I was up in an unfinished but accessible attic looking for an electrical box to tap into to add two closet lights when I found two cables spliced together using just two wire nuts and electrical tape (not in a box) lying under the insulation. Since there are only two wire nuts, I assume the neutral and ground have been tied together. I’m going to add a box and re-wire it correctly, but does the box that I’m going to add have to be accessible from the finished part of the house or do I meet the accessibility requirements if the attic isn’t finished and the box won’t be behind a wall, floor or ceiling?
Darge
Replies
In plain view in the attic with a cover oughta do ya.
Thanks. One more question. As long as I don't exceed the number of wires in a single box, is there any problem wiring two separate switch loops (to two separate lights) from a single hot feed in the same box?
Darge
No.
nope...unless ya dead off the existing load.
Darge,
It would be real easy to say if your asking questions like that, you shouldn't be playing with electricity, but you came here, and clearly you want to do the job right. Sooo, If you are planning on doing anything like those sorts of projects in the future, I strongly recommend you pick up a copy of "The Readers Digest Guide to Home Improvements."
It has answers to lots of question like that aimed at the DIY. Stuff like calc'ing beam loads and installing (rewiring???) your house. Has info on calculating gauge sizes, for wire runs, how big a box for a # of connections, etc, etc. A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing.
I did a Google search, and couldn't find it in print any more, ....perhaps because it had to much info that would be "dangerous" in the hand of a DIY. Taunton also appears to have published a book on the topic in '93 that is out of print.
Jon
Edit: Found it. Better than being in the dark, But still not very complete.
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Edited 1/25/2004 12:49:56 PM ET by WorkshopJon
Edited 1/25/2004 12:50:39 PM ET by WorkshopJon
The Black and Decker Complete Home wiring (not the Advanced) is a good resource for these kind of questions. Also Rex Cauldwells (sp?) book.
Darge,
Those are called "flying splices". Put 'em in a box, with a cover plate, and you're O.K. If you use a steel box, be sure to ground the box.
The box does not have to be visible (i.e., above the thermal insulation). That's a nice touch, but not any sort of code requirement. It just saves you or the next guy a lot of digging through the insulation to find that box. I'm guessing that the cables are probably not long enough to relocate the box, so don't sweat it (trying to move the box so it's above the insulation).
If you're aware of box fill issues, you're light years ahead of the goofball who made the flying splice. You probably saw the piece on the FH website on calculating box fill.
You might want to check over the rest of the accessible wiring to see what other bad work has been done. Equipment grounding conductors (ground wires--bare copper) not being spliced is common on hack jobs. It'd take a real dope to connect the ground to the neutral.
Good luck--
Cliff
It seems like you've been getting good advice here. One more thing: Depending on the age of the wire, there might not be a ground at all.
Al Mollitor, Sharon MA