un-BX a BX?

[Darius Ferlas]

Hi All,

I have a length of 3/3 BX wire that I was hoping to use as a feeder wire to a sub-panel I'm working on. It's kinda big for my need but the price was fantastic. However, the metal shield is pretty hard to get through some of the tight turns I need to go through so I am looking at this scenario:

The wire is about 25 feet long, I would like to remove about 4 feet of the metal shield at both ends and then run the individual wires from those points to the main panel and the sub on the other end. The 4 foot lengths of wire (now without the armor around them) would run through PVC conduits.

Does anybody know if there are any issues with electrical safety with this approach?


Thanks.

[Rod Sheridan]

Your main issue would be continuity of grounding for the armour.

You would either have to transition through a grounded metal box, or through a PVC box using grounding bushings on the box connectors.

Why not use EMT and the proper flex/EMT connector and not worry about the boxes?

Regards, Rod.

[Rollie Meyers]

The wire is not marked to be used outside the armor,just like skinning out romex & pulling it through conduit is not kosher. BTW most the cable made today what people are calling "BX" is Metal Clad cable.

[Darius Ferlas]

Thank you both for your responses.
It looks like I will be using EMT.

It also turns out that they still use the name BX here in Ontario. The wire I have has black, white, red and bare ground, all wrapped in paper and then clad in the metal armor. Apparently the ground is kinda built into the design even without the continuity of the armor.

The problem is I have a couple tight spots where bending the wire (with the armor) breaks the armor.

[Richard Cordery]

Call an electrician you are lost and need help