Box capacity exceeded, need advice

Bassman

Bassman

DIY Member
Messages
94
Reaction score
0
Points
6
Location
Ventura, CA
Just when everything was going so well...
Over the range I have installed a 21 cu. inch adjustable Carlon box. There are four pieces of 14/2 that get tied together and one 12/2 that is to be wired to the single receptacle for the range hood. That exceeds the capacity of the box if I figure correctly. A standard box extender might save me (I can adjust the box back into the wall quite a bit) but it doesn't fit over the adjusting screw for the box.

Options?
1-cut away the extension to fit over the adjusting screw in the box
2-extend the box in some other way on the inside surface of the cabinet
3-stuff it all in and hope nobody notices
3-Go into the garage on the other side of the wall and rewire
4-remove the cabinet and rewire-I didn't really say that.

Any advice is most welcome, thanks.
 
It's all about the make up.

Make it up cleanly and no one will notice. If the wiring all enters from the top, just cut them so they will fold up once. If they are coming in top and bottom you need more wire but still can be done.


And....do your make up on rough in next time!!
 
Alectrician said:
It's all about the make up.

Make it up cleanly and no one will notice.
Click to expand...
MAN! You never cease to amaze me! You are actually condoning putting 27.25 cu/in of wire in a 21cu/in box????? Are you for real??

OK, maybe this is not a "burn the house down" or "easily kill someone" violation, but IT IS STILL A SERIOUS VIOLATION! And on boards like this we DO NOT give advice to DIYers that promotes any install that is in violation of codes. That is a plain fact that you need to accept. If you don't you'd better get used to changing names a lot because you are bound to get yourself banned from quite a few sites.
I know if you repeatedly did this on a site I moderated you'd be gone.
 
MAN! You never cease to amaze me! You are actually condoning putting 27.25 cu/in of wire in a 21cu/in box????? Are you for real??
Click to expand...

Here we go again


oK, maybe this is not a "burn the house down" or "easily kill someone" violation, but IT IS STILL A SERIOUS VIOLATION!
Click to expand...

A SERIOUS violation? Spare me.

One time I was up in an attic and I dropped one of the jbox coverplate screws in the insulation so I only used one screw to attach the cover. Another time I installed a QP breaker instead of an MP.

Yeah, I am one dangerous individual.


Tell me Pete. Do you ever drive 1 MPH over the speed limit? Of course you do so maybe you should .....how to I say this politely???....I can't express my thoughts in a manner fitting this particular forum so use your imagination. It's generally expressed by using four capital letters implying keep your mouth shut.

And on boards like this we DO NOT give advice to DIYers that promotes any install that is in violation of codes
Click to expand...
.

I beg to differ. Read my post.


That is a plain fact that you need to accept. If you don't you'd better get used to changing names a lot because you are bound to get yourself banned from quite a few sites.
Click to expand...

Uhh...yeah. That would be traumatic.


I know if you repeatedly did this on a site I moderated you'd be gone
Click to expand...

Link please?
 
480sparky said:
Despite when make-up is done, it is still a violation.


My only questions are:

1. Why did you use 12 to feed the single receptacle instead of 14?
2. Is there a device in this box, or is it all just make-up?
Click to expand...

I understand it's a violation, I'm trying to gain some knowledge as to how to correct it. I appreciate your input.
One 14 feeds the other three which are stubs to under counter lighting. The 12 is for the range hood receptacle in the same box. I'm planning on putting a single receptacle in, not a duplex. I'm not sure what everyone means by "make-up".

BTW, this box was roughed by an electrician. He would have fixed it, but I needed to move ahead and he's not available for another week.
 
Alectrician said:
Here we go again
Click to expand...
NO. Here YOU go again.


Alectrician said:
A SERIOUS violation? Spare me.
Click to expand...
Not major, but YES, serious.
Let me give you an example. A minor violation IMO would be one or two inches over the capacity. This is over SIX. Box fills are pretty liberal as it is.
One or two inches over I have certainly done a couple of times over the years myself.
While I am a serious non-violator type, I do have the opinion that there are serious and not-so-serious violations. An inch or two over box fill it not so serious.



Alectrician said:
Tell me Pete. Do you ever drive 1 MPH over the speed limit? Of course you do......
Click to expand...
Actually I drive quite a bit over th limit. I like to keep up with traffic you know.



Alectrician said:
Link please?
Click to expand...
There's three. Find them yourself.
 
Alectrician said:
Tell me Pete. Do you ever drive 1 MPH over the speed limit?
Click to expand...

The only problem with this analogy is that once you stop driving, you are no longer a danger.

But a code violation will continue to be a code violation until (if) it gets fixed.

Bassman said:
II'm not sure what everyone means by "make-up".
Click to expand...

The physical process of splicing the wires.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thanks Sparky, the box is indeed not made up yet. Remind me never to wire a log cabin. I'm going to have to bust into the wall from the other side to correct this. In a log house I'd be SOL. Luckily the other side is an unfinished garage and I won't have to spend any time making the patch look nice.
 
The other problem with the driving-the-speed-limit analogy is that we're not talking about what you do. We're talking about what you're advising people to do.

Better analogy'd be a driving instructor, teaching people that it's okay to drive over the limit. And burn a red light if nobody's coming. Or cross the line a bit on curves, on deserted winding roads...
 
It's done, thank you gentlemen.
IM000643.jpg
 
There ya go! Looks fine.
You'll likely have to move the 12/2 over to the left just a bit when the hood gets mounted. No big deal since the hood will cover anything you do.
 
Here we go again
Click to expand...

I do not know AL and he may be the worlds best BUT

This is a typical almost an electrician response.

I perform independent inspections (among other things) and it is my experience that electricians that say, "come on it is only a ______________". It is not that big a deal.


This is an excuse they are using EVERYDAY.

You are either 100% or not.
 
Last edited:
Speedy Petey said:
There ya go! Looks fine.
You'll likely have to move the 12/2 over to the left just a bit when the hood gets mounted. No big deal since the hood will cover anything you do.
Click to expand...

Thanks again for the advice. The wire is exactly where the knockout on the hood is, so installation should be straight forward. The motor is a separate unit that goes inside the cabinet and fastened to the hood. It has a pre-installed power cord that plugs into one on the hood.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

A
Advice on hydronic unit heater install
Replies
2
Views
3K
AkNeedsHeat
A
Matt A
Help! Electric Service Mast Advice Needed!
Replies
4
Views
2K
Reach4
Reach4
B
Kohler Tub Spout with Rear Thread Install
Replies
1
Views
3K
TJRAD
TJRAD
J
Replacing a Kinetico 2030s dual tank system and would like some advice
Replies
2
Views
6K
jgold
J
Z
Advice on water softener drain in basement
Replies
1
Views
2K
Baqiq
B
Back
Top