Hard wired disposal with romex nm and hard wired electric water heater with romex nm

[bryck]

In the forum this has been discussed over the years. Its 2015

Hard wired disposal using romex from wall to unit. There is a wall switch as a disconnect. Can romex NM be used as a cord in this manner with out protection from physical damage.
Same question for electric water heaters with exposed NM attached to water heater with a connector and then goes into the wall space at the drywall.
Back east. It appears anything goes except in big city then flex conduit and cords.

 

[kwired]

334.15 Exposed Work.


In exposed work, except as provided in 300.11(A), cable shall be installed as specified in 334.15(A) through (C).


(A) To Follow Surface.


Cable shall closely follow the surface of the building finish or of running boards.


(B) Protection from Physical Damage.


Cable shall be protected from physical damage where necessary by rigid metal conduit, intermediate metal conduit, electrical metallic tubing, Schedule 80 PVC conduit, Type RTRC marked with the suffix -XW, or other approved means.

Bold part above makes this subject to AHJ interpretation of what is considered subject to physical damage and will result in differences in requirements from one AHJ to another.

I also see compliance issues with 334.30 Securing and Supporting when NM cable is used to supply such equipment, it is often difficult to properly provide securing/support within required 12 inches of the termination of the cable, and I see no exceptions for this situation to increase that distance.

 

[ActionDave]

Exposed romex is like old people in swimsuits; there is no law strictly forbidding either, but it's not something anybody wants to see.

 

[peter d]

Both practices you describe have been commonplace here for many decades now. However, that is slowly changing with disposals as we're moving more towards using cords now. But water heaters are almost always wired with NM cable directly into the heater.

 

[rt66electric]

Can you define.... having a door that closes as " physical protection" ???

Can you define.... having a door that closes as " physical protection" ???

Can you define.... having a closet/cabinet door that closes as " physical protection" ???