Wire routing question

9 years ago

I am having one of those surface mount heater fans installed in the basement. Its 4000W, 220V and requires the orange 10NM wire (white/red/black) I was told. The area is finished but the ceiling is dropped. I asked if I could prepare the area for when they came to do the install.remove ceiling tiles, furniture etc. I was a bit surprised on how they were routing the wire. Essentially the new wire needs to come up out of the electrical panel and shoot over left about 25 feet along the perimeter of the house (a straight run thru an open joist) then make another left for 8 feet (thru several joists requiring some holes be drilled and including one bay that has a warm heat pump supplied air duct in it) then be fished down a wall. At least that looked the easiest way to me. and to be honest would be the easiest way for me with regards to removing ceiling tile and furniture.

Instead, they said they would like to run the wire out the panel immediately shooting over 8 feet thru existing holes in the joists and then running 25 foot thru an empty bay where at the end it would be fished thru the wall to the heater. They said they could use existing holes that way (well, they'd have to drill one) and would bypass going under the duct. I admit that this method requires removing more ceiling tile and furniture but I want it done right and safe. The existing holes look a little tight to pass a third wire thru. Plus, and it may be coincidence, I dont see any other locations in the immediate area where more than two wires pass thru any single hole. Further, again, perhaps coincidence, I see another orange wire running to the water heater and it goes thru its own hole in the joists. Is it safe to feed the 10nm orange wire thru holes already occupied by two other wires? Again, the 10nm is quite a bit heavier but looks like it could squeeze thru.. What about going under the duct is that best avoided? Like I said, this was the path they chose but they did not appear adverse to running it my way though...just they preferred theirs.

Comments (4)

Ron Natalie
9 years ago
It might not require 10-3, you might get away with 10-2 if the heater doesn't need the neutral. See the installation instructions.

While you can't run a pvc-jacketed wire through a duct (or a wall cavity being used as a duct), there's no problem with running it over or under them.

You can stuff as many wires in a hole as can fit.
andrelaplume2
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks...to clarify its 10nm but with 3 wires red/black and white I believe...according to the manual picture...I saw at HD they also make an 'orange' nm wire with 4 wires...
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andrelaplume2
Original Author
9 years ago
Hey Guys, quick question...I am on list to get my heater installed just before the holiday...

It dawned on me that the wire might have to be in an outlet box or run thru one to get into the back of the surface mount fan. The instructions show connections being made thru the drywall in the fan box, not in the wall but I am wonder if code would require the wire run thru a box anyway....

....now if it does...would that mean the box would have to rest against a stud? I think they sell boxes that somehow can go mid wall. The reason I ask is the fan should be 8" from a wall. We want it in a corner and 8 inches from a wall happens to fall between two studs? Even if no box is required will fishing the wire be difficult for them...I thought I heard the guy say the wire would follow the stud down...now I'd really like it to make a right for a few inches.

These guys know what they are doing but if this cant be done safely or legally we may want to rethink the location of the fan. I want to have my story straight before the get here so as not to waste their time.

Thanks!
Ron Natalie
9 years ago
If the unit is designed to have the connections made inside it, it doesn't need a box. You likely have to put in an appropriate NM fitting in the unit which likely just has a knockout hole. Unless the installation instructions say it has to be mounted to a stud, there's nothing in the electrical code that cares.

Fishing is not going to be hard here (absent some blocking in the wall. The wire may or may not follow the stud but any electrician worth his salt will be able to extract ti from a "box sized" hole (even if there's no box actually going to be installed.