Capped conduits accessibility.

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Tainted

Tainted

Senior Member
Location
New York
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Engineer (PE)
Is there anywhere in the code that says capped conduits with deenergized wires inside for future use must be accessible?

Can we conceal capped conduits with wires inside drywall with no access panel? The wires are not connected, they will just be inside the conduit and the conduit will be capped.
 
Is the other end accessible? There is nothing that says you can't do what you are saying but if the other end comes out someplace, do the next guy a favor and put a connector with a cap on it so they won't go crazy trying to use it.

-Hal
 
hbiss said:
Is the other end accessible? There is nothing that says you can't do what you are saying but if the other end comes out someplace, do the next guy a favor and put a connector with a cap on it so they won't go crazy trying to use it.

-Hal
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Thanks. Intent is to run conduit with wires from a panel into a specific location. Wires will not be connected at all until the future. The only end that will be accessible is at the panel location but not at the future load location. In the future, they will have to cut a portion of the drywall to reveal the capped conduit to connect the load.

Of course will tell them to provide connector with cap
 
This would be the relevant code section.
300.18 Raceway Installations
(A) Complete Runs
Raceways, other than busways or exposed raceways having hinged or removable covers, shall be installed complete between outlet, junction, or splicing points prior to the installation of conductors. Where required to facilitate the installation of utilization equipment, the raceway shall be permitted to be initially installed without a terminating connection at the equipment. Prewired raceway assemblies shall be permitted only where specifically permitted in this Code for the applicable wiring method.
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How are you going to cap the conduit with conductors in it? You would need a conduit big enough to fold the conductors back in.
 
ActionDave said:
This would be the relevant code section.

How are you going to cap the conduit with conductors in it? You would need a conduit big enough to fold the conductors back in.
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The extra piece of wires will be extended at the panel and then when ready to be used will be pulled back into the load. I'm not sure why it would be difficult to cap, am I missing something?
 
Tainted said:
The extra piece of wires will be extended at the panel and then when ready to be used will be pulled back into the load. I'm not sure why it would be difficult to cap, am I missing something?
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Why not just leave the conduits empty now, and pull in the wires when that time comes?

Seems this would end up being less double work and would avoid boxes and/or splices.
 
ActionDave said:
Well capping would involve wire nuts in my mind, and even if you used small ones they are not going to fit inside the conduit unless it's oversized. It'd be easier to have a box at the end.
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Box will need to be accessible. I need it specifically not accessible. Can I just wrap the ends of the wires with electrical tape instead and call it a day? lol
 
Tainted said:
Box will need to be accessible. I need it specifically not accessible. Can I just wrap the ends of the wires with electrical tape instead and call it a day? lol
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I would do it without hesitation, but I'm not one of these hand wringing types who's worried about worst case scenarios and the possibility of death or lawsuits all the time.
 
Tainted said:
It's possible but I want the wire to be in there
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Just curious: Is the plan to install a box and make splices later, or continue the conduit and pull the wires to their destination later? If the latter, how much farther, and will that much extra wire fit in the panel?
 
LarryFine said:
Just curious: Is the plan to install a box and make splices later, or continue the conduit and pull the wires to their destination later? If the latter, how much farther, and will that much extra wire fit in the panel?
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The conduit is not intended to be extended in the future. The intent is to provide a junction box in the future for the appliance.

Some context:

I did a load letter for an apartment and they don’t have the capacity for an electric stove and dryer. So they will install the conduits and denergized wiring for the dryer and stove for future use till they are upgraded.
 
Tainted said:
I did a load letter for an apartment and they don’t have the capacity for an electric stove and dryer. So they will install the conduits and denergized wiring for the dryer and stove for future use till they are upgraded.
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Gotcha. Knowing this, I would recommend installing the boxes now, and blank plates at trim-out.

This is the obvious solution, but you seem to specifically avoid this, as if to hide the future intent.
 
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