ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Plenum rated Romex

Was talking with a friend of mine today and we were wondering why someone has not developed a plenum rated Romex. If they can do it for low voltage why not high voltage?
HYPRESS

I would say because you can't use romex above a hung ceiling in commercial jobs. What would the demand for it be?

OR are you saying that a plenum rated romex would change all that and COULD be used in air handling spaces above a hung ceiling?

-Hal

Plenum rated romex could be used above a ceiling and above the 3rd floor in a structure

This groovy “new-tech” NM-B seems to hint at a future plenum-rated cable. In the second link, mention is made of compressed stranding, but it’s not clear if 14-10 are solid or stranded. [I hate solid conductors but have rarely touched NM-B.]
www.mysouthwire.com/Southwire/cda/content/article/0,1443,0_1813,00.html www.mysouthwire.com/Southwire/cda/refdocs/Markets/Residential_Technical/simpull%20sales%20sheet.pdf

[If I had to wire a house at gunpoint, I’d want FREP tray cable to do it, and regularly take the inspector out for a lot of drinking—but not before 1:30. Some work has to at least look like it’s progressing.]

Don't see how that hints at a possible plenum rated cable at all.

There is a lot of politics here, that's why you will never see it. The same reason you can't use tray cable in place of NM even though it exceeds NM specs in every way.

-Hal

No kidding, the steel tube people do not want NM cable use to be expanded. Also, the plastics people (mostly Carlon) do not want NM use expanded. Between them, they carry a lot of weight on the Code Making Panel.

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Charlie Eldridge, Indianapolis, Utility Power Guy