Outdoor lighting mounted on eaves..question

[David Nasser]

Should the romex have run in conduit or is this ok ?

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

Romex (NMC) does not belong inside conduit - except for short runs where it may need protection.

This lighting should have been installed using conduit such as EMT, not NMC.

[Jim Port]

If that is NM-B it should not have been installed outside, regardless of conduit or not.

If it is UF cable it is approved for use outside.

[David Nasser]

thanks

[Brian E. Kelly]

Section 334.10(A)(1) of the NEC states that Type NM cable shall be permitted for use in "normally dry locations." Article 100 of the NEC defines a dry location as:
Location, Dry. A location not normally subject to dampness or wetness. A location classified as dry may be temporarily subject to dampness or wetness, as in the case of a building under construction.

http://www.ul.com/global/eng/pages/o.../flooding/nmb/

http://www.unitedcopper.com/specs/wire/NMB_sheet.pdf

[Larry D. Kage]

Originally Posted by Jim Port

If that is NM-B it should not have been installed outside, regardless of conduit or not.

If it is UF cable it is approved for use outside.

That's how I see it, too.

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

I say it may or may not be approved for outdoor use and we cannot determine because the cable has been painted. It should be evaluated by an electrician.

[Jim Port]

Joe,

I do not know your SOP. UF cable is stiffer than NM-B. Often times you can roll the conductors inside the sheath of NM were as the UF has a solid fill and will not have any movement.

[Frank P. Newman]

All technically correct, but I probably would not write it up because of the type of structure and the location (apparently out of reach) of the cable. After all, all they have to do is to put a piece of plywood over the bottom of the soffit and 'presto' the area is now enclosed just like any other wall or ceiling.

[Paul W. Abernathy]

Originally Posted by fnewman

All technically correct, but I probably would not write it up because of the type of structure and the location (apparently out of reach) of the cable. After all, all they have to do is to put a piece of plywood over the bottom of the soffit and 'presto' the area is now enclosed just like any other wall or ceiling.

But it is not enclosed as it is displayed now. This is a damp location either way it is expressed. It is not a prime example of what a dry location is because it is always subject to a certain degree of moisture on a ongoing basis so it is indeed a damp location regardless of the samantics of it being a dry location ( which it is not, even under the overhang )

Location, Damp.

Locations protected from weather and
not subject to saturation with water or other liquids but
subject to moderate degrees of moisture. Examples of such
locations include partially protected locations under canopies,
marquees, roofed open porches, and like locations,
and interior locations subject to moderate degrees of moisture,
such as some basements, some barns, and some coldstorage
warehouses.

So with that said it is a "Code" violation. now, understanding that code is code and safety is safety. We have to take into account just how unsafe is it to the condition of the dwelling. If the NM Cable is outside of reach that would technically put it outside of the rhelm of physical damage. The HI could recommend it be monitored on a regular basis for any exterior damage, future degrading effects and possibly simply note it and move on.

The fix is simple. The HI who is observing the condition has to go with the feeling they have at the time of the inspection. As a municipal inspector I would fail it in a heartbeat so it would never make to the point the HI has to be concerned but alas this is probably a DIY installation so with that said...do you want to know what I would have put in my report?

I would have noted it as a potential issue and if their are other things in the electrical rhelm that need to be addressed; i would most certainly put it on my report and let them choose to let it go or correct it with the other issues. The art of elevating something to a concern lies within the actual inspector doing the inspection. If you find many issues then this is simply another one that should be addressed, if it was the only concern in the entire inspection I would mention it and suggest they monitor it and move on with my inspection.