How many wire nuts would be allowed in a distribution panel?

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AnotherFloridaMan

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Florida
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Electrician / generators
I was in the process of installing a distribution panel in my own house when I found this box seen in the pictures packed full of insulation and buried behind the drywall. Upon inspection I noticed all this was was basically a junction box they used to extended the original runs of wire to the old meter/dist combo outside. I do not believe the existing wire will be long enough to land them all on the breakers, so there is a good chance I will need to extend them as well, but inside the new distribution panel. This is a unique situation to me, so I am unfamiliar with it. On second thought I do not know how to add pictures, so there is only 7 original separate runs of the cloth insulation running into this box which they've used wire nuts and ran romex outside through the wall into the panel outside. Would this fall under fill capacity and wire nuts not really matter, or is there some part of the code I haven't seen yet I need to know about.
Worth noting I am glad I found this, though it probably would of never been a big deal since I have very little amperage at any given time, they undersized the romex to the 20a breakers, so it will all be replaced. They being whoever did this prior to me getting here.
 
Welcome to the forum.

You would have trouble getting the panel cover on if you were to actually approach the fill limit.
 
LarryFine said:
Welcome to the forum.

You would have trouble getting the panel cover on if you were to actually approach the fill limit.
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Thanks. More or less was just wondering if there was a specific code for how many wires can be wire nut / extended. In my case it's a small amount, the 7, but that 7 is my entire house lol I am going to have no trouble getting that in the box neatly that's for sure.
 
Locations that I will not give an estimate for:
1. Old cloth covered wiring.
2. Old lead-based paint found in the structure.
Unless:
1. They leave their home during upgrade.
2. All hazardous materials are removed according to EPA regulations.
3. And all permits are filed, State & Federal.
 
"Would this fall under fill capacity and wire nuts not really matter, or is there some part of the code I haven't seen yet I need to know about."

Larry's post (#2) pretty well sums it up but, if you are interested, the Code covers it in Art 312.8
 
mtnelect said:
Locations that I will not give an estimate for:
1. Old cloth covered wiring.
2. Old lead-based paint found in the structure.
Unless:
1. They leave their home during upgrade.
2. All hazardous materials are removed according to EPA regulations.
3. And all permits are filed, State & Federal.
Click to expand...
So with the lead paint thing that means you don't work on anything constructed before mid 1970's? Unless they can prove it was removed?
 
mtnelect said:
Locations that I will not give an estimate for:
1. Old cloth covered wiring.
2. Old lead-based paint found in the structure.
Unless:
1. They leave their home during upgrade.
2. All hazardous materials are removed according to EPA regulations.
3. And all permits are filed, State & Federal.
Click to expand...
Well I can't leave my own house right now lmao
 
If your house was built before 1978 you probably have it. Check the EPA website they have a lot of information.

If you have a house that was built before 1978 and you are doing remodeling and especially if you have children don't stay.

If you have a house that was built before 1978 and you are selling it, you must reveal it according to the EPA.
 
mtnelect said:
If you have a house that was built before 1978 and you are doing remodeling and especially if you have children don't stay.
Click to expand...
Must be a California thing. People around here renovate structures all the time they are living in without worry. But we do say no to eat the paint chips. ;)

Now back to making fishing weights from that lead plumbing I removed.....:ROFLMAO:

I know it sounds as if I am making light of personal safety, one does need to use safety equipment when doing work, and all hazards need to be known! Around here the 1978 lead issue should be well known.
 
Frank DuVal said:
Must be a California thing. People around here renovate structures all the time they are living in without worry. But we do say no to eat the paint chips. ;)

Now back to making fishing weights from that lead plumbing I removed.....:ROFLMAO:

I know it sounds as if I am making light of personal safety, one does need to use safety equipment when doing work, and all hazards need to be known! Around here the 1978 lead issue should be well known.
Click to expand...
Only time lead paint seems to come up around here is if there is any federal funds involved in the project - usually federally funded housing rehab projects. I haven't done any those in years but I'm sure they still happening.
 
It used to be that the basic tactic to deal with lead paint was to remove it. Same with asbestos. Then they discovered that removing lead paint or asbestos for that matter, actually made the problem worse. Now as long as there's no reason to mess with it they generally just leave it alone.

If the asbestos gets damaged they'll just repair it by covering it up and removing the little bit that's damaged.

If paint starts chipping, you remove the little bit that is chipping, and maybe from some mouthable surfaces and don't mess with the stuff that you don't have to.
 
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