Hi Tim,
I am working with a contractor on a home design where the exterior and interior walls are going to be exposed concrete block and lots of glass here in Florida. The issue that is causing a good deal of heart burn is how to run the wiring inside the block and mount plug and switches. I maintain that commercial building all around town and the world for that matter have wiring run this way with no problem. The builder insists it can not be done. Surely there is a solution to this problem. Is there a specification or documented method for running wiring in block?
Thanks,
John Isella
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John,
That builder is blowing smoke up someplace it should not be. It is absolutely possible to put electric within concrete block walls. The first place to verify this, of course, is with your electrical inspector. Find out from them the approved boxes, methods, conduit, connectors, etc. that should be used with block.
Keep in mind that if the block are laid properly, the cores line up. There is plenty of room to get half inch conduit up and through 6 or 8 courses of block. Is it easy to lift the block up and then down to tread the conduit, No! But is it possible? I have done it countless times.
Do not back off. This builder is lazy and/or takes very little pride in his work.
Tim Carter
www.askthebuilder.com
W3ATB