Splices Buried in Walls

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mkgrady

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I just finished a bunch of demo work for an upcoming renovation to one floor of a single family home. I found numerous concealed splices and wonder which ones are acceptable to the NEC. I know 120 volt splices can not be buried but how about telephone, CATV, intercom, security, door bell, 24V thermostat, ethernet, speaker wiring and fire alarm (not line voltage). I found buried splices in all the above and plan to rewire to exclude all because it is a better job, but I'm wondering which concealed splices are actually prohibited by the code.
 
I searched the 2002 NEC and the only reference to "accessible" being, generally, in the grounding arena; service(incoming)/disconnecting means; etc.
No mention of "buried" "splices""termination", etc.
 
Wow, when I first read that post, I looked in 2005 handbook. I was waiting for one of you Forum Pros to teach me something. I have to go bury a joint in my kitchen now.:wink:
 
I thought I'd get a lot of responses on this. Maybe I should have posted in NEC section?? I figured there would be a code violation in there somewhere.
 
300.15 Boxes, Conduit Bodies, or Fittings ? Where Required
A box shall be installed at each outlet and switch point for concealed knob-and-tube wiring.
Fittings and connectors shall be used only with the specific wiring methods for which they are designed and listed.
Where the wiring method is conduit, tubing, Type AC cable, Type MC cable, Type MI cable, nonmetallic-sheathed cable, or other cables, a box or conduit body shall be installed at each conductor splice point, outlet point, switch point, junction point, termination point, or pull point, unless otherwise permitted in 300.15(A) through (M).

314.29 Boxes, Conduit Bodies, and Handhole Enclosures to Be Accessible
Boxes, conduit bodies, and handhole enclosures shall be installed so that the wiring contained in them can be rendered accessible without removing any part of the building or, in underground circuits, without excavating sidewalks, paving, earth, or other substance that is to be used to establish the finished grade.
 
don_resqcapt19 said:
300.15 Boxes, Conduit Bodies, or Fittings — Where Required


314.29 Boxes, Conduit Bodies, and Handhole Enclosures to Be Accessible
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How do these factor into the above:

90.3
Chapter 8 covers communications systems and is not subject to the requirements of Chapters 1 through 7 except where the requirements are specifically referencedin Chapter 8.
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Commentary following 800.1
Section 90.3, Code Arrangement, states that Chapter 8 — comprising Articles 800, 810, 820, and 830 — covers communications systems and is not subject to the requirements of Chapters 1–7 except where a requirement from these chapters is specifically referenced in Chapter 8. For instance, 800.10(A)(3) references 225.14(D), 800.30(C) references Article 500, and 800.52(C) references 300.22(C).
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EDIT to add....above from the '02.
 
celtic said:
I searched the 2002 NEC and the only reference to "accessible" being, generally, in the grounding arena; service(incoming)/disconnecting means; etc.
No mention of "buried" "splices""termination", etc.
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I should have mentioned that my search was limited to Article 800.
 
Celtic,
You are correct that Chapter 8 is stand alone and Article 725 installations do not have to comply with most of Article 300.
Don
 
760.30 and 760.52 for fire alarm system wiring if it is a fire alarm system and not part of a security alarm system
 
hbiss said:
No, there is no NEC restriction but it certainly is very bad practice for the obvious reasons.
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Other than a splice being percieved as the weak link, what's your reasons?
 
celtic said:
Other than a splice being percieved as the weak link, what's your reasons?
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Accessibility for future expansion is the only other reason I would consider, but then, the spliced circuits being done with quality, will end up at some other terminal point that allows accessibility. rbj
 
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