ECN Forum Forums Photo Discussion Forums Photos for General Discussion Romex and the Strip Mall Fire

Ok for my two cents, if it is in commercial AND there is any resturants sharing the same general floor level and area, you will almost always get you some rat chewing going on wherever the romex is exposed enough for the rats to get to it. I have seen this enough times to feel strongly against it's use for those commercial spaces where tenant may be a resturant.

That deadfront appears to be from a Stab-Lok panel, no?

About a month ago I did a service change, then hauled the old FPE panel back home. A couple of days later I got an irate call from the customer, saying he'd promised the old panel to his uncle and he wanted it back. I said I'd be happy to return it, although I would strongly discourage the re-installation of such equipment. He said he'd pass the advice along.

To be exact, this prohibition dates to the '75 NEC. I've been told that the campaign in favor of this rule was supported by an overwhelming barrage of photos depicting damage inflicted on the cable during construction. That is the reason for this restriction-- not rats, or fire rating, or anything else.


This won't happen with Al-armored MC, a product with which I've had much experience. What is wrong with it is lack of mechanical strength. Get an overzealous sheetrocker and the stuff just unravels. You can practically get it to break by sneezing on it. This doesn't happen with steel BX.

OK... That cover doesnt appear to be from any kind of 3R rated panel I've ever seen, not to mention the door on it has probably been gone ½ it's lifetime.. It looks like an old Murray or ITE panelcover.. Now if the cover has sustained this much deterioration, what could possibly keep the can from looking the same way???

Possibly because the cover had been off the panel, and under the carport for 40 years?