turn on/off.

 

[TractorJeff]

A post mentioned Drywall skills. I would cut a hole above the switch box and another at the wall ceiling point. Go up in the overhead (attic?) push the wire down through the wall to the box. Less drywall repair!