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Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,691
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Originally Posted by ghost307

As to buying Romex at the big box stores, even when it was illegal to use in the whole County, they still carried it. One Department Manager told me that Corporate made those decisions without his input. He never sold a single foot of it amd had to explain his "poor performance" every month.
Romex is now recognized in Chicago, but you're not going to like the installation limitations.

"18-27-336.4. Uses Permitted.
Listed Type NM and NMC cable with listed fittings shall be permitted to be used only for limited extensions to knob-and-tube lighting or appliance branch-circuits in existing wood frame residential occupancies not exceeding three stories in height, but not where subject to mechanical injury as in new or remodeled building construction.
Type NM and NMC cable shall be permitted only in dry locations where concealed, in walls and floors of these occupancies."

Told 'ya you wouldn't like it...


That's similar to New York City. We're also big-time on BX (armored cable) for residential, especially multi-story.

Romex was recently allowed, but only on resi houses less than three stories.

You can buy Romex at the Home Depot here, but I've never seen anyone buy it. Smaller hardware stores, I've never seen them carry the stuff.

Plastic boxes, those are for the suburbs. Literally. You won't find them at your neighborhood hardware stores, or even Home Depot. Everything we use is metal.

My office building is done in pipe and BX and the new "luxury" high-rises sprouting up all over the place here use pipe. They lay it out for the ceiling of the flat below before pouring the deck.

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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 706
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I'm about 50 miles NW of Chicago. Wall outlets were vertical until 1970 or so, then horizontal. To me, installing it horizontal shows it's new wiring, but if I'm adding one outlet to an old room, I match the height and orientation. NM is allowed in McHenry County and City of McHenry, BX is allowed in Crystal Lake, and almost all other nearby towns require conduit.

The policing of permits is loose here, so NM is routinely patched in by carpenters/handymen. I personally love the requirement for conduit because on permitted work, it keeps the amateurs away, and it's profitable. If you're running 8 wires in a 50' open run, it's quicker and cheaper than other methods. It's easier to add a circuit to split up existing circuits, or add another wire for ceiling fan control, but not so hot if you want to move a box with 4 pipes over 4" in existing construction.

Dave

Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 687
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Someone asked me that the other day. I told em so we could pick out the work done by out of towners. Horizontal gives us a few more inches closer to the next device. Comercial has it's share of vertical. Maybe because plans spec it out are drawn elcewhere. I don't think it makes any different in the wire pulling. Many times the pipe 90's up before going to the next device. Connecting boxes with only strait pipe on wood studs creates it's own difficulties.

Anyways why dose everyone elce go vertical?

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,520
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Quote
Anyways why dose everyone elce go vertical?


Not everyone else..... wink

[Linked Image]

Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 456
C
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Mostly because the typical boxes go up and down,and are typically attached to structural members that go up and down.

Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,445
Likes: 2
Cat Servant
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This thread has puzzled me for some time ....

I grew up around Chicago, even lived on the North Side for a while .... and never really noticed horizontal receptacles. The only places I remember them was where they were placed at floor level, in the baseboard. I was away from the area for most of the 80's though, and haven't been back since 92.

So I watched one of those 'flip this place' shows, that was set in Chicago. Sure enough, all the remodels had the receptacles horizontal. Curious.

Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 202
3
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Originally Posted by Active 1

Anyways why dose everyone elce go vertical?


Can go either way Down Under:

[Linked Image from updates.clipsal.com]

http://updates.clipsal.com/ClipsalOnline/Images/Full/01/A3719.jpg

[Linked Image from updates.clipsal.com]

http://updates.clipsal.com/ClipsalOnline/Images/Full/01/A0036.jpg

Normally its horizontal for outlets for 95% of applications and switchplates are either vertical or horizontal. Aussie & Kiwi sparkies (and the others in the South Pacific) have been lucky in the last 30-40 years that the three largest manufacturers (Clipsal,PDL & HPM) have used square switch mechanisms in most designs that easily pop out of the faceplates to allow for vertical or horizontal mounting.

Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,143
D
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Originally Posted by classicsat
Mostly because the typical boxes go up and down,and are typically attached to structural members that go up and down.


That makes sense for when the 2x3 gangable box was the norm. Nowdays 99% of the time we're dropping 1900's (4x4), so the orientation can change based on the position of the mud ring. More room for wire fill and future expansion.

Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 853
L
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So resi apps. are useing 4" with mud rings? Spose' with pipe thats the best. Your housing construction costs must be up there. No $2/ft for you folks.
That was for yrs the norm here (still is) for Ind./com. work. Most all metal studs.

Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 794
Likes: 3
W
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Well, you could mount a double switch horizontally, yes? [Linked Image from electricalphotos.com]

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