Making an electrical problem understandable
Q. I've got a problem that's so technical I hope I can explain it clearly. According to the home inspector who checked my house, my electric service panel is used as a "raceway," whatever that means. He reported this as substandard wiring and recommended evaluation by a licensed electrician. When the electrician checked the system, he found some additional problems needing repair, but said that it was OK to use the panel as a raceway. I'd appreciate a better understanding of this raceway issue if you can boil it down to layman terms.
A. Let's begin with a simple definition. According to the electric code, a "raceway" is "an enclosed channel designated expressly for holding wires …" Typically, raceways consist of pipes known as conduits, and enclosures known as junction boxes.
In most cases, the use of a service panel as a raceway is prohibited, but the electric code does make an exception in cases where the available space inside the panel is not more than 40 percent filled with wiring. Therefore, your electrician was probably correct in approving the use of your service panel as a raceway.
However, the home inspector was wise to disclose this condition as a red-flag issue and to recommend further evaluation. Although permitted by code in some cases, the use of service panels as raceways is an uncommon practice because it is regarded by most electricians as a marginal level of workmanship. Wherever it occurs, it is usually a sign of laziness on the part of the installer - someone who was either too hurried or too thrifty to install an additional junction box.
Often, this kind of shortcut is an indication of further problems in the system, as was verified by the additional wiring problems discovered by your electrician.
When someone runs unspecified wires through a service panel, the wiring layout becomes needlessly complicated. Often there may be unseen problems involving ground and neutral connections, and this can pose problems for electricians who may need to troubleshoot the system at a future date.
The use of service panels as raceways may not be a significant problem in and of itself, but it is an indication that other wiring problems are likely to be found. In this respect, it should be regarded as a warning light to every prudent home inspector.
Q. We are having a house built, and our contractor refuses to install a light fixture under the cabinet that is above the laundry sink. He says that is not allowed by code. We've looked in the code books and cannot see anything that would prohibit a light fixture at that location. Can you shed any light on this?
A. There is no prohibition against a light fixture above a laundry sink. Your builder is probably concerned about the possibility of someone being shocked if they touch the electric light and the sink faucet at the same time. Ask the builder if he would agree to install a light fixture that is wired to a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) in order to eliminate any shock hazard. Another option would be to install a low-voltage light fixture.
• To write to Barry Stone, visit him on the web at www.housedetective.com, or write AMG, 1776 Jami Lee Court, Suite 218, San Luis Obispo, CA 94301.
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