# Mobile Home wiring



## Metersocket648 (Feb 8, 2021)

So I have a question about rewiring old mobile homes. I have a 20 amp circuit ran with 12/2 NM romex and the circuit goes to a ring of outlets that are all on the outside walls of the mobile home, there are 2 outlets in the living room, then 3 outlets in the kids room and then 2 exterior outlets. My question is that can i run the 12/2 NM romex along the floor joist on the edge? The joist is of course held up by the metal beams going across the joists and in between the joists is insulation and the bottom of the joists is lined with a big sheet of tar paper sealing the insulation and any woodwork from underneath. Now I know that the NEC Code says that any romex wire ran underneath must be put in pvc conduit and strapped tightly to the framing. But instead of doing that, could I just run it along the floor joist in the fiberglass insulation and replace the tar paper with new stuff and staple the romex to the joists and when the romex needs to run to an outlet, can i drill up through the baseplate and fish the romex through the baseplate from the joist it is stapled on and feed it to the outlet? I know that the NEC code requires any wiring underneath mobile homes needs to be in conduit but since is going to be under the subfloor in the insulation and coverd by the tar paper, would it be OK to just staple the romex to the joists, its out of the weather and in the floor, so its out of weather and harsh environments right?


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## mofos be cray (Nov 14, 2016)

Not protected from rodents. Around here rats will chew on the wire.


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## Metersocket648 (Feb 8, 2021)

mofos be cray said:


> Not protected from rodents. Around here rats will chew on the wire.


Makes sense, we don't have any rodent problems around here, i do have some pictures of a 240 water heater circuit i just installed with MC 10/2 cable


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## emtnut (Mar 1, 2015)

Another pic for "gems of the trade"


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## Metersocket648 (Feb 8, 2021)

mofos be cray said:


> Not protected from rodents. Around here rats will chew on the wire.





emtnut said:


> Another pic for "gems of the trade"





emtnut said:


> Another pic for "gems of the trade"


It isn't a bad install at all, all new wiring, you should have seen the previous wiring, no junction box, no ground connection, just the 2 hot legs and no protection


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## emtnut (Mar 1, 2015)




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## ohm it hertz (Dec 2, 2020)

lol

Holey moly. At least cover the KOs and put a blank on it.


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## u2slow (Jan 2, 2014)

You may want to check at which point a mobile home is no longer a mobile home. As in once it becomes de-registered, and bonded to a land title. It may also depend if its still on blocks with skirting, or situated on a slab with a framed-in crawlspace. Around here, the de-registered mobile follows standard code rules for any modifications.



mofos be cray said:


> Not protected from rodents. Around here rats will chew on the wire.


Rodents will happily chew on the rest of the wires inside the floor/walls/ceiling... whats stapled to the underside of the unit is harder for them to reach.


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## Metersocket648 (Feb 8, 2021)

u2slow said:


> You may want to check at which point a mobile home is no longer a mobile home. As in once it becomes de-registered, and bonded to a land title. It may also depend if its still on blocks with skirting, or situated on a slab with a framed-in crawlspace. Around here, the de-registered mobile follows standard code rules for any modifications.
> 
> 
> 
> Rodents will happily chew on the rest of the wires inside the floor/walls/ceiling... whats stapled to the underside of the unit is harder for them to reach.


Thats what I was thinking, im working on it right now and I'll send some pics,


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## Metersocket648 (Feb 8, 2021)

u2slow said:


> You may want to check at which point a mobile home is no longer a mobile home. As in once it becomes de-registered, and bonded to a land title. It may also depend if its still on blocks with skirting, or situated on a slab with a framed-in crawlspace. Around here, the de-registered mobile follows standard code rules for any modifications.
> 
> 
> 
> Rodents will happily chew on the rest of the wires inside the floor/walls/ceiling... whats stapled to the underside of the unit is harder for them to reach.


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## Metersocket648 (Feb 8, 2021)

Metersocket648 said:


> View attachment 153804
> View attachment 153805
> View attachment 153806
> View attachment 153804
> ...


I like to over protect my cables


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## u2slow (Jan 2, 2014)

Metersocket648 said:


> Thats what I was thinking, im working on it right now and I'll send some pics,


I'm familiar with that era mobile and tar-clad particle board. When intact (or renewed - hopefully with something sturdier), that wiring is enclosed in the floor; not below it. Just like wire is protected when you put drywall over studs.


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## Metersocket648 (Feb 8, 2021)

u2slow said:


> I'm familiar with that era mobile and tar-clad particle board. When intact (or renewed - hopefully with something sturdier), that wiring is enclosed in the floor; not below it. Just like wire is protected when you put drywall over studs.


So what i did in the pictures is just like romex in drywall with studs? Would this pass inspection if I ran it like this? And I'm gonna be putting new insulation in and the tar paper underneath with plywood


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## u2slow (Jan 2, 2014)

Only one way to know... check with your inspector


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## Metersocket648 (Feb 8, 2021)

u2slow said:


> Only one way to know... check with your inspector


Right, but i think it should pass, its done neatly and in uniform


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## readydave8 (Sep 20, 2009)

Metersocket648 said:


> Now I know that the NEC Code says that any romex wire ran underneath must be put in pvc conduit and strapped tightly to the framing. . . . I know that the NEC code requires any wiring underneath mobile homes needs to be in conduit


NEC doesn't allow UF under mobile home? I don't remember reading that


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## Metersocket648 (Feb 8, 2021)

readydave8 said:


> NEC doesn't allow UF under mobile home? I don't remember reading that


Looking back they don't say anything about it, but this is inside the subflooring, it will be like its in the wall covered by drywall. Maybe they do allow UF under mobile homes... but you would have no way of supporting it as the steel beam spacing is about 8 feet apart and code requires supports to be 54 inches and thats with drilled 3/4 inch holes in joists and rafters. That's why I cut through the bottom of the floor and stapled it to the joist and then concealed it after I replaced the insulation.


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