Today’s picture of the day concerning conductor count

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Adamjamma

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Ok, confused.
Todays Picture of the day, concerning conductor count, has the metal box count as seven, and the plastic box count as eight. Is this solely because of the egc? With the metal raceway orconduit counting as the egc?
Personally, would like to see, at least from a count perspective, the two counted the same...

or was difference due due to the male adapter nut?
 
Adamjamma said:
Ok, confused.
Todays Picture of the day, concerning conductor count, has the metal box count as seven, and the plastic box count as eight. Is this solely because of the egc? With the metal raceway orconduit counting as the egc?
Personally, would like to see, at least from a count perspective, the two counted the same...

or was difference due due to the male adapter nut?
Click to expand...
Picture or link would be nice to better understand.

If the two boxes have identical volume but the non metallic box has an additional EGC - then yes it will have one more conductor to count. Per the rules all EGC's count as one conductor in the count, so even if three EGC's enter from three raceways or cables they only add one conductor to the box fill count.
 
Picture is the graphic of the day here on site.dont know how to import it. Plastic conduit has ground wire. Metal conduit just uses stub from screw to outlet, making the metal conduit the egc.

remember reading somewhere that the male adapter adds something because it sticks into the box.. but don’t remember where. Just know these box calculations are kinda important if I ever learn enough to tackle the tests...
 
Adamjamma said:
Picture is the graphic of the day here on site.dont know how to import it. Plastic conduit has ground wire. Metal conduit just uses stub from screw to outlet, making the metal conduit the egc.

remember reading somewhere that the male adapter adds something because it sticks into the box.. but don’t remember where. Just know these box calculations are kinda important if I ever learn enough to tackle the tests...
Click to expand...
314.16 is where this information is located.

An internal cable clamp must be counted as one conductor (based on largest conductor in the box, so must support fittings such as luminaire studs or hickeys. Says nothing about raceway entries or external cable clamps. The male threaded portion of an external fitting that is inside the box isn't specifically addressed - many don't feel it needs to be counted against the box volume though.
 
Adamjamma said:
Picture is the graphic of the day here on site.dont know how to import it. Plastic conduit has ground wire. Metal conduit just uses stub from screw to outlet, making the metal conduit the egc. ...
Click to expand...
That would mean that there actually is one additional conductor entering the plastic box. The code language only requires counting the conductors that enter the box. It does not require counting the internal bonding jumper.
 
480sparky said:
https://www.mikeholt.com/dailycodetipcalendar.php
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Thanks for the link to what we are talking about.

To throw a wrench into the gears - the commentary on those images is mostly assuming all conductors are same size. 99% of the time if I am installing the receptacle shown, the ungrounded conductors will be either 6 or 8 AWG, the neutral is likely one size smaller, the EGC is likley 10 AWG. So it is correct in that the total number of conductors need to be counted, but not all conductors count the same amount of fill if they are not all the same size.

Device, fittings, clamps do all count as the largest conductor in the box though.
 
480sparky said:
:?
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I knew i might get negative response for that. Never seen a range that had more neutral load then a 14 AWG could handle, and even then still often run 8 AWG with 6 AWG ungrounded conductors. Been a while since checking this out but I'm fairly certain I once figured you couldn't go any smaller then 10 AWG neutral on typical range application. I have seen ranges that have a neutral terminal but no internal loads connected to it, pretty common on "economy" ranges used in apartments AFAIK.
 
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