toddro1971
Member
In determining box fill. How much does a standard residential 15 amp receptacle take up in area.
Recepticle area
- Thread starter toddro1971
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1793
Senior Member
- Location
- Louisville, Kentucky
- Occupation
- Inspector
Re: Recepticle area
I count a device as 2x the connected conductor size.
Norb
I count a device as 2x the connected conductor size.
Norb
bphgravity
Senior Member
- Location
- Florida
Re: Recepticle area
See section 314.16(B)(4).
The type of device is of no concern. Any device requires a double volume allowance based on the largest conductor connected to the device.
See section 314.16(B)(4).
The type of device is of no concern. Any device requires a double volume allowance based on the largest conductor connected to the device.
toddro1971
Member
Re: Recepticle area
Thanks guys!! And thanks ph. Cubed (3) I should have said.
Thanks guys!! And thanks ph. Cubed (3) I should have said.
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
Re: Recepticle area
Is anyone other than me bothered by this? A 2 wire reduction for a $.49 Home Depot switch which is less than a 1/4 of the size of a GFCI receptacle doesn't seem logical. Shouldn't the deduction reflect the actual volume that the device requires as opposed to a standard 2 conductor deduction for a device of any size?
Is anyone other than me bothered by this? A 2 wire reduction for a $.49 Home Depot switch which is less than a 1/4 of the size of a GFCI receptacle doesn't seem logical. Shouldn't the deduction reflect the actual volume that the device requires as opposed to a standard 2 conductor deduction for a device of any size?
bphgravity
Senior Member
- Location
- Florida
Re: Recepticle area
As I understand it, the allowances are sufficent for the larger devices which means you simply have extra room for the smaller devices even though they all are figured the same.
As I understand it, the allowances are sufficent for the larger devices which means you simply have extra room for the smaller devices even though they all are figured the same.
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
Re: Recepticle area
This makes perfect sense. Thanks!
allenwayne
Senior Member
Re: Recepticle area
Yeah it is figured on the largest device that can be installed ,but ever try and install a gfci device in a pvc/bakelite 4 square box with 2 3 12`S in it
Or for that fact a 600w dimmer in one of these boxes
Yeah it is figured on the largest device that can be installed ,but ever try and install a gfci device in a pvc/bakelite 4 square box with 2 3 12`S in it
Or for that fact a 600w dimmer in one of these boxes
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
Re: Recepticle area
The reason that I mentioned it was because the NEC has seemed to evolve around issues like this. For example a few code cycles ago conduit fill was based on trade size, not the actual cross-sectional area of the conduit as it is now. In the 2005 NEC we see a code change in 314.16(B)(1) which addresses the practice of some electricians to leave miles of looped unbroken wire in junction boxes. Now we may have to count that unbroken pass through conductor as two not one conductor.
This leads me back to my original point that since some devices are considerably smaller than others than why do they still count for the same 2X wire reduction? Does anyone feel that the NEC should address issues like this as well?
The reason that I mentioned it was because the NEC has seemed to evolve around issues like this. For example a few code cycles ago conduit fill was based on trade size, not the actual cross-sectional area of the conduit as it is now. In the 2005 NEC we see a code change in 314.16(B)(1) which addresses the practice of some electricians to leave miles of looped unbroken wire in junction boxes. Now we may have to count that unbroken pass through conductor as two not one conductor.
This leads me back to my original point that since some devices are considerably smaller than others than why do they still count for the same 2X wire reduction? Does anyone feel that the NEC should address issues like this as well?
Re: Recepticle area
My guess would be to simplify things.
There are some many devices out there available that it would be a pain in the neck...switches...single pole, two pole, three way, four way, GFCI's, AFCI's, receptacles....15, 20A, 30A, 50A, 125V, 250V, etc, etc, etc, etc.....you get the picture.
My guess would be to simplify things.
There are some many devices out there available that it would be a pain in the neck...switches...single pole, two pole, three way, four way, GFCI's, AFCI's, receptacles....15, 20A, 30A, 50A, 125V, 250V, etc, etc, etc, etc.....you get the picture.
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