Wire in the Hole

I'm done pulling wire in my basement - the last step was to pull the #6/3 cable that feeds my subpanel to the main service panel. I cut open the garage wall (where the main panel is) and found that there's no option do drill a new hole. The electrician drilled 4 holes (look to be an inch or bigger) through the 2x8 that the house sits on. Each hole has 5 #12/2 wires running through it except for one. That hole has 3 #12/2 wires and a #4 ground cable running through it. There was enough room in that hole to run my #6/3 cable. It was tight, but not pull with all my might tight. I was able to feed it through relatively easily. Are there rules around how many wires can go through a hole? The wire will slide back and forth easily in the holes.

Last, when the wire enters the basement it needs to run perpindicular to the joists in an unfinished part of the basement. Can I tack it to the underside of the joists, or do I need to drill through the joists? Alternatively, it can lay on the concrete foundation but there are few spots for me to tack it to the sill.

TIA,
Jim

 

Using the existing hole is fine. There is no limit on cables through a hole.

You may just attach 6/3 to the underside of the joists without further protection if you want.

 

Woo Hooo!

I didn't want to have to do that again.

You're the best - thank you very much for taking the time to hang out here and answer my sometimes stupid questions.

Jim