panel board as j-box

Status
Not open for further replies.

glennme

Member
I haven't seen this in practice before, so I am pretty sure it's not within code. I've searched through the code, but couldn't find any section that specifically addresses it. Could you point me in the right direction for the section number? Thank you.

The specific situation is in a 480/277 branch panelboard, can any of the hot wires be wire nutted together in the panelboard before going out to the load?
 

roger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Fl
Occupation
Retired Electrician
It is legal if the provisions of 312.8 are met.

312.8 Enclosures for Switches or Overcurrent Devices
Enclosures for switches or overcurrent devices shall not be used as junction boxes, auxiliary gutters, or raceways for conductors feeding through or tapping off to other switches or overcurrent devices, unless adequate space for this purpose is provided. The conductors shall not fill the wiring space at any cross section to more than 40 percent of the cross-sectional area of the space, and the conductors, splices, and taps shall not fill the wiring space at any cross section to more than 75 percent of the cross-sectional area of that space.

Roger
 

raider1

Senior Member
Staff member
Location
Logan, Utah
Why is this such an issue all the time? Was this ever prohibited?

My feelings are that too many electricians, inspectors ect... don't read the entire code section and stop at "Enclosures for switches or overcurrent devices shall not be used as junction boxes, auxiliary gutters, or raceways for conductors feeding through or tapping off to other switches or overcurrent devices,".

Chris
 
Chris

This is the feeling I get too, alot of inspectors are lazy and do not want to try to figure out if something is OK or even take the chance that they could interpet the code wrong. It's real easy to just say it's a violation and walk away without putting any brain power into it.

It's really industry wide, the lack of doing any work or putting their necks on the line. I see it all the time, things being overbuilt, things being done twice. Some of the worse offenders are the guys drawing up the plans.

Of course us guys at the end of the line look at all this extra work we are doing and see the waste.

Deron.
 

raider1

Senior Member
Staff member
Location
Logan, Utah
Deron,

I agree, I have found that there are certain code sections that I thought said one thing and on closer reading they don't say what I first thought they said. This goes to prove that we should always read the code section with an open mind and try to really read the section.

JMHO,

Chris
 
raider1 said:
My feelings are that too many electricians, inspectors ect... don't read the entire code section and stop at "Enclosures for switches or overcurrent devices shall not be used as junction boxes, auxiliary gutters, or raceways for conductors feeding through or tapping off to other switches or overcurrent devices,".

Chris



In most of the classes that I teach, this is a pervasive issue. It is amazing how hard it is for some to break the habit, even when they know about it. It is a result of the need for speed and not having enough patience to read just a little more...of which I am sometimes also guilty :rolleyes:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top