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I am wiring three overhead florescent lights in my unfinished basement and I need 14/3 because of where the switch is located. The wiring already present between the fixtures is 14/2. I have a length of leftover 14/2 romex. Can I remove the sheathing and use each individual wire?

Evil Elf
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  • No. You do not want unsheathed wire carrying mains voltage anywhere in your house. - Exposed in an unfinished basement it could easily get damaged when moving furniture, cabinets, etc. – A. I. Breveleri Nov 13 '16 at 18:37
  • Just run the sheathed 14/2, use the black wire, and cap off the white and ground. – A. I. Breveleri Nov 13 '16 at 18:42
  • Either way, I'm buying more wire. – Evil Elf Nov 13 '16 at 18:43
  • I recommend using Split Loom Tubing. – aguertin Nov 13 '16 at 19:16
  • You can't use the wires inside NM cable individually, as they are not labeled as individual conductors. NM cable is rated, listed, and labeled as a cable. – Tester101 Nov 13 '16 at 20:57
  • @A.I.Breveleri Code requires that all wire in a circuit be in the same cable assembly. Running a parallel cable for just one current carrying wire is not allowed. – bib Nov 14 '16 at 14:38
  • @bib: What does the code have to say about a circuit that requires 4, 5, or more conductors? Must I haunt electrical warehouses questing for 12/4g, 14/5g, etc.? – A. I. Breveleri Nov 14 '16 at 16:15
  • @A.I.Breveleri Conduits and raceways are often used. But the most common multiwire situation is 14/3 or 12/3, both readily available. – bib Nov 14 '16 at 17:31
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    I've learned electrical codes are not just for the safety of the user, but also the safety of the tradesman or serviceman working on the system. Things that have no use to the homeowner usually provide safety to someone else. – Damon Nov 15 '16 at 07:31
  • Related: https://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/213713/can-i-run-stripped-romex-nm-through-conduit – StayOnTarget Jan 16 '21 at 13:07

1 Answers1

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Short answer: NO

You may be able to use individual wires taken from a non-metallic cable (Romex is a brand) within a fixture, but not between fixtures or switches.

NEC 300.3(B) requires that:

All conductors of the same circuit ... shall be contained within the same raceway, auxiliary gutter, cable tray, cablebus assembly, trench, cable, or cord [with certain exceptions that do not apply here].

If you give us a diagram of your fixtures and switches, we may be able to suggest a solution.

bib
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