I have a exterior, surface mount electrical panel, and I have 18 romex circuits going into the back of it. I have 2, 2" nipples going through the back of it, into the wall with the romex going in. The inspector said that I cant have the romex entering the panel this way, and I have to have kno more than 3 wires, in a romex connector. What is the maximum amount of wires that can fit into a romex connector entering a panel? Any other suggestions, since the panel doesnt have that that much room inside to knock out many more holes? Thanks in advance for your response!
Romex entering a surface mount panel
- Thread starter JEI
- Start date
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GerryB
Senior Member
- Location
- woodbridge, ct. USA
Pretrty sure a twin screw romex conn. is two #12 or #14, not three. So he didn't like your nipples? Was it a bundling issue or that they were not secured? Could you put a j-box inside the building with the nipple connected to it and the romex entered into the j-box with connectors, then skin the romex and pass the conductors through the nipple. I would think that would be ok but I'm not sure.
It's a bundle issue. It's all separated in the stud bay, then it goes through the nipples. There is kno space inside the structure, it's a shower inside of he building. I thought about a gutter under the panel, but I would still have same problem. I was wondering the code on 2 screw connectors an entering an exterior panel? I've done this in the past. If it's code it's code. Just seams a lot cleaner and better job not to have to knock out a bunch of 1/2 inch holes, like inspector wants.
The question comes up occasionally.
Here are some earlier threads you might read:
http://forums.mikeholt.com/showthread.php?t=128541&highlight=back+of+panel
http://forums.mikeholt.com/showthread.php?t=89524&highlight=back+of+panel
Here are some earlier threads you might read:
http://forums.mikeholt.com/showthread.php?t=128541&highlight=back+of+panel
http://forums.mikeholt.com/showthread.php?t=89524&highlight=back+of+panel
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
In NC most areas will allow that install but it is not compliant. There really is not a good means of doing this. I have heard that there are some 2" romex connectors that will allow many nm cables but I have not seen them.
JFletcher
Senior Member
- Location
- Williamsburg, VA
Can you lower (or raise) the panel, bring the NM thru the top/bottom, then build a chase around the wiring so that it's still concealed? Why would a gutter underneath be the same problem as you have now? (a pic or two would help)
that could work. Just with a 6" gutter it would be clean and I could knock all the holes out befor I mounted. And keep the panel cleaner with out a bunch of holes in it
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
If you have to drill a bunch of holes thru the back of the panel and thru the siding then you will have a terrible install. IMO, the nipple is a better way to go so as to not destroy the integrity of the siding
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
If you have a gutter you still need to bring all the cables into it. There is not a good way to do that-- may as well use the panel instead of a gutter.
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