Pendant Lights and Wire Pulling

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Bama_Electrical

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Electrician
I have 2 questions so thought I would ask them in the some post. I have 3 pendant lights that I have to install in a beam over a kitchen island. I have been asked to not drill out the beams for a box, so the only way that I can figure is to use a pancake, but will put me way over on box fill w/ (2) 14/2 wires in 2 of the 3 pancakes. Thoughts on the best approach?

I also have to pull 75ft of 3/0-3/0-3/0-1/0 through 2” conduit with 4 90’s along the way. I have never pulled wire before. Any recommendations?
 
Bama_Electrical said:
I have 2 questions so thought I would ask them in the some post. I have 3 pendant lights that I have to install in a beam over a kitchen island. I have been asked to not drill out the beams for a box, so the only way that I can figure is to use a pancake, but will put me way over on box fill w/ (2) 14/2 wires in 2 of the 3 pancakes. Thoughts on the best approach?

I also have to pull 75ft of 3/0-3/0-3/0-1/0 through 2” conduit with 4 90’s along the way. I have never pulled wire before. Any recommendations?
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Are you talking about surface mounting pancakes on the bottom? That would make a gap between the beam and canopy?

I always use a hole saw to install a box.

But on rare occasions I've stubbed a wire and box, and trusted a trim carpenter to cut it in - only to find just wire stubbed and box missing.

It's not "code kosher" but if you don't want a gap and any box option puts you over on fill, ditch the idea of a box altogether. Use an octagon blank with KO in the middle. Then you can use a connector for the wires and you have some semblance of fire rating between wires and wood.

I'm sure plenty of others will disagree, though.
 
Run 3 switch legs

For the pull- it will be hard. Make sure the person feeding the wire greases it well and pushes while you pull. Personally I would try and add an LB or a JB somewhere
 
I run into problems with customers pretty often where they'll design a project in their head, but it'll conflict with code and best practice since they're not familiar with what we do. I've learned you need to tell them how it needs to be rather than try to make a sketchy situation work.

With that being said, in your situation I wouldn't recommend having more than a single cable brought into a pancake. In Canada you need to account for wirenuts mounting brackets etc for your box fill and our code wouldn't allow it. Not sure about NEC.

Also youll have to make space for a connector on the back of the box too. If they don't want to have it channeled out then I'd show them how ugly a full size surface mount would look exposed with the pendant on it and let them decide what they'd rather.

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I agree with Dennis run a separate cable to each pancake box. 14-2 AC or MC-AP is only 4.0 cubic inches.
 
Bama_Electrical said:
I have 2 questions so thought I would ask them in the some post. I have 3 pendant lights that I have to install in a beam over a kitchen island. I have been asked to not drill out the beams for a box, so the only way that I can figure is to use a pancake, but will put me way over on box fill w/ (2) 14/2 wires in 2 of the 3 pancakes. Thoughts on the best approach?

I also have to pull 75ft of 3/0-3/0-3/0-1/0 through 2” conduit with 4 90’s along the way. I have never pulled wire before. Any recommendations?
Click to expand...

This maybe too far fetched. Would you be able to install the j-box above the beam?
Drill through the beam straight through directly above the fixture. Mount the fixture to a pancake box, if the fixture wires a long enough sleeve through (meeting all NEC standards) and splices in a j-box above the beam.
 
Knuckle Dragger said:
This maybe too far fetched. Would you be able to install the j-box above the beam?
Drill through the beam straight through directly above the fixture. Mount the fixture to a pancake box, if the fixture wires a long enough sleeve through (meeting all NEC standards) and splices in a j-box above the beam.
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The beam is flat against the ceiling. The only option would be having the j-box in the attic? The attic is accessible. Switch leg to the j-box and (1) 14/2 in each pancake.
 
Bama_Electrical said:
The attic is accessible. Switch leg to the j-box and (1) 14/2 in each pancake.
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Definitely. Drill straight through and run each 14/2 to one J-box to join the cable from the switch.

An appropriately-sized Wiremold box, painted to blend in, just might look better than a pancake.
 
Is there a reason your running a 1/0 egc.
I take it your running a 200 amp feeder. If allowed smaller EGC easier pull. Less expensive as well.
Cu conductors?
May want to look at 250.122
 
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