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Dedicated AC line - Contractor wants to use BX instead of romex

I’m having a dedicated in wall AC cable run, about 40-50 ft. I was planning on using VH audio cryo’d 10-2 Romex but the contractor wants to use BX since it’s an urban area and more impervious to mice, etc.

Any thoughts on this?

Also I was planning on wiring the end of the run with an 20 Amp IEC connector so I could plug it directly into my Niagara 7000. I don’t know if they will wire it this way but I thought I could always do that myself later.
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Showing 3 responses by edgewound

edgewound
259 posts
 
Your contractor is better off turning down the job.
edgewound
259 posts
 
millercarbon8,881 posts04-24-2021 3:51pmYour contractor is nuts. You want the cryo wire. You do not want it in conduit. You are willing to come string it through the holes in the middle of the night if that is what it takes. Etc, etc.
It could actually be that the contractor wants to stay in good graces with the local code enforcement dept. Ever think of that little detail? Just because someone is willing pay to violate local codes to prevent a potential building fire, doesn't mean a contractor should do it. 
edgewound
259 posts
 

johnspain25 posts04-24-2021 8:53pm

Why I ALWAYS choose BX over Non-Metallic (NM) cable: A real-world example.

Sometimes individual conductors run inside conduit is the only option, but when I have a choice between NM cable and BX, I always choose BX as a residential wiring best practice. There are two main reasons:

1)   BX shields electric fields. Many of my concerned clients have spent a lot of effort and money to shield against and reduce their exposure to electric fields. Some even go as far to turn off the circuits to their bedrooms when they sleep to reduce their exposure. If construction, remodels and renovations are done with BX, the electric field exposure is significantly reduced. The cost is greater, but for a 250-foot roll of BX, it is only about $30 more expensive than NM cable. So for a small job, the extra cost may only be $100 or so, and even for a large job the extra cost should not exceed $1,000.

Source: https://healthybuildingscience.com/2013/01/15/residential-wiring-best/#:~:text=2)%20BX%3A%20BX%20is%....

Bravo for your support of actual science.👏👍
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