Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
In roof areas or attics, run the cable across the top of floor beams
or across the faces of rafters. Protect the cable by using guard strips.
Secure the cable every 4 1/2 ft. with straps, ties, or staples. Also,
strap the cable within 12 in. of each switch and outlet. In new
buildings, straps must be used for all runs whether exposed or
concealed. In old work, fasteners must be used for all exposed runs,
but they are not necessary for concealed runs.
Often, codes require a ground wire when using nonmetalic cable,
Figure 10-2. By using a ground wire, you will have a system that is
continuously grounded. This will reduce the danger of shock if some
metal appliance case should accidentally become charged with
electricity (shorted).
Installing Armored Cable
Installing armored cable is shown in Figures 10-3 to 10-7. If using
a hacksaw to cut the metal armor, Figure 10-3A, place the cable on a
solid base and saw through one section of armor. Twist to break. Use
shears to trim off sharp corners. Allow a length of at least 8 in. of
insulated wire for making connections in the box.
68 House Wiring Simplified
Figure 10-2. Nonmetallic cable. Ground wire is connected to the box.
Caution: Before starting on any house wiring job, check
codes applicable to the job. See to it that all code restrictions are
carefully observed.
Ground
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