Where can I buy brown or black household electrical cable?

Question

A few years ago, US manufacturers standardized the color of the Romex sheathing on household electric cable. Now AWG 14 is white, 12 is yellow, and 10 is orange.

We have a summer cottage that doesn't have hollow walls, so all the electric wiring is exposed. We need to replace some of the old, crumbling wiring - which is all black - but on the very dark wood walls, it would look terrible to have any of the new colors, particularly yellow or orange. Is there anywhere left to buy a simple household electrical cable, like a sheathed solid-core NM 12-2, with either brown or black sheathing?

I'm getting a lot of suggestions regarding conduit, channel, wire mold, etc. FYI: there are places where the stringers are flush with the floor/ceiling and the cable has no place to run except along the wall, coming out around every exposed stud. As you can imagine, running any rigid enclosure along this surface would be a nightmare.

More facts:
1. I'm not the owner, I'm the son, and if this requires something akin to conduit, or any bright color, it simply will never be done.
2. The current system includes great ideas like exposed cable where, if bumped, both the sheathing and insulator are prone to crack; mixed gauge wiring; and 14 AWG being run off 30 amp FUSES in a FUSE BOX. Licensed electricians have installed new exposed white Romex wiring in small parts of this cottage. A container for the sheathed wire simply is NOT going to happen. How well does drywall really protect modern wiring? Replacing insanely dangerous ancient wiring is the objective here; obtaining an acceptable color is the means to achieving that objective.
3. Despite the current wiring situation sounding like a pyrotechnic display in waiting, there are about a dozen of these cottages, all built in the 1910's, and none have ever had an electrical fire.

Is there no more colored wire anywhere? Can I paint Romex?

Answer 1

Romex is approved for concealed and exposed work in the National Electric Code. Exposed where not subjected to physical damage. There is no code article prohibiting painting romex in the NEC. Local and state codes may be different than the National Code, but I've never heard of any state that won't allow painting romex. I've worked with much of the old crumbling cloth covered romex. I agree with you about replacing it.

Answer 2

There's no law against painting your wires.

The wire size should be selected by the size of the fuse it is protected by: 14 gauge wire for 15 A fuse, 12 gauge wire for 20 A fuse, 10 gauge wire for 30 A fuse.

What you are talking about doing is going from horrible to bad and although it is technically “better”, it still isn’t good, nor does it meet the requirements for the National Electric Code. You insurance company may not cover you for hazards caused by your faulty wiring.

Check your local home centre, they have new plastic coverings that are thinner than conduit and easy to install that will provide some mechanical protection to the wire and some protection is better than none.

To address your comment about the protection provided by gyproc, typical installations places the wire 1 ½ inch from the surface of the finished wall. This wall provides a mechanical protection that greatly reduces the electric light show that you discussed. Good luck and please be careful.

Answer 3

The color is not the issue here, you need to protect your wires. Romex is not to be used in exposed situations, so the color does not matter. If you were to run romex, the walls should be covered with drywall or paneling. If you don't want to do this, all wires should be in some kind of conduit. Just about anyplace you can run romex, you can run flex. Do the job right, better to have conduit then a burned down house.

Answer 4

I think the standardazation was to make the job of the inspectors easier and I don't know of a US supplier who can match your wiring. You might consider conduit. On the interior walls you could paint the conduit to match. Or, put it on the outside walls. It could also be painted to blend in, but would not have to be to meet code requirements. If you upgrade the wiring, you will have to have grounded outlets and appliances if you want to meet code. And I don't know if there'a a law that bans painting of modern wiring. Good luck with your upgrade. In old southwest housing of adobe, the wiring is sometimes cut into the walls and then plastered over. Sawing out adobe makes a pretty good mess.

Answer 5

Same happened to me! Never tried the Dawn or Palmolive thing though, I left mine and luckily it faded really quickly. Took about 2 weeks to get the colour I really wanted. I used a lighter shade the next time but it still went black so I went and got it sorted at the hairdressers. I think this would be a wise move because if you keep messing about with it , it may end up worse! Also try changing the colour of your make up for warmer tones as I found black was so harsh against my skin. Hope this helps and good Luck!

Answer 6

For one thing the size matters. 14 gauge for 15 amps, 12 gauge for 20 amps, and 10 gauge for 30 amps. depending on the circuit needed, is how you will base your conductor size. Wire mold comes in ivory and brown. also in metal or plastic. and it can be painted. According to the NEC the National Electric Code You need to protect those conductors in a raceway.
Buy the wire mold. Changing the color is OK

Answer 7

14 IS THE STANDARD YOU SHOULD STAY WITH IT ,,,AND RUN IT WITHIN A CHANNEL TO HIDE IT THE CHANNEL CAN BE PAINTED TO MATCH YOUR WALLS OR WOODWORK