LESSON 2: Wires and Cable Layout

TOPIC 1: Preparing Wires and Cables

Cabling or wire pulling, also known as fishing, is the process in which wires and cables are inserted inside the conduit. According to PEC, only
40% of the area of the conduit must be occupied by the conductors to provide space for ambient temperature. 


The table below from the NEC shows the maximum number of allowed conductors to be placed inside an Electrical Metallic Tubing:
SPLICING OF WIRES AND CABLES
Splicing or joining by interweaving conductors inside the raceway is prohibited because wire pulling becomes difficult to conduct. Instead,
splicing must be performed in a splice box except for direct-buried conductors or cables, which can be spliced or tapped without using splice
boxes.

WIRES AND CABLES SHARING A RACEWAY

Conductors that have non-shielded insulation and operate at different voltage levels must not be in the same enclosure, cable, or raceway.
Conductive optical fiber cables and conductors for electric light, power, non–power-limited fire alarm, or medium power network-powered
broadband communications circuits must not occupy the same cable tray or raceway.
When combination surface nonmetallic raceways are utilized for signaling and for lighting and power circuits, then they must be run in separate
compartments which will be labeled by stamping, imprinting, or color-coding of the interior finish as an identifier.

There must be at least 100 mm distance between all conductors inside the building and the conductors of any electric light, power, or signaling
circuit.

LENGTH OF FREE CONDUCTORS

The free conductor must have at least 150 mm, measured from the point in the box where it comes out from its raceway or cable sheath, left at
each outlet, junction, and switch point for the splicing or connecting of luminaires (fixtures) or devices. 

If the opening to an outlet, junction, or switch point is smaller than 200 mm in any dimension, each conductor must be long enough to extend at
least 75 mm outside the opening.

INSULATED FITTINGS
Raceways containing  22 mm2 or larger ungrounded conductors that enter a cabinet, box enclosure, or raceway must have the conductors
protected by a substantial fitting with a smoothly rounded insulating surface unless the conductors and the fitting or raceway are separated
from each other through a securely fastened substantial insulating material.