hello,

I am getting ready to replace some wires in my house.

the walls are wide open, so this is fairly easy, at least
in terms of accessibility.

first question: is it ok or a bad idea to staple the wire (romex)
to the exterior sheathing of the house? In some places, it is
quite a run before the wire gets to a stud to staple it.

I am under the impression that you have to staple the wire
to someting within 8" of the box. is this correct?

the main spot i have this problem is at the electrical panel.
other locations are generally closer, since the boxes are
mounted to the studs.

second question: how many pieces of romex can run through
one 3/4" hole in a stud?

thanks for the advice, in advance.

 

Not sure why you can't find a framing member to staple this to. What is holding up the sheathing if there are no framing members nearby?

Yes, staple the cable within 8" of the box. Mount a 2x4 cross brace above your panel to staple the cable to.

You can put as many cables through a hole as will comfortably fit. That number will depend on the size of the cable and the number of wires in it. As long as the cables aren't so tight as to risk damaging the cable sheathing, it's okay. However, I recommend that you make it a practice of drilling multiple holes when you have more than two or three cables. Cable separation is good for heat dissipation.

 

thanks. good point. perhaps i'm not looking at the sheathing at
my panel, but a wood paneled wall. i think i was too tired
when writing the email

thanks again.