In article . com, "smcjensen" wrote:

regarding armored cable, when I built an additionional stall in my
garage and wired it, no drywall, exposed studs, the inspector had me
run wooden blocking in front of the wiring.

How close to the edges of the studs had you drilled the holes that you passed
the cable through? Code minimum is 1.25", and if you're closer than that, you
need *something* over it.

I'm not sure that even
armored cable would meet code if left exposed

Both BX ("armored cable") and MC (metal-clad cable) are explicitly approved
for exposed installation by the NEC

because stuff can still bang into it

Yeah, that's why you use BX or MC for exposed wiring -- so that the metal
covering protects the conductors when stuff bangs into it. That's kinda the
point in using the armored stuff for exposed wiring, you know -- stuff can
bang into it.

or hang up on it and pull connections loose.

If that's all it takes to pull a connection loose, the stuff wasn't properly
installed in the first place. Both BX and MC require cable clamps where
entering boxes, and if they're clamped properly with the proper type of clamp,
the connections can't be pulled loose accidentally.


--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.