Single conductors specified in table 310 104 a shall only be installed where part of a recognized wiring method of chapter 3.
Does 8 3 wire thru the attic need a conduit.
This will protect your wiring from damage by exposure or rodents.
The amount of wire fill inside any electrical conduit does not imply how many wires can be stuffed into the conduit but rather how many wires of the right type may be safely installed to prevent overheating of the electrical wiring.
A 1 2 inch conduit can hold as many as nine 12 gauge wires or twelve 14 gauge wires.
According to the national el code book wire size 8 or larger 6awg is larger than 8awg can be fastened to the bottom of the joists no need to drill holes.
It may be easier to replace wires in an existing application when it is installed in conduit.
A conduit that will be used for an electrical project must be approved for the application.
It is often easier to fish your wires through the smooth lining of the conduit than through random holes in walls.
However after looking in the code book article 300 3 a states.
Conduit is durable and strong and can last a long time.
A 3 4 inch conduit can hold sixteen 12 gauge wires or twenty two 14 gauge wires.
It is also in a non accessible location.
I have always been led to believe that single strand wire needs to be run in conduit and may not be run inside the walls of a home or building.