I’m looking to wire a small two stall horse barn with a tack room. The owner that is building the barn is having the interior of the tack room finished with ship lapped pine boards. I have a PVC conduit coming up through the floor to feed the barn. My question is if I put a PVC box on the top of the conduit and secure it to the face of the finished wall can I come out the back of the box and run romex inside the walls to a pont I need to exit and then sleeve the romex with pvc for a surface receptacle and overhead lights? I would also be running romex inside the walls to reach a soffit to install some recessed lights over the barn doors. The romex will not be subject to any damage and will not be getting wet. If corrosive atmosphere is the problem how about the same theory with UF? Does anyone have any input?

Thanks.

Take a look at 547.5

Ryan:

Thanks – I had looked at 547.5 before so I understand I can use UF and PVC, but my question is because of the statement “or other cables or raceways suitable for the location”. Is Romex an “other cable” because it will be installed inside the wall and areas outside the actual stalls in a soffit? There should be no considerable combustible dust and no water use anywhere near the wiring.

Thanks for your help.

I think that 547.1(A) ...,including all areas of poultry, livestock, and fish confinement systems... makes it pretty clear that you must comply with the wiring methods in 547.5. Besides, have you ever seen what a horse will chew through? Not that UF would stop them.

I think the minor difference in price would say you should just go with UF and be safe.
It could probably be argued that concealed NM-b would be OK in this environment but it sure isn't worth arguing about.