Blue NMD-90 cable?

[eblend]

Hey guys,

Doing basement development at parents place right now and we going to be installing an Arc Fault breaker for the basement bedroom, however, the guys in the store said we have to use blue NMD-90 cable. Is that really the building code now? I saw no mention of blue cable anywhere on city of Calgary website? I have a ton of white cable and would really love not to have to buy freaking blue one just for the one bedroom, as I would spend just as much on it by the meter as a full 75M roll of white stuff.

Please advise. Is this really the law or just a preference?

[Crazyjoker77]

There is absolutely nothing about having to use blue sheathed NMD for afci in the 2009 or 2013 elec code books.

[eblend]

Originally posted by Crazyjoker77
There is absolutely nothing about having to use blue sheathed NMD for afci in the 2009 or 2013 elec code books.

Cool thanks for the info. I will call 311 tomorrow and check with them as well. I had two guys at Home Depot tell me that I had to use the blue stuff....reading online people say the blue is only to benefit the inspector in tracing the cable, but can't find anything Calgary specific.

[90accord]

Nope I have been an electrician for 6 years we use blue to identify it when running it to the panel but aside from that it's simply blue for identification, it's the exact same wire 311 won't know you would have to call an inspector.

[eblend]

Originally posted by 90accord
Nope I have been an electrician for 6 years we use blue to identify it when running it to the panel but aside from that it's simply blue for identification, it's the exact same wire 311 won't know you would have to call an inspector.

Cool thanks for more confirmation. I have called to 311 before and they connected me with an inspector quickly so unless something changed I think it is possible to get in touch with them.

[eblend]

Called 311 which passed me over to Building and Permits, who in turn passed me to an Electrical Officer who confirmed that Blue cable is not required by the city.

Thanks everyone, saves me at least $100 in buying the cable by the meter when I have multiple white spools already.