# Zip tying multiple non metalic?



## personalt (Feb 15, 2006)

I mostly do commerical where my electrican uses Caddy - Colordo jim clips
to hold a multiple non metalic cames

http://www.erico.com/public/library/Multimedia/CADDY_CJ6_AV0008.wmv

I am replacing a failing plaster wall and when I opened it up I found 4 or 5 romex runs that where not fasten at all. they were just handing in the wall... what I mess. 

When i see unsecured runs of non metalic with wood studs i normally staple them up. However there are too many runs here for staples. 

Can I zip tie these six cables? i have the zip ties with the screw hole. I thought I remember reading somewhere what you shouldnt do that, maybe something about heat disapating?


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## Celtic (May 23, 2007)

why not stick with the cj6's?


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## personalt (Feb 15, 2006)

mostly for cost reasons.. those CJ6 clips are $50 a box. I think there is a 100 a box.

My problem with them is they go on too easy. So I end up grabbing them like candy when a single staple will do.. 

I was looking for something a little cheaper, also I wanted to brush up on my code. I think there is something in the code about strapping non-metalic cables together. I have a feeling there is some sort of limit to that. maybe because of heat?

anyone know the code on that. I was looking through the code book this morning and I couldnt find it, even though I thought for sure I was in the right section.


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## Celtic (May 23, 2007)

334.30 covers securing and supporting NM cables.

You said that there was 5 - 6 cables in need of support - you would have a tough time time securing that amount with staples unless they were all neatly run...which you said was a mess.

A cj6 is rated for up to 6 NM cables...on a 8' wall that amounts to maybe 3 supports. Not very expensive at all.

You could use zip ties ...but why?
Is this simply a case of "Let's use what we have available"?


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## thom (Nov 3, 2006)

Not that I want to hijack this thread but, where is NM cable allowed for commerical?


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## Celtic (May 23, 2007)

thom said:


> Not that I want to hijack this thread but, where is NM cable allowed for commerical?


Lots of places ~ 334.10(3)...paying close attention to 334.12(A)(2).


The "allowed/not allowed" has gone from building type/height to building construction.


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## personalt (Feb 15, 2006)

Celtic you are right... for the 5 of 6 cables in this stud bay the cj6s are the best choice. 

thom - By commerical I really mean mutlifamily with metal stud walls(cant use staples). That is where I got hooked on these clips. 

all - I was curious about using zip ties in general. A house i am working on now has the panel in the front of the garage. Instead of running out in all differnt directions from the panel as needed just about about all of the cable runs along the garage ceiling to the back of the garage. They then go off from the back of the garage to service the rooms from there. That 15' run is a big bundle of zip tied cables..

My thought was that this should be soffited there are racks for lumber and hooks for shovels etc right below it. the wire could easily get damaged pulling stuff down.

But I was wondering if once I put it in a soffit should I cut the zip ties.

Is there a heat issue that limits the bundling of non metalic cable?


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## Chris75 (Dec 2, 2007)

thom said:


> Not that I want to hijack this thread but, where is NM cable allowed for commerical?



Where is it not allowed...???


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## Celtic (May 23, 2007)

Chris75 said:


> Where is it not allowed...???


Did you read the articles I posted?


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## L. B. Condulet (Aug 23, 2007)

*I'd use Romex Stackers...*

They're cheap and easy...










Romex is not required to be strapped when it is fished into walls, maybe that's how it got into that mess...


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## personalt (Feb 15, 2006)

but back to my secondary question... if you have say 15 to 20 nm cables should you zip tie them together or does that cause an issue with heat?


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## Chris75 (Dec 2, 2007)

Celtic said:


> Did you read the articles I posted?



Nope, I skip over your posts.... :laughing: j/k...


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## Celtic (May 23, 2007)

personalt said:


> but back to my secondary question... if you have say 15 to 20 nm cables should you zip tie them together or does that cause an issue with heat?


310.15(B)(2)
334.30


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## L. B. Condulet (Aug 23, 2007)

I think my solution was best. I'm pretty much an electrical genius.


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## Celtic (May 23, 2007)

L. B. Condulet said:


> I'm pretty much an electrical genius.














"Silent Bob here's an electrical genius. He won the science fair in eighth grade by turning his mom's vibrator into a CD player using some chicken wire and ****.The mother ****er's like MacGyver. No, the mother ****er's *better than* MacGyver."


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