Section 300.14

So if one conductor is 3", and one conductor is 10", and they just connect to each other and nothing else, a single wire connector suffices. If you ever want to change the configuration just cut the the 13" of length in the middle. : - )

Cheers, Wayne
 
infinity said:
So you're for deleting the 6" rule altogether? So 2" of wire in the box is acceptable?
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Yes
No

Are any significant amount of electricians actually leaving only 2 in of wire? If they are, I think that is going to be the least of your worries honestly. So say they leave only 2 in at rough-in, then go to put devices in, they can just extend it then as necessary, just like the current code rule, so what's the difference?Also, the whole thing is really just unenforceable anyway. Sure they could inspect it on rough in, but what prevents someone from cutting it short when they go to install the device? In 20-25 years, I think I've had an inspector inspect a box on rough-in once.
 
I think part of the issue when making this rules was to avoid electricians from running wire into a box and leaving them short on purpose and then splicing with one wire. I had no issue tying 2 wires together with one lead when the sheetrock workers damaged them. Whenever I spliced, as when I had 3 conductors, I would leave them at least 6 inches and then tie a pigtail to it.
 
electrofelon said:
But if the rule is just deleted, then wouldn't there be nothing prohibiting splicing/extending them?
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But then invariably there would be guys leaving 2" in the box. Like I said previously if inspectors used some common sense the new wording wouldn’t be needed. This reminds me of the 2008 NEC where they had to add wording stating that the common mounting holes in metal boxes aren't required to be sealed becuse inspectors where having guys seal them as unused openings.
 
infinity said:
I agree this may add additional wire nuts in the box but I don't see this as being open to interpretation. All it says is that each conductor must meet the minimum length requirement. If one or more do not then they can be individually extended via a splice to meet the minimum length. Since wire nuts do not count towards box fill they don't change anything regarding the number of conductors permitted within the box.

From Mike Holt:
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Respectfully, if the gentleman in the video, after texting, still needed to call Paul and further discuss the matter for half an hour before coming to an agreement, and then needed to reach out to the NFPA for validation, it seems to me that it might not be as cut and dry as that. Until the code is clarified that each individual conductor must be separately extended I believe that people will continue to interpret it both ways.

I know that wire nuts do not count towards box fill, but they physically take up space. Imagine a single gang box with two 12/2 that a careless sheet rocker cut the wires flush with the box edge with a rotozip. Common sense tells me it would be better to make up three pigtails, with three wire nuts instead of using six wire nuts to extend six conductors and then making up the pigtails with three additional wire nuts.

I am not making an argument for intentionally cutting wires short but I do believe that the intention of the addition is to allow damage to be corrected without causing unnecessary damage to the end users property or incur unnecessary expense. If it is a choice between extending each conductor individually or smashing open walls and ceilings I would petition my AHJ to allow splicing the short conductors into a pigtail and then taking a longer conductor to the device. It is not less safe to do this, only less convenient for the next electrician, but if that is the concern a Wago lever nut at for the pigtail splice would prevent further damaging the short conductors.
 
I also think that wirenuts, while they do not get calculated, take up space in the box. Try wiring a gfci receptacle with 3 sets of 12/2 nm in the box and throw ontop of that damaged conductors. Even if only 2 sets were damaged that is 4 extra wirenuts. Can it be done? Sure but I remember trying to push some of those devices into the box without the extra wirenuts and it was a bear.

I am not suggestion the code should be done away with but it would be good if inspectors could see they issue it brings around. Now, if every box in the house has cut wires then there is no excuse and quite frankly I would make the EC go back and wire it as stated in the code just to teach them a lesson.

Use 22.5 cu.in boxes and there would be no reason for short wires. I remember when I first read about the 6" rule I wasn't sure I left that much. Another EC was there and had worked after I had done work on a home and he said "believe me, Dennis, you left 6" past the front of the box."

I like to have long lengths so I can make the wires accordion out.
 
I've never worried about this rule. If I needed to splice to extend a conductor, I did. 99% of the time that I need to extend conductors is in old work where the installer thought they were saving the world by only leaving 2" of conductor in the box. Enter the Wago, and all is good with the world again!
 
jap said:
Also, I never understood the advantage of using "greeners".
If your going to use a wirenut on the EGC why not use the same type you're already using for the other conductors?

Oh well,,

Jap>
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In my area it's because "I said so" or they aren't listed for grounding.
 
qcroanoke said:
In my area it's because "I said so" or they aren't listed for grounding.
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Really, someone actually says that a wirenut need to be listed for grounding? Greenies are only listed for EGC's. That doesn't mean that a standard wirenut cannot be used. Where do they find these guys. :rolleyes:
 
tortuga said:
I always thought that the main advantage is a quicker install just cut one of the romexes slightly longer on rough in.
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It probably does, but, it also makes that bare EGC conductor come out of the tip of the wire nut unlike the others and generally causes that one wire nut to be oriented differently in the box than the others.

But then again, I was never a fan of looping conductors from one device to another anyway

Unlike most, I'm a pigtail with a standard wire nut, and, a single EGC to the screw on the device or devices.

Jap>
 
Back in the war years when there was a copper shortage electricians were trained on how to save copper.
The boxes had a internal clamp for the BX, the installers would push excess BX into the box to work, then strip it about 2-3" long make a soldered splice and a pigtail for the outlet or light, tape it with rubber tape then pull the cable tight out of the box so there was never anywhere close to 6" in the box.
Legend has it the copper shortage was so bad at one point that some large substation transformers were shipped with silver cores 'on loan' during the war until they could be replaced with copper ones.
This affected an entire generation so later they had to be retained it's OK to have some extra wire.
 
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