Romex v. BX and the kitchen

[reader4]

Ripped out the kitchen walls last weekend and decided that the electrical wiring could use an update. The kitchen sits directly above the breaker box. Most of the current wiring consists of 2 wires running through conduit to a junction box near the floor-hole, then flexible BX up through the floor into the receptacle. The old wires are OK, but the layout is sort of a mess, so I am thinking of just replacing all of the circuits so that I can have it wired exactly the way I want.

My plan is to just run Romex for each circuit, but I have a couple of questions about code. I believe the Romex needs to be protected in the exposed basement, so will keep the current conduit up to the junction boxes. Can bare Romex then be run where the flexible BX was? The runs are typically about 2-4ft of cable up through the floor without passing through any studs. Romex needs to be secured to any joists it passes over (correct?), but what about when running up the stud to the receptacle? Thanks.

[HayZee518]

If you are in Connecticut then ALL wiring needs to be Bx. Other states have their own offshoots to the National Code. Romex when installed across joist spaces needs either to go through bored holes OR nailed to wooden strips fastened to the joists edges. Where romex goes through penetrations to a wall space on the floor above, no mechanical protection is required. If fished up through a wall space then the romex only needs to be supported at the box - and the wire clamp inside provides this necessity. Where wires run up a wall space that is exposed [as in your revamping the kitchen] then the cable needs to be stapled at intervals no more than 3 ft apart and within 8 inches of the box whether a clamp is used or not. Kitchen circuits need 12 gauge wire and outlets within a 6 ft radius either side of a sink needs ground fault protection.

[reader4]

Thanks for the tips. Should the Romex be run through the existing conduit in the basement instead of through new holes in the joists - basically just replacing the existing wires with Romex?

[HayZee518]

Romex is against the code if run in conduit. small lengths of romex can be run in conduit but only for mechanical protection. i.e. coming out of the ground at a garage location using type UF cable.

[reader4]

Right, okay. So depending on the condition of the wire in the conduit, running new wires from the breaker box to the junction box would suffice.

[Speedy Petey]

If you are in Connecticut then ALL wiring needs to be Bx.

Is this true??? I never knew that. I'm surprised.