Is extra wire slack in wall stud cavity against code?

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nukem2k5

Member
Location
Louisiana
Doing a bathroom renovation. There was a duplex receptacle under the old tub; I don't think the box was nailed to anything. We're installing a free-standing tub, so my carpenter just landed the receptacle in the corner of that half-wall.

Is it against code to have all that extra wire pushed up into the cavity between the studs? If so, what is the (potential) hazard, exactly?

Pics: https://imgur.com/a/w231ynx
 

Little Bill

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Tennessee NEC:2017
Occupation
Semi-Retired Electrician
No code violation that I know of, but why doesn't the builder/whoever just pull out the slack, cut it off and just leave enough to connect to the receptacle?
 

hbiss

EC, Westchester, New York NEC: 2014
Location
Hawthorne, New York NEC: 2014
Occupation
EC
What's the purpose of that space? I see stub-ups for water lines and in another picture what looks like a rough-in for a drain line in the floor. What's that about?

-Hal
 

nukem2k5

Member
Location
Louisiana
Doing a bathroom renovation. There was a duplex receptacle under the old tub; I don't think the box was nailed to anything. We're installing a free-standing tub, so my carpenter just landed the receptacle in the corner of that half-wall.

Is it against code to have all that extra wire pushed up into the cavity between the studs? If so, what is the (potential) hazard, exactly?

Pics: https://imgur.com/a/w231ynx


Because we don't have a GC nor electrician on the job (yet), and carpenter needed to install the shiplap to meet painter schedule.
 

hbiss

EC, Westchester, New York NEC: 2014
Location
Hawthorne, New York NEC: 2014
Occupation
EC
Soooo the receptacle is behind and next to the tub???

Great. It's good to be able to plug your cell phone charger in while you are soaking.:jawdrop:

-Hal
 

al hildenbrand

Senior Member
Location
Minnesota
Occupation
Electrical Contractor, Electrical Consultant, Electrical Engineer
If the cable is supported / secured to Code, the excess between supports is not an issue that the Code addresses.

With two cables to the wall case (as shown in the photos), a thru-splice is implied. The accessibility of the splice, whether there is a receptacle device or a blank cover, once the tub is installed, is the question that comes to my mind.

If you are planning to install a GFCI receptacle device in this box, the GFCI must be "readily accessible", which is defined in Article 100 Definitions.

Some how, I'll just bet, a person can't get at that box once the tub is in the space.
 

augie47

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Tennessee
Occupation
State Electrical Inspector (Retired)
Done all the time here for bathroom vanity lighting. At Rough-In the exact location and type of vanity light is seldom a known.
Likely a violation of 334.30 on securing but would be the same if the cable was later fished in.
(seems like a made that statement here years ago and it really upset one member)
 

hbiss

EC, Westchester, New York NEC: 2014
Location
Hawthorne, New York NEC: 2014
Occupation
EC
You're worried about excess cable? That the least of your worries. This is what happens when a carpenter does electrical work. At best it requires a GFCI receptacle but you won't be able to access it. Why is it there anyway? I can answer that- it's because your carpenter didn't know how to deal with it and didn't know how to remove it.

Call in an EC to get rid of it like you should have done before the wall was finished. Looks like your carpenter is going to eat some extra work.

-Hal
 

jxofaltrds

Inspector Mike®
Location
Mike P. Columbus Ohio
Occupation
ESI, PI, RBO
Doing a bathroom renovation. There was a duplex receptacle under the old tub; I don't think the box was nailed to anything. We're installing a free-standing tub, so my carpenter just landed the receptacle in the corner of that half-wall.

Is it against code to have all that extra wire pushed up into the cavity between the studs? If so, what is the (potential) hazard, exactly?

Pics: https://imgur.com/a/w231ynx
Only problem is that you covered the work before it was inspected.

Disconnect the circuit, remove the receptacle and install a blank cover. Problem solved.

Sent from my SM-T350 using Tapatalk
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Freestanding tub will go there.
Like an old clawfoot tub or something similar? If so then this whole receptacle thing is better than before - it at least has some accessibility where before it was basically the same thing as a "buried" junction box.
 

nukem2k5

Member
Location
Louisiana
Like an old clawfoot tub or something similar? If so then this whole receptacle thing is better than before - it at least has some accessibility where before it was basically the same thing as a "buried" junction box.

I had the same thought... Lots of questionable installation practices in this house, I'm finding...
 

nukem2k5

Member
Location
Louisiana
Only problem is that you covered the work before it was inspected.

Disconnect the circuit, remove the receptacle and install a blank cover. Problem solved.

Even if the placement is allowed by code--since it's not above/within the tub and is on a GCFI circuit-- I still don't like a being right there... Same thought even if I remove and blank it. There's still a through-splice going to, presumably, some lights or something else.
 

jxofaltrds

Inspector Mike®
Location
Mike P. Columbus Ohio
Occupation
ESI, PI, RBO
Even if the placement is allowed by code--since it's not above/within the tub and is on a GCFI circuit-- I still don't like a being right there... Same thought even if I remove and blank it. There's still a through-splice going to, presumably, some lights or something else.
Probably goes to a blank face gfci in a closet.

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kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Probably goes to a blank face gfci in a closet.

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Which serves no purpose if it doesn't supply something else. If you mean the GFCI is supplying this outlet, there is a second cable in the box in question, so there is something else beyond that receptacle.
 

jxofaltrds

Inspector Mike®
Location
Mike P. Columbus Ohio
Occupation
ESI, PI, RBO
Which serves no purpose if it doesn't supply something else. If you mean the GFCI is supplying this outlet, there is a second cable in the box in question, so there is something else beyond that receptacle.
You are correct. What was I thinking?

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