infloor wiring

I have been plagued with the task of getting electrical to the island in my kitchen.I dont want to come from the basement, because I would have to go through cement-asbestos sheet panel. I have been given a sugg by someone, not an electrician, of channeling out my 3/4" subfloor, and either runningromex, or running conduit in that channel. This would be covered by cement board and ceramic tile. Would this be kosher, or am I running into probs. I want to do this right, but dont want to disturb the asbestos.
Any suggestions
Thanks alot

 

May I suggest if you plan to run in the floor use a sturdy conduit. That way if in time you have to upgrade the wires you don't have to distrub the floor again, alse you don't have to worry about providing mechanical protection as conduit is the protection. Your not the first one to attempt this but i think you may find to place conduit in the channel you will need more then a 3/4 inch space. When they say 1/2 inch they are talking about the interior diameter and if you have to install a coupling it does take up a fair amount of space.

 

Thanks for the quick reply
So this is code?, or just wont cause any probs in the future?

 

alos, if I dont put it in conduit, do you have any other suggestions for mechanical protection? Or is it just not a good idea

 

With a 3/4 to a 1" channel you would have to provide the mechanical protection which would mean metal plates. Less problems to run the conduit. I see nothing in the code against doing this, as long as you follow all the rules using the proper size wire, making sure protection is adequate, use approved devices for what your doing.

 

Newgy,
I'm a little bit unclear as to where this "asbestos sheathing panel" is? Is it part of the floor?
Anyway, I grant you a one-time exemption to go ahead and drill a hole thru such panel. The asbestos thing is rather overblown, if you ask me. Seems like the miners of it were exposed to it on a daily basis for years and years and then they got asbestious and such. Hence it is dangerous and then the worrywarts conclude that if a lot of exposure is dangerous, then a little must also be dangerous. So wear a facemask if you want.
Back to the cutting of a channel into the sub-floor. This is not good. The subfloor supports your top flooring and, if you sever it, you will loose that support. Just go under the basement joists and stub up thru the floor under the island. Think simple.
-Peter

 

If the asbestos is not in the floor I would drill through the floor and fish a wire through one of the floor joist cavities.

 

The asbestos panels are on the basement ceilings and walls. maybe I should just remove all the asbestos panels. The ceiling fixtures in the basment are full of a ratsnest of wires anyway, as is alot of older homes!

 

running conduit on the floor was a very common way of wiring houses in the Chicagoland area after WW2. The pipe was run on the subfloor then the carpenters would nail down the sleepers and then the Oak floor was laid over that. As far as cutting the subfloor I agree with P Michael that you'll weaken the structure if you cut the subfloor. I'd just drill a hole in the asbestos and run a conduit to the island. Try to minimize the dust you makewhen you drill the asbestos

 

If the panel is removable, remove it. If it is not then spray it with water and drill. Keep it wet. Asbestos is only a hazard if airborne. Do a web search on asbestos and look at the removal rules. 'Friable' means you can crush it with your hands.