I'm running some 6 AWG THWN wire from my main feed to a detached garage.
However the main feed panel is on the other side of the house.

Is it up to code to tap into the main feed inside the wall, go through the
attic to the other side of the house outside of any conduit?

Once I'm come out of the attic into a LB, down the wall and into the ground
it will be in schedule 40 PVC.

Thanks in advance!

Darius

wrote:
On Tue, 09 Jan 2007 19:35:26 -0600, "xgtfour"
wrote:

I'm running some 6 AWG THWN wire from my main feed to a detached garage.
However the main feed panel is on the other side of the house.

Is it up to code to tap into the main feed inside the wall, go through the
attic to the other side of the house outside of any conduit?

....

You can't run the THWN without some kind of raceway ...

But in an area like an attic not normally accessible that raceway could
be as simple as a 2x protecting the wire on either side I believe...

wrote:
On 10 Jan 2007 08:09:24 -0800, "dpb" wrote:


wrote:
On Tue, 09 Jan 2007 19:35:26 -0600, "xgtfour"
wrote:

I'm running some 6 AWG THWN wire from my main feed to a detached garage.
However the main feed panel is on the other side of the house.

Is it up to code to tap into the main feed inside the wall, go through the
attic to the other side of the house outside of any conduit?

...

You can't run the THWN without some kind of raceway ...

But in an area like an attic not normally accessible that raceway could
be as simple as a 2x protecting the wire on either side I believe...


Not true at all. THHN must be in a raceway.

But what must the raceway actually be?

dpb wrote:
wrote:
On 10 Jan 2007 08:09:24 -0800, "dpb" wrote:


wrote:
On Tue, 09 Jan 2007 19:35:26 -0600, "xgtfour"
wrote:

I'm running some 6 AWG THWN wire from my main feed to a detached garage.
However the main feed panel is on the other side of the house.

Is it up to code to tap into the main feed inside the wall, go through the
attic to the other side of the house outside of any conduit?

...

You can't run the THWN without some kind of raceway ...

But in an area like an attic not normally accessible that raceway could
be as simple as a 2x protecting the wire on either side I believe...


Not true at all. THHN must be in a raceway.

But what must the raceway actually be?

Per NEC 2005 Article 100
Raceway. An enclosed channel of metal or nonmettalic materials designed
expressly for holding wires, cables, or busbars......
THWN must be in a conduit of some type.

Eric9822 wrote:
dpb wrote:
wrote:
On 10 Jan 2007 08:09:24 -0800, "dpb" wrote:


wrote:
On Tue, 09 Jan 2007 19:35:26 -0600, "xgtfour"
wrote:

I'm running some 6 AWG THWN wire from my main feed to a detached garage.
However the main feed panel is on the other side of the house.

Is it up to code to tap into the main feed inside the wall, go through the
attic to the other side of the house outside of any conduit?

...

You can't run the THWN without some kind of raceway ...

But in an area like an attic not normally accessible that raceway could
be as simple as a 2x protecting the wire on either side I believe...


Not true at all. THHN must be in a raceway.

But what must the raceway actually be?

Per NEC 2005 Article 100
Raceway. An enclosed channel of metal or nonmettalic materials designed
expressly for holding wires, cables, or busbars......
THWN must be in a conduit of some type.

That doesn't prohibit the raceway being a channel for the wire to run
in as long as it were covered and only for that purpose.

I didn't recall the proscription of "enclosed" as there are many
open-topped raceways in power plants. Mayhaps that's a special case
or, since these are mostly older plants, a newer restriction/addition.

dpb wrote:
Eric9822 wrote:
dpb wrote:
wrote:
On 10 Jan 2007 08:09:24 -0800, "dpb" wrote:


wrote:
On Tue, 09 Jan 2007 19:35:26 -0600, "xgtfour"
wrote:

I'm running some 6 AWG THWN wire from my main feed to a detached garage.
However the main feed panel is on the other side of the house.

Is it up to code to tap into the main feed inside the wall, go through the
attic to the other side of the house outside of any conduit?

...

You can't run the THWN without some kind of raceway ...

But in an area like an attic not normally accessible that raceway could
be as simple as a 2x protecting the wire on either side I believe...


Not true at all. THHN must be in a raceway.

But what must the raceway actually be?

Per NEC 2005 Article 100
Raceway. An enclosed channel of metal or nonmettalic materials designed
expressly for holding wires, cables, or busbars......
THWN must be in a conduit of some type.

That doesn't prohibit the raceway being a channel for the wire to run
in as long as it were covered and only for that purpose.

I didn't recall the proscription of "enclosed" as there are many
open-topped raceways in power plants. Mayhaps that's a special case
or, since these are mostly older plants, a newer restriction/addition.

NEC 110.2 requires that equipment be approved, this typically means it
has a UL listing for its stated purpose. Most THWN wiring is listed
for use within an approved raceway or in cable tray if over 1/0. The
open -topped "raceways" described sound like cable tray too me (which
is not a raceway according the NEC). If THWN wiring is used it needs
to be in an approved raceway. If you would prefer not to run it in a
raceway within the structure then I would use a multiconductor cable
that is listed for that purpose.

From the ceiling down the wall to the main breaker, is that considered in a
raceway? Being inside the wall?

I don't really have a problem putting it into some kind of conduit through
the attic. In order to access the top or bottom of my main breaker I would
need to cut a hole in the wall to access it to get conduit in there.

A wall is not a raceway. Running in a wall would require a cable rated
for that use. Typically in a home you would use NM Sheathed cable.
Another thing I missed was the question about tapping into the main
feeds, this cannot be done. You need to install a sub panel fed from
an available circuit breaker in the main panel. I would suggest you
talk to a local electrician. This is not really a DIY job.

Don't worry I'm running to a subpanel in the garage. Thanks for the
recommendation on the ENT tubing, now I've got the whole project figured
out. I was struggling with the transition from the main breaker to the
Schedule 40, now it's a no brainer. Thanks again to everyone for posting,
you've really helped me out! Please keep on answering questions!

Good luck then. Make sure the neutral and ground bus are NOT bonded
together at the subpanel, It is a common mistake. The neutral and the
ground bus should only be bonded at the main service entrance.