basement wiring

[roadrunner]

I recently purchased a house and I'm trying to fix it up. The house was built in 1960. I want to wire the basement it currently does not have any outlets. I'ts an unfinished basemnet with cement block for walls I don't plan on finishing it so whats the best way to run the wiring and mount the recepticle boxes for outlets.

[HayZee518]

One option is to use romex wire and fasten boxes to the floor joists. Drill holes at approx center of the joist and fish the cable through them back to the panelbox. The other option is to use EMT ot PVC conduit. EMT is metal tubing and needs to have gentle offsets to enter and exit the boxes along with EMT screw or compression fittings. PVC is the same only plastic. It uses socket weld (solvent cement) fittings and adapters. outlet boxes for this type can be metal or plastic 4" square pvc with raised duplex covers. the metal boxes can be 4" X 1 1/2" deep junction boxes with 1/2" raised covers. The metal EMT doesn't need and equipment ground but it is still wise to run a green ground along with the circuit conductors. PVC requires the green ground to all boxes and outlet locations.

[roadrunner]

I was hoping to bring the wires through the block and cut out for the boxes but I don't see how I could drill through to topplate and block cap. There isn't enough room to get the drill and a long enough bit to go through the block verticlally. Could I come down the wall 6" past the block cap and then dirll into to wall to come down the rest? is it safe to run wire through block wall?

[HayZee518]

I really wouldn't do it. Romex can be fished into a wall space but not a foundation. A masonary box is made to be embedded in concrete or a concrete block wall and fed with EMT conduit. You risk the chance of chiselling out the electrical box opening to splitting the whole concrete block. THEN your next problem would be sealing the foundation against water infiltration. surface boxes fastened with "TAPCON"s is the only way. Wiremold is too expensive for exposed work in a basement. Besides, a 1/2" emt bender is not expensive and isn't too difficult to learn to make an offset bend for a box or bending an inside corner for an internal wall.

[roadrunner]

HayZee thanks for your replies your knowledge is appreciated. I think I stick to running the wire and mounting boxes on the floor joist