Junction Box or Pull Box?

[cshuber]

I work as an Electrical Estimator for a Temperature Control Company. We are currently installing our temperature controls (all low voltage wire in EMT)in a building that has mostly hard ceilings. I am being told that we are not allowed to install any junction boxes above the ceiling because they will not be accessable after the ceiling is installed. One of our wiring requirements is that all of our circuits must be run from end-to-end without splices.

My question is, if our wire runs are installed without splices, would any box mounted above the ceiling be considered a "Junction Box" or is it simply a "Pull Box". The reason we need to install boxes above the ceiling is to introduce multipal conduit runs from various locations into a single "home run" conduit link back to our panel.

Any advice would be greatly appricated.

Thanks

 

[tonyi]

Re: Junction Box or Pull Box?

It looks like a moot point to me - 314.29 would prohibit burying a j-box or pull box in a finished ceiling.

 

[roger]

Re: Junction Box or Pull Box?

Somewhere in this building there will most likely be an access panel for some piece of equipment, (VAV, F/A, Water valves, etc..) try to locate your pull boxes at this point or tell the Architect you need one at some location. (RFI time)

Roger

 

[hbiss]

Re: Junction Box or Pull Box?

Also consider that your work is as important as anybody elses. Certainly try to locate your boxes behind existing access panels where possible but, if not, there is no reason access panels can't be installed to accommodate your work.

The reason that J boxes and pull boxes have to remain accessable is to allow the wiring to be replaced, added to or repaired. This is much more of an issue with splices but even with a pull box it is often impossible to pull additional wire or pull out and replace existing ones without accessing the pull boxes. Why even bother to run your LV wiring in conduit if it can't be serviced? Isn't that the point?

Remember also that the NEC limits the number of bends between pull or J boxes to a total of 360 degrees. There is no distance limitation. Hope you are keeping this in mind when specifying your pull boxes and where they need to be located.

-Hal