Exterior junction box?

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Nate R

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I have conduit outside of my home that was run to add additional wiring to the house, so it connects back inside to outlets, etc.

When the house was covered with vinyl siding some time ago, (before I owned it) it appears that the siding guys pulled on a 90 fitting in the conduit enough to pop a connection out farther down the wall. (This was so the conduit would go around the outside of a corner post.) So I have conduit hanging about an inch away from where it was supposed to connect. So there's exposed wires for that inch.

Can I cut some of this conduit out and add a junction box? I'd like to put an outlet on that side of the house on the outside anyway. I just didn't know if code would allow for an exterior junction box of any sort.

It's yet another thing I wish my inspector had either seen or told me about. :mad:
 

JWelectric

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Yes the proper type of box can be installed but be sure to install a GFCI receptacle.

Which inspector?
 

Nate R

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Thanks!

I should have specified: I meant the home inspector we used before we closed on the house. It's visible and there.

Now, if I add a box, how do I splice the wires from the existing run? Don't I need at least 6" of wire to be able to be extended from the box?
 

Bob NH

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Nate R said:
Now, if I add a box, how do I splice the wires from the existing run? Don't I need at least 6" of wire to be able to be extended from the box?

You can do one of several things:

1. Go to the nearest box and pull the wires out. Cut at the new box leaving long-enough wires on the remaining wire, and run new long-enough wires to replace the now too-short ones.

2. Using insulated crimp splices, connect pigtails to the wires in the box where they must be cut.

3. If you are very lucky, you might be able to get enough slack from adjacent boxes on each side of the new outlet to make a connection, or at least to splice on pigtails.

4. Insert a second new box or a conduit fitting near where you need the new box. Run new short wires between the two new boxes.

There are lots of variations on this theme, but the idea is to add a new box near an existing box so you can add short wires to get some slack at your new outlet location.
 

Nate R

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Gotcha, OK. The nearest box in the direction I would have to go is about 30 feet away, so I think I'll probably do 2 boxes. That sounds like the best bet. It's one of the 2 least visible sides of the house anyway, so I don't care about the looks.


Thanks for the help and thorough answers! The insulation on the exposed wires has started to erode from a lack of support from the conduit that's hanging. (The end of the conduit is rubbing the insulation from wind vibration, i suppose.) It's putting pressure right on the wires.

So I'll need to get it fixed right away. We have a few other circuits in the house dismantled, so we've been relying on these to work. (The other circuits were OLD BX-like cable w/ brittle insulation, probably dangerous, and had to be removed from joists to add sistering. They will be rewired as we remodel) Nevermind the danger factor if this conduit problem was left alone to let the insulation get worn through!
 
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