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I am running 4 new circuits. 6/3 (50A 240V) Romex, 8/3 (40A 240V) Romex, as well as a couple of 12/2s. Cables start at the far end of the boiler room from a panel, through 1.5" holes of several exposed joists, followed by finished basement (quite wide 3-4 ft) soffit that currently houses lots of other cables and wires, followed by stud space to the upper-level kitchen.

Is this to the code? Is it okay to run 6/3, 8/3, and two 12/2s in a single joist hole bunched together? Is it then okay to just have those wires laying in the soffit, since they are fished through? Just before they leave the basement for the stud space above, they are in close proximity with PEX tubing so want to double-check that as well. And once inside the stud space (they will branch out through holes to the other studs to the final outlet locations), do I need to put some kind of protective plating or conduits or would stapling them to the middle of 2x4 studs suffice?

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    In my jurisdiction they would call that bundling and flag it. They normally won’t say anything with 2 cables and some areas up to 4 but when there are more than 3 current carrying we have to start derating over 8 current carrying conductors the built in safety in #14, #12 &#10 exceed what is allowed So there can be some issues there even though nipples less than 24” don’t have to be derated a long run like in the photo is normally flagged with more than 4 is all the states I have worked.
    – Ed Beal
    Commented Sep 4, 2020 at 19:56
  • Are you talking about the joist holes?
    – David
    Commented Sep 4, 2020 at 20:06
  • Yes that many cables through a hole would be two many conductors as the other runs I see 6-3 , 8-3 & 12-2 x2 10 current carrying conductors as I said most jurisdictions would flag this as bundling.
    – Ed Beal
    Commented Sep 4, 2020 at 20:43
  • @edbeal Thanks. If you would like to submit an answer, I’ll upvote it.
    – David
    Commented Sep 4, 2020 at 21:55

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In my jurisdiction they would call that bundling and flag it. They normally won’t say anything with 2 cables and some areas up to 4 but when there are more than 3 current carrying we have to start derating

over 8 current carrying conductors the built in safety in #14, #12 &#10 exceed what is allowed.

there can be some issues there even though nipples less than 24” don’t have to be derated a long run like in the photo is normally flagged with more than 4 is all the states I have worked in.

I see 6-3 , 8-3 & 12-2 x2 10 current carrying conductors as I said most jurisdictions would flag this as bundling.

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  • Wouldn't fly in Florida.+1
    – JACK
    Commented Sep 4, 2020 at 22:46
  • @edbeal Well the three bundles on the right were old wiring from 17 years ago. It was not flagged then and during construction. The hole on the left is a new one. So, would you recommend I put another hole and put 6/3+12/2, or should I run 6/3 and 8/3in dedicated holes and have a third one to run any extra 12/2s?
    – David
    Commented Sep 4, 2020 at 22:52
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    The extra hole would fly without the bundling issue. since it was not flagged On previous Jobs “IF” inspected maybe you could get by. I would add another path if the other jobs were inspected and passed. I don’t think they are supposed to be able to flag old work, but I have seen inspectors flag old work for the belief it was not to code when built or work done without a permit and not inspected. ( I have suggested that home owners cover work that I did not do that I thought would get flagged as the lines on the right) in the past I have taken photos of existing work to protect my license.
    – Ed Beal
    Commented Sep 5, 2020 at 1:43
  • Ran out of room but 6-3 and 12-2 in 1 hole and the 8-3 and 12-2 in the other 2 holes keeps you from the larger de rate when you get over 9 current carrying conductors or referred to bundling. Just trying to give you a heads up from someone that has done this and had inspectors in 3 states flag others work. I even started taking photos, with an Polaroid for those that remember them after one home owner had just done some work because of the wire dates the inspector thought I was trying to cheat for 12.$ permit fees. Until he found obvious diy mistakes. FYI
    – Ed Beal
    Commented Sep 5, 2020 at 2:00
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    Note that while some local AHJs and inspectors may frown on NM bundling overall, the NEC itself only squawks about this situation if the conductors are enveloped in insulation, or if the holes are sealed/plugged. See paragraphs 2 and 3 of NEC 334.80 for details.
    – ThreePhaseEel
    Commented Sep 5, 2020 at 3:21

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