To satisfy curiosity, "Romex" was invented and first
marketed by General Cable in 1922. It was developed at
their Rome, NY factory.



From an NFPA history of the NEC, titled
"The National Electrical Code and Free
Enterprise"
NONMETALLIC SHEATHED CABLE

In the early days of electric wiring thin metallic tubes
with fiber linings were used, but the linings were
finally removed and heavier walled tubes substituted.
Metal armored cables were also developed so that people
began to think of wiring on knobs and in tubes and
in metal enclosures.

When in the 1920's Charlie Abbott of the Rome Wire Co.
developed and proposed recognition in the Code of a cable
assembly consisting of insulated copper conductors and
nonmetallic wrappings, the industry was shocked and
violent opposition to recognition in the Code developed.

The representative of one manufacturer of metal wiring
products traveled the country with a cage full of rats
and samples of nonmetallic cable to show how rats
would gnaw into such cable and cause short circuits and
fires. Some trial installations in the Chicago stockyards
showed that rats would indeed damage such cable,
but primarily when it was run across their runways.

Nonmetallic cables with rat repellent coverings were
developed and when a special technical subcommittee
recommended a limited recognition of the cables,
the Electrical Committee accepted the recommendation
and the cable was included in the Code under the
designation "Nonmetallic Sheathed Cable"
although most electricians called it by the originator's
trade name "Romex."

Few reports of rat damage followed recognition of the
cable, but some failures were reported in the very
northern states and Canada from alternate freezing and
thawing of the cable where it passed from a warm and
humid section of a barn to a completely coId area.
Weather-resistant types of cable were then developed
and eventually, the plastic coverings that prevented
such breakdowns.

Code requirements were gradually modified on the basis
of experience and home owners had access to a low-cost
wiring method that has been proved safe in millions of
installations.

------------------------

Buy a pre-1929 Rome Wire Co. stock certificate he
http://www.scripophily.net/rowiconewyo.html

Jim

"Speedy Jim" wrote in message
m...
To satisfy curiosity, "Romex" was invented and first
marketed by General Cable in 1922. It was developed at
their Rome, NY factory.



The things you learn on the internet. I wonder how many people know where
the name came from. (not that many care) I used Romex to wire up the cabin
I stay at when I hunt for Naughtier.

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:

"Speedy Jim" wrote in message
m...
To satisfy curiosity, "Romex" was invented and first
marketed by General Cable in 1922. It was developed at
their Rome, NY factory.



The things you learn on the internet. I wonder how many people know where
the name came from. (not that many care) I used Romex to wire up the cabin
I stay at when I hunt for Naughtier.

I won't go there...

"indago" wrote in message
The things you learn on the internet. I wonder how many people know where
the name came from. (not that many care) I used Romex to wire up the
cabin
I stay at when I hunt for Naughtier.

I won't go there...

Should have been Naugahide. Damned spell checker "fixed" it.

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:

"indago" wrote in message
The things you learn on the internet. I wonder how many people know where
the name came from. (not that many care) I used Romex to wire up the
cabin
I stay at when I hunt for Naughtier.

I won't go there...

Should have been Naugahide. Damned spell checker "fixed" it.

You must have had something else on your mind when you wrote that...

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:

"indago" wrote in message
The things you learn on the internet. I wonder how many people know where
the name came from. (not that many care) I used Romex to wire up the
cabin
I stay at when I hunt for Naughtier.

I won't go there...

Should have been Naugahide. Damned spell checker "fixed" it.

You must have had something else on your mind when you wrote that...

And BX came from a Bronx, NY factory, I believe.
--
Peace,
BobJ

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
. net...

"Speedy Jim" wrote in message
m...
To satisfy curiosity, "Romex" was invented and first
marketed by General Cable in 1922. It was developed at
their Rome, NY factory.



The things you learn on the internet. I wonder how many people know where
the name came from. (not that many care) I used Romex to wire up the
cabin I stay at when I hunt for Naughtier.

Marilyn & Bob wrote:
And BX came from a Bronx, NY factory, I believe.


See this discussion:
http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/ar...php/t-260.html

Speedy Jim wrote:

Marilyn & Bob wrote:
And BX came from a Bronx, NY factory, I believe.

See this discussion:
http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/ar...php/t-260.html

However, the discussion of why BX is called "BX" (second product;
first was "A" hence second must be "B" and the "X" for experimental)
is IMO wrong. It violates Occam's razor for one thing. The product was
produced by GE at their plant in NYC, specifically in the Bronx, and
the accepted abbreviation for "the Bronx", a borough of NYC, is BX.
Even back in those days I doubt BX cable was GE's second product. The
use of the word Romex, first produced/invented in Rome NY, carries on
the tradition (!) of naming the product after the locality.

I suspect the 100% accurate and certified (by whom?) rationale for the
name is lost in the mists of time.

replying to Speedy Jim, Linda Evans wrote:
I would like to add information, my uncle Romex was the inventor of Romex wire

--
for full context, visit http://www.homeownershub.com/mainten...se-159083-.htm

On Saturday, November 12, 2016 at 10:14:04 PM UTC-6, Linda Evans wrote:
replying to Speedy Jim, Linda Evans wrote:
I would like to add information, my uncle Romex was the inventor of Romex wire
--


Unfortunately, 10 years ago, Speedy Jim was electrocuted while working on the electrical wiring in the basement of his home. His 432 hungry gerbils chewed their way out of their cage after 4 days without food then descended upon Speedy Jim's body and ate him. The animal control people said it was the hardest thing they ever had to do when they euthanized all the cute fat squeaky gerbils. All was not lost, the lifeless gerbils were donated to a homeless shelter where there was a gerbil festival and barbecue. The homeless were fed gerbil stew, roast gerbil, gerbil on a stick and barbecued gerbil.. Speedy Jim lives on in the protein of thousands of homeless people. ヽ(€¢€¿€¢)ノ

[8~{} Uncle Roasted Monster

On 11/12/2016 11:14 PM, Linda Evans wrote:
replying to Speedy Jim, Linda Evans wrote:
I would like to add information, my uncle Romex was the inventor of Romex wire

I invented internet wire.

On Sunday, November 13, 2016 at 11:47:56 AM UTC-5, Al Gore wrote:
On 11/12/2016 11:14 PM, Linda Evans wrote:
replying to Speedy Jim, Linda Evans wrote:
I would like to add information, my uncle Romex was the inventor of Romex wire

I invented internet wire.

I'm wired.