ECN Forum Forums Code Related Discussion NEC & other Code issues Wiring in SIPs

What is the difference between MC in a SIP wall and any other cable installed in an insulated wall? Shooting foam in an exterior wall is pretty common and some kind of insulation is pretty much required by law. For that matter a buried cable is also very much thermally insulated.

I think this is just an inspector who is confused by something new. I saw a similar case with a Y-tong concrete structure. The Fire Marshall had never seen it before and refused to believe the state engineer's documents on the plan. It took about 3 months of substantiation from the NRTL, the manufacturer and the engineer to get the CO.

Is a SIP simular to an API?

I know what a SIP is; what is an API?
Though the SIPs I am familiar with are slightly different than those described above. The SIPs that I have seen are just styrofoam type insulation sandwiched between OSB. They come with chase for wiring anyhere you want them placed. Typically 12" to 18" off floor for outlets and 48" for switches as well as specified height for countertop receptacles and out side lighting. There are also verticle chases where ever specified.

I might add that I think they are a pain in the A** to wire, but they provide excellent insulation for a home.

API is a brand name of what I assume is very simular, that I have delt with before. BIG PITA!
http://www.apipanel.com/

The ones I was having a problem with were double sided aluminum ones. The arch's had not compansated for wiring in the design at all in wall thickness. As these things constituted structure of major portion of the exterior walls they cuold not be cut all but minimumaly for penetrations. Like a shear-wall.... (Which may be why your inspector is worried?) Sending all into a tizzy when they decided to use them as both the interior and exterior as the same panel. So my question was how would you like the conduit to look?! "Conduit?!" We ended up piping on one, and they sandwiched that and the boxes with 2" rings through another thin one, for the same appearance they had sold the customer on, at a heafty tune of $$$$$.

Back when I was looking into this, I think there were some that have "Pre-installed electrical Chases" in them. (Oh, how I hate to hear the word, "Chase". Makes me think of landscRapers doing thier own wiring, but that is a different story.....) Which would have been nice for the boss to realize before they poured the slab they were sitting on.... But then that would also require some sort of coordination between trades, that rarely happens, so the Chases" line up with each other. And so they go where you want them to go. Good luck! Either way, I have never done it, but have little confidence of the system being productive for our trade.....