Box Fill, what's that?

[awc]

View attachment 1911

I'm new to this trade but I still love some of the things I see. I took this photo to class one night that someone had sent me in an email and told my instructor, which is also our field superintendent, that I took a photo today of what I believe to be a conduit run he'd done back when he was still in the field. It was great because we'd just been talking about box fill the week before. Needless to say I ended up buying him a coke for this one. The look on his face was priceless :grin: Everyone lost it, he is a HUGE stickler to box fill. Not saying that's a bad thing.

 

[augie47]

"comes back to haunt"

"comes back to haunt"

many years ago, my Chief Electrical Inspector, was called to a remodel job on a fairly large department store. The electricians wanted to know if they could make a tap in a obviously very undersized pull box. There was some discussion prior to them opening the box to display "installed by (chief inspector)" and a date.
Be careful what you put your name upon.

 

[awc]

many years ago, my Chief Electrical Inspector, was called to a remodel job on a fairly large department store. The electricians wanted to know if they could make a tap in a obviously very undersized pull box. There was some discussion prior to them opening the box to display "installed by (chief inspector)" and a date.
Be careful what you put your name upon.

I would've loved to seen the look on his face.:grin:

 

[mdshunk]

I would've loved to seen the look on his face.:grin:

I've run into my own work in the past. I start by saying to myself, "jeeze, look at the way this guy....", then I realize. :grin:

 

[awc]

I've run into my own work in the past. I start by saying to myself, "jeeze, look at the way this guy....", then I realize. :grin:

That's when you give it one of those "hmm, how about that...what is the odds of running into another electrician with the exact same name as me" :grin:

 

[Lcdrwalker]

Someone must have removed several of his box extensions!

 

[tryinghard]

3-0 pancake extentions; 3R

 

[tonyou812]

I would say box fill is one of the top code violations I come across. I know plenty of guys that really have no idea of how to figure it out if the box (Plastic ones) doesnt tell them how many conductors are allowed

 

[tryinghard]

I would say box fill is one of the top code violations I come across. I know plenty of guys that really have no idea of how to figure it out if the box (Plastic ones) doesnt tell them how many conductors are allowed

I agree! Sure is nice to have enough room in a box everything works out better; hands feel better, wall finishes survive, heat dissipates, damage is controlled...

Advice: if you have a change in circuitry on a project don't forget to change boxes when needed regardless of job stage! If you have a service call that adds wire fill capacity include changing the box!

 

[electricalperson]

I agree! Sure is nice to have enough room in a box everything works out better; hands feel better, wall finishes survive, heat dissipates, damage is controlled...

Advice: if you have a change in circuitry on a project don't forget to change boxes when needed regardless of job stage! If you have a service call that adds wire fill capacity include changing the box!

changing boxes in walls is one of the worst things in the field

 

[tryinghard]

changing boxes in walls is one of the worst things in the field

They can be difficult but heat is the worst enemy of conductors

It helps to remember if wire fill causes the need to change the box the electrician is simply doing the job correctly and would be doing the client a disservice by not changing it. It's like asbestos abatement there's a right way to do it, for good safe reasons, and there's a cheap way which is always faster.

 

[quogueelectric]

3 or 4 box extensions and a blank cover ought to work just fine there.

 

[480sparky]

They can be difficult but heat is the worst enemy of conductors .....

Technically, heat is the enemy of the insulation. The conductor itslef can withstand far more heat than the insulation.

 

[tryinghard]

Technically, heat is the enemy of the insulation. The conductor itslef can withstand far more heat than the insulation.

Sure, I just usually buy these together :grin:

 

[iwire]

Sure, I just usually buy these together :grin:

One of the best answers ever. :grin:



I have read a 14 AWG copper becomes a fuse at about 200 amps.

 

[tryinghard]

3 or 4 box extensions and a blank cover ought to work just fine there.

Or: 12 x 12 x 4 screw cover +/-, reroute existing circuitry, I'll bet derating is not accounted for. This application already has a 4-11 extension. Proper planning can eliminate crazy wiring.

 

[1stYearElectrican]

Cool they came out with shrinkable conduit lol. Seriously how they get that many conductors in that conduit? Must of been a larger size one then was heat shrinked. Was that a pic of something that was done or was it done as a photo op joke ?


~FyE~

 

[awc]

Cool they came out with shrinkable conduit lol. Seriously how they get that many conductors in that conduit? Must of been a larger size one then was heat shrinked. Was that a pic of something that was done or was it done as a photo op joke ?


~FyE~

Interesting isn't it! It appears to have multiple conduits ran to it thus I believe giving us our multiple conductors. I'm not sure if it's truly a real pic or not but trust me in this field it wouldn't surprise you. Alot of people don't have any business doing this trade sometimes :roll: . I'm fresh to it also, welcome to the forum. These guys are great, you couldn't ask for better help when discussing an issue or needing some help sorting something out. Great tool for beginners like us!