# Electricians: can I do this? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Tags:** tools-electric-diy\ **Created:** [August 21, 2026, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electricians-can-i-do-this/1032475 "2026-08-21T21:24:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2026, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electricians-can-i-do-this/1032475/21 "2026-08-22T18:57:46Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > I just thought of an even simpler option. Can I put a second box where I need it and run a short piece of NM along the wall to it from the existing box? Then I have two outlets instead of just one. > > Any problems with that? No. Except that the 2 outlets + the door opener are all on 1 20A circuit – if you had heavy loads on all of them at the same time, you could trip the breaker. Not a major concern. About NM (Romex) inside conduit – bad idea, generally: 1. NM is designed to be open, for heat dissipation - less likely inside conduit. 2. NM takes up a lot of room inside a conduit. 3. It’s wasting money! NM is protection around wires, conduit is to protect wires – you’re paying twice for the same thing. So it’s allowed, just wasteful. ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_Blaylock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_blaylock/32/3235_2.png) [@Bob\_Blaylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_Blaylock)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2026, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electricians-can-i-do-this/1032475/22 "2026-08-23T01:54:32Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > Emerging from that surface-mounted box is a romex cable stapled to the ceiling and running down to the wall, where another surface-mounted outlet is installed with a duplex 20A outlet. > · > · > · > The reason I ask is that I’d like to re-position the wall outlet, and simply stapling romex to the wall is something I can easily do. Installing it in conduit is probably beyond my abilities.   Exposed NM (_”Romex“_) stapled to the wall _might_ have been legal in the 1970s, but I am pretty certain that it is not legal now.   I find myself thinking of how I would do this, and realizing that it wouldn’t to to try to instruct someone who has neither the proper tools nor the proper skills on how to do it.   If it was me, I’d take out all that NM.  I’d use a metal box for the receptacle, and if the box on the ceiling is plastic, I’d replace it with a metal box.  I’d then run EMT between those two boxes, and run individual wires in that EMT. If it’s an unfinished garage, with exposed studs and joists all the way between the two boxes, then running NM cable properly along the studs/joists could be a reasonable way to do this, if you know what you’re doing. But I’d rather run EMT. > [@ZonexandScout](#): > > And you don’t want to buy three separate spools of individual #12 conductors for this small job. Almost any place that sells construction materials will certainly sell suitable wire by the foot. No need to buy 500-foot rolls, when you probably don’t need as much as fifty feet of each. > [@Beckdawrek](#): > > But PVC conduit is dead easy. Cuts easy, glues easily for turns. Forgiving to a point.   That’s a valid way to do it, as well. Make sure you use grey PVC, which is made to be used for electrical work. Other colors of PVC, meant for other applications are not suitable for use as electrical conduit. And use fittings as well that are meant for this use. > [@ZonexandScout](#): > > Frankly, I’d just bite the bullet and go buy some MC cable (not AC cable) and replace the NM cable completely. The interior of the garage is a dry environment, so MC is fine when run exposed.   Also a valid way to do it, and of the suggested methods, probably the easiest for an amateur to do and get it right.  Difficult to make it look good, if you’re running it exposed on the outside of a wall, but perhaps you don’t mind it looking a bit sloppy. EMT or PVC conduit is a lot easier to make look good.  Just make sure you’re clear on how to properly install the connectors on each end of the cable.  That’s the one area where I can see someone who doesn’t know what he’s doing, screw it up badly.  There are a few things you need to know about how to treat the ends of the cable, and how to install the connector.  It’s not at all difficult if you know, but very bad if you don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2026, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electricians-can-i-do-this/1032475/23 "2026-08-23T06:10:39Z")
> [@Bob\_Blaylock](#): > > Almost any place that sells construction materials will certainly sell suitable wire by the foot. No need to buy 500-foot rolls, when you probably don’t need as much as fifty feet of each. And if you are replacing existing romex, you can always strip the outer insulation and paper wrap from it and reuse the existing conductors in a raceway. The limiting factor being the length of the conductors, but if I needed individual wires and had spare romex around, I would reuse what I could. Fun fact: a potato peeler from the kitchen is a pretty good tool for stripping romex. ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2026, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electricians-can-i-do-this/1032475/24 "2026-08-23T20:05:24Z")
> [@Dag\_Otto](#): > > And if you are replacing existing romex, you can always strip the outer insulation and paper wrap from it and reuse the existing conductors in a raceway. Unless the individual conductors are marked as THHN or THWN, this is not considered acceptable. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2026, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electricians-can-i-do-this/1032475/25 "2026-08-23T20:34:19Z")
Yeah, I thought about that. It would still be better than exposed romex. But you are right, not to code is not to code. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2026, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electricians-can-i-do-this/1032475/26 "2026-08-23T21:01:59Z")
> [@Bob\_Blaylock](#): > > Exposed NM (_”Romex“_) stapled to the wall _might_ have been legal in the 1970s, but I am pretty certain that it is not legal now. If the boxes are less than 4-1/2 feet apart, the NM doesn’t have to be stapled. It _does_ need to be supported (stapled) within 12" of a box, which shouldn’t be a problem. ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2026, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electricians-can-i-do-this/1032475/27 "2026-08-23T23:34:31Z")
> [@Dag\_Otto](#): > > Yeah, I thought about that. It would still be better than exposed romex. But you are right, not to code is not to code. I’m in Canada, our version of NM-B is called NMD-90 (rated for 90C connections). It doesn’t have paper inside but is still not rated for damp or wet use. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2026, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electricians-can-i-do-this/1032475/28 "2026-08-24T21:27:30Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > I just thought of an even simpler option. Can I put a second box where I need it and run a short piece of NM along the wall to it from the existing box? Then I have two outlets instead of just one. You’re in Massachusetts, right? Just fair warning, rewiring an existing box and moving it slightly may be OK as unpermitted DIY work, but installing a new box definitely requires a permit & work performed by a licensed electrician. ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2026, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electricians-can-i-do-this/1032475/29 "2026-08-24T23:08:19Z")
> [@Dag\_Otto](#): > > An EE owned my house before I bought it. He didn’t have a clue about what he was doing. If I ever see him, I think I would probably punch him. A petroleum engineer owned my house before I bought it (he was probably an engineer made out of oil, but he was long dead by the time I bought it from his widow, so I don’t know for sure). You think an EE doesn’t understand electrical wiring… Anyway, at some point he finished the basement. Polarity on all of the outlets was random. About half the outlets were reverse polarity, which I fixed, replaced the one by the sink with a GFCI, and replaced any worn out receptacles. For unrelated reasons I’m going to need to take some paneling down soon, and really dread what electrical aberrations I might find. > [@billy-jack](#): > > 1. The builder decided to put all of the networking equipment up in the unvented attic. If you wanted to do anything, you would have to climb through the attic to the networking equipment. The company leasing the building moved the networking equipment into the bathroom. So now, you can sit on the crapper while working on the network. The original network closet in my office building was in a mechanical room that also contained a Chrysler V-8 engine, and was not climate controlled. There were 4 walls and a roof, but there were also permanently open vents in the walls for the engine, radiator, and exhaust. The engine was part of an emergency generator, but not one of those painted rectangular boxes you see next to hospitals, it was just a V-8 engine sitting on the floor with a generator where the transmission would go. The open vents meant that a huge amount of dust collected in the room and on all of the equipment. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electricians-can-i-do-this/1032475.md?page=1)