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I am adding an outlet in my unfinished basement from a cable that will run from the ceiling down a corner of the room. I was going to just attach the cable to the studs but I would like to protect the wire due to the location.

I've read that I should not run the cable through conduit, but was wondering if there's a way I can use the same cable, but take the sheathing off when it's just inside the conduit (and use some type of clamp). That way I don't have to use a junction box where the wire meets the conduit and I still am not having the heat issue of cable through conduit.

I was planning on using PVC conduit and outlet rated for outdoors since it's in the basement where it gets cold in the winter.

Thank you!

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    Welcome. There's no harm in running cable through conduit for part of the run. You can bang up against fill limits, but that's probably not an issue here. In fact, it's commonly done when dropping from outdoor service panels into the ground. I'll leave it to one of our electricians to confirm that in an answer.
    – isherwood
    Jan 22, 2019 at 17:55

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No, you cannot remove the outer covering, the wires would not be properly protected inside the conduit. It is ok to run the cable inside the conduit but this can be difficult.

Since the area is unfinished, conduit is the best way to go here. Code requires conduit or 1/2" sheetrock or plywood to protect the wires below 8'. So it would not be legal to staple to a stud unless you were going to cover it. The outer sheath protects the wire (NM wire or Romex). Removing the sheath may sound ok, but the insulation on the individual conductors may not hold up to even a short pull.

If you examine THHN (the type of wire to be pulled as individual wires), there is an outer pull jacket that protects the insulation from being damaged when pulling. Without the protection of the sheath, it could be a disaster and the sheath also has the required listing of the wire size and type so it needs to stay on. NMB is rated for 90c, so you really won't have any heat issues with the wire in conduit.

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Running cable inside conduit is not prohibited, it's just annoyingly and needlessly hard, and takes an awful lot of statutory space in the conduit, so we disrecommend it. Heat is not a factor, unless you have 4 or more circuits in the conduit.

What is prohibited is running wire or cable through conduit that is unidentified so it is impossible to determine whether it is a wire type legal or safe for use. In typical Romex/NM cable only the cable sheath is marked -- the interior wires have no markings -- which forbids use of the interior wires sans sheath in conduit.

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Romex is just a brand name. I assume you are referring to NMC 14-2 wire non metallic coating(house wiring). It can be run down the stud no problem about the cold. Conduit is not required just be sure that the wire is fastened to the stud within 12 inches of the box and no more than four and a half feet apart.

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Another reply assumed you meant removing the actual jacket of the individual conductors. In your case of strictly wanting to provide mechanical protection from ceiling to receptacle, you can legally run the Non-Metallic Sheathed Cable (Romex is a brand) inside a length of conduit. You should transition it from NM-B to conduit with a proper NM-B to EMT connector available in the electrical aisle of any big box store for about $1.50. Disregard anyone stating you can't use conduit. Mechanical protection for a distance such as yours is 100% legal and is different than a closed conduit system, in which you should run individual THHN conductors.

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Yes you can strip the jacket after the cable goes into the raceway. Technically you should install an NM connector on the end of the raceway to keep the exposed conductor from showing in the event it gets pulled on. At a minimum install a male adapter and plastic bushing.

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    i'm not too sure about stripping it. the individual conductors need to be UL-listed to be used as free conductors in conduit, and romex wires don't carry that standard - only thwn or thhn do.
    – Alex
    Jan 23, 2019 at 8:33
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    This is blatantly incorrect. The jacket with the markings needs to extend at least 1/4" (6mm) into the junction box, and unmarked jackets as found on the conductors in NM/B are not permitted without the marked jacket sticking out at least that much.
    – Ecnerwal
    Oct 29 at 22:11

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