# Life of the Romex we put in today?



## ilikepez (Mar 24, 2011)

I've been wondering how long the Romex we put in today is expected to last. Basically the life of the house or are people going to be ripping it out in 50 or 60 years like many are doing with k&t?


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## Magnettica (Jan 23, 2007)

Today's romex should last at least 400 years.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Unless someone wants to change it, it won't be a concern of mine by then.


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

I think somewhere between 125 and what Mag said.


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## 220/221 (Sep 25, 2007)

The rubber/cloth KT insulation has broken down badly in every installation I have seen.

Except for the failing cloth sheath, the romex from the 50's is usually in remarkable shape. That was 60 years ago so I'll give modern romex a hundred years easy. It will last as long as the structure does.

I've often wondered how long a tract house could last if maintained. Certainly a hundred years.


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## joethemechanic (Sep 21, 2011)

My house was built in 1953 and it's full of that NM wire with the plastic insulation on the wire, and that woven jacket.

It's all still workable when I have to change a device


so that stuff is 58 years old,,,,,,,,,,,

if that is any indication


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## joethemechanic (Sep 21, 2011)

220/221 said:


> The rubber/cloth KT insulation has broken down badly in every installation I have seen.
> 
> Except for the failing cloth sheath, the romex from the 50's is usually in remarkable shape. That was 60 years ago so I'll give modern romex a hundred years easy. It will last as long as the structure does.
> 
> I've often wondered how long a tract house could last if maintained. Certainly a hundred years.


reading my mind lol


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## cultch (Aug 2, 2011)

The stuff they made in the 50's was prolly made better that whats made now. That old nm is some tuff stuff.


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## joethemechanic (Sep 21, 2011)

It's funny, when I was growing up, everyone said these Levittown houses were built cheap.

In my opinion, they were built like tanks

I'm not exactly in Levittown, I'm 5 miles away in a small Levittown clone development. Same subcontractors built all this stuff.

$9,999 houses lol


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## ilikepez (Mar 24, 2011)

cultch said:


> The stuff they made in the 50's was prolly made better that whats made now. That old nm is some tuff stuff.


That is what I'm wondering. I'm sure they are better able to formulate and make plastics, but they don't get to use the toxic chemicals they used to either.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

Hopefully the NM last until you get paid and warranty is up.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

well it _might _just tick along until the next millenuim

unless the manufactuers run low on majic widget sales that keep all those bloody do gooders tellin' the world what/how/where they can _sh*t_ in thier own homes happy....

then they'll saddle up together to demonize romex , and ride off into that self rigtheous sunset _legislated_ for them by Congresscritters who wouldn't know an outlet from an omlet.....

~CS~


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## electricmanscott (Feb 11, 2010)

Who cares. I'll be dead. :thumbup:


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Yes but George Jetson the 2062 sparky will find _your _name on the panel Scott....~CS~


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## leland (Dec 28, 2007)

Who cares? If it last a year thats good. Change it,charge it. moe money.

They realy ought to make the NM like everything else. DISPOSABLE.

Do a good job- the phone never rings.


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## freeagnt54 (Aug 6, 2008)

chicken steve said:


> well it _might _just tick along until the next millenuim
> 
> unless the manufactuers run low on majic widget sales that keep all those bloody do gooders tellin' the world what/how/where they can _sh*t_ in thier own homes happy....
> 
> ...



Well I think I could safely bet my life on that it won't last up until the next millennium


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## mbednarik (Oct 10, 2011)

i do think it will last longer than any of the older nm's, mainly because of the 90c conductor requirement. Also the conductors behind light fixtures are always brittle from the heat of the fixture, i think with cfl's and led's, the wiring behind these will definitely last longer.


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## dmxtothemax (Jun 15, 2010)

I think a life of 25 years would be minimal,
Even more under ideal conditions 50 not unusual.
Even up to 100 is seen sometimes.
but only if left alone and not disturbed.
Once you disturb old cable the sheifing usually crumbles.

But one thing is for sure,
the newer cables are made to a price !
so dont expect them to last like the older cables have !

But I think 25 to 50 years is realistic for new cable.


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## MarkyMark (Jan 31, 2009)

UL did a study on this. If you want, google Residential Electrical System Aging Research Project. Basically what they did is go to over a hundred houses built from the 1920's throught the 1970's which were scheduled for demolition, and inspect the electrical system.

Essentially what they found was that older wire was pretty much fubar until the introduction of thermoplastic wire jacketing. Undisturbed NM wire from about the early 60's on was pretty close to new in terms of resistance and dielectric potential.*
​*


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## RePhase277 (Feb 5, 2008)

The wiring behind the walls will last indefinitely, but I would expect today's residential grade devices to last maybe 25 years, and spec grade stuff probably 75 to 100 years.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

MarkyMark said:


> UL did a study on this. If you want, google Residential Electrical System Aging Research Project. Basically what they did is go to over a hundred houses built from the 1920's throught the 1970's which were scheduled for demolition, and inspect the electrical system.
> 
> Essentially what they found was that older wire was pretty much fubar until the introduction of thermoplastic wire jacketing. Undisturbed NM wire from about the early 60's on was pretty close to new in terms of resistance and dielectric potential.*
> ​*


There you go ruining a good thread with facts.:blink:


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## joethemechanic (Sep 21, 2011)

brian john said:


> There you go ruining a good thread with facts.:blink:


I always have that problem with preachers


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## Bkessler (Feb 14, 2007)

I don't think the romex I install has much of a life, it just sits there in the walls and attic all day.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

Bkessler said:


> I don't think the romex I install has much of a life, it just sits there in the walls and attic all day.


Good point...:laughing::laughing:


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## EJPHI (May 7, 2008)

Most things manufactured in high-volume nowdays are engineered to be good enough.

There are very good models for failure of everthing from plastics to automotive transmissions.

Just like the transmission in you modern car won't handle 100 hp more than the original design required, the plastics in romex are no better than they have to be.

That said, what is good enough?

The manufacturers of this know and they probably won't say!


EJPHI


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## micromind (Aug 11, 2007)

Good as it is though, when uncle Bobs solution to recurring breaker tripping is to 'put a 30 on it' this will very likely cut back on its life a bit.

Especially if it's 14.


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## Bkessler (Feb 14, 2007)

HARRY304E said:


> Good point...:laughing::laughing:


Only two laughing smiley's, I was hoping for 3 or 4.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

Bkessler said:


> Only two laughing smiley's, I was hoping for 3 or 4.


Yeah i must be slipping up.


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## MarkyMark (Jan 31, 2009)

brian john said:


> There you go ruining a good thread with facts.:blink:


Sorry. I thought a thread could only be ruined by too many smilies.
:laughing::thumbup::no::whistling2:


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