# Code requirements for securing/supporting wires in premanufactured panels



## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

If your fishing the wires you would not need any support for the romex. If your going thru a stud or panel each time it goes thru a stud thats a strap. What are these panels made out of?


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

Welcome to the forum.


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## alphabuilder (Jun 26, 2009)

Thanks for the reply william1978.

The panels are self supporting. They attach to the floor and the ceiling framing using a bracket system and screws. There are no studs or framing, just 4' wide by 8' high panels that are 3 1/2" thick. The panels install next to each other in a line to form a wall. The wires are pulled with string, fished, or pushed through either the 1 1/4" channel that goes horizontally through the foam insulation, or are fit into a channel cut into the back of the foam as described in my initial posting.

Occassionally, electrical inspectors have some reservations about this system because it is new, and they cannot see the wires run through channels or the chases in the foam for the rough inspection, as they can in typical stud framing.

Of course they can see the wire at the electrical and junction boxes on the rough inspection, but some inspectors want to view this as "new work" and they ask about supporting and securing the wire because they view this as a new wall assembly, and others see this as "old work" as if we are fishing in a wall assembly that is already finished.

I'd like to have some exact code references that I have confidence in as ammunition if we are going to challenge the electrical inspector in the field on the issue.

Thanks for giving this some thought!


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

If they are fished in from box to box than you don't need any straps. Do you have any pictures of this system?


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

334.30(B) should take care of any code refference needed.


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## alphabuilder (Jun 26, 2009)

Thanks again for the response.

Regarding some pictures of the systems, here are some web links:

http://www.totalbasementfinishing.com/basement-finishing/basement-walls.php

http://www.thebasementtuxedo.com/finishing-overview.php

I hope that this is helpful.


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## electric mike (Jun 15, 2009)

How were the boxes mounted on the installs you've done? Mounted to the back wall and then your panel trimmed out to fit? Probably won't shed any light on your wire securing questions but I'm just curious.


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## alphabuilder (Jun 26, 2009)

The electrical boxes that we use are a fire rated old work boxes that attaches to the front mineral board panel of the wall with the tabs that swing out and clamp to the panel. They attach very firmly and we have not had any problems with this.

Thanks.


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