Wire tie Romex-NM to BX?


  #1  
Old 01-15-05, 02:13 PM
C
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: USA
Posts: 229
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Wire tie Romex-NM to BX?

Im adding a couple receptacles for a new workbench, which is near my old bench and its single duplex receptacle. Ive run the Romex of the new bench and I want to connect it to the existing old-bench receptacle. The existing receptacle has its main BX feed coming down from a junction box on one of the floor joists. The Romex I just added needs to run right next to it.

Would it be OK to wire tie the new Romex run to the existing BX run? (the BX is already stapled to the back of a shelf on the old bench, but I dont have any more room for stapling the Romex because they stapled the BX to one of the 2x4s, and there is no board on the back of the shelf except for old panelling that probably wont hold staples very well).

Thanks!!!
-Chris
 
  #2  
Old 01-15-05, 04:22 PM
M
Member
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Bella Vista, AR
Posts: 51
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Yes, zip ties are perfectly fine to use. In commerical buildings, we zip tie our MC cable (BX) up to the ceiling grid wire as a support, in lightning protection, the 4/0 wire is zip tied to the rigid pipe, etc. There are some cases that you may not want to use them, however for your case it is perfectly fine, providing your city doesn't have any trouble with them. Anyways, they do make wire staples that can accept 2 wires under them, being stacked on eachother that is. If you feel better about that, go to your local electrical supply store or lowes or home depot and you should be able to find some. Being you will habve BX and Romex stacked, it may not work and you probably don't want to use staples on MC cable now that I think about it.

Paul
 
  #3  
Old 01-15-05, 04:35 PM
R
Member
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Central New York State
Posts: 13,245
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
NM type cable needs to be protected. IT cannot (and should not for safety reasons) be in such a way that it can get damaged by tools. A workbench is a place where damage might occur.

Protected is a subjective call. What some would call protected, others would not.

For your own safety, and the safety of your family, make sure that the NM cable is not going to get damaged.
 
  #4  
Old 01-15-05, 06:16 PM
C
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: USA
Posts: 229
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Thanks for the responses.

The only area that the NM cable is exposed is on this run next to the metal BX. Its an a mostly inconspicuous area, but, it would be visible (its near our hot water heater, so no work really gets done in that area). Its actually mounted on the opposite side of a shelf thats connected to the old workbench. Nothing else is on the panel where its stapled, nor would anything be put there.

So, if I wanted to protect it more, could I run it thru conduit, and perhaps zip tie the conduit to the BX? If not, Ill have to come up with a way to hold the conduit down just to be sure the NM doesnt get damaged. The rest of the NM run is nicely tucked above the new bench on the sill plate of the house, and then run along a joist over the old bench. The only area in question right now is the easiest way to safely get it to the existing receptacle.

Thanks!!!
-Chris
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: