Lighting relays & box fill calcs

[brantmacga]

2017 - 314.16(B)(1) Conductor Fill

The last line of this code section states, “A conductor, no part of which leaves the box, shall not be counted.”


Referencing that code, would you think the wiring leads off a lighting relay should be counted towards box fill?


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[hillbilly1]

Depends, are you talking about a relay such as a RIB relay? Or a relay that’s in the same box? I’m going to assume a RIB relay, since it is external of the box, the leads do not originate and end in the box. It would be treated the same as the other wires passing through or ending in the box even if not all of the leads are used. It would be counted as such.

 

[brantmacga]

Yes like a RIB.


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[LarryFine]

Agreed. I just installed a RIB today. It's just like a PVC male adapter with wires in it.

 

[ActionDave]

Do you guys count light fixture wires as well?

 

[mkgrady]

Agreed. I just installed a RIB today. It's just like a PVC male adapter with wires in it.

Is it still ok to call it a male adapter?

 

[LarryFine]

Is it still ok to call it a male adapter?

As long as there are no female adapters within earshot.

 

[LarryFine]

Do you guys count light fixture wires as well?

I don't, especially if there's canopy space. But then, I rarely approach maximum fill.

 

[synchro]

Is it still ok to call it a male adapter?

A recent post was talking about "guy" wires, and I was thinking that could be the next term that gets some flack.

 

[LarryFine]

A recent post was talking about "guy" wires, and I was thinking that could be the next term that gets some flack.

Would telegrams to Ms. Godot be Gal wires?

 

[ActionDave]

2017 - 314.16(B)(1) Conductor Fill

The last line of this code section states, “A conductor, no part of which leaves the box, shall not be counted.”

I think that is aimed at pig tails.

Referencing that code, would you think the wiring leads off a lighting relay should be counted towards box fill?

I wouldn't. I may loose an argument if an inspector really pressed the issue but I doubt the conversation would ever come up.

 

[brantmacga]

Thanks. Just curious how others interpret that.

I had an inspector fail me on a final because they want me to provide box fill calcs on all of my lighting relays.

Job specs required them to all be in the mechanical room; I ran everything to a wire way then nippled down to 4-11/16 x 1-1/2” boxes with the same size extension ring.

I’ve got several with four relays on the box; each relay has 2x #14 power conductors and 2x #12 switch conductors.

I ran a single L/N/G to each box to power the relay then a switch loop for each circuit.

I ended up with 58.75 Cu in of box fill with an allowable area of 59 Cu in. That’s counting the relay conductors.


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