unconnected conductors in junction box

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bunuelbresson

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Detroit, MI
On one of my jobs. A circuit which was required by the client was no longer needed because he didn't buy the equipment.

I was wondering if it was against the code to leave the conductors in the junction box. They are labeled. Is it required to disconnect these conductors from the circuit breaker?
 
bunuelbresson said:
On one of my jobs. A circuit which was required by the client was no longer needed because he didn't buy the equipment.

I was wondering if it was against the code to leave the conductors in the junction box. They are labeled. Is it required to disconnect these conductors from the circuit breaker?
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In general the answer is no. You might want to label them as being potentially live, but you don't have to remove them or disconnect them.
 
You mention them being labeled so that should cover you; the only thing I could think of without it being labeled, NFPA 1 Chapter 11 paragraph 11.1.2.3 requirements wouldn't be fulfilled which states "Permanent wiring abandoned in place shall be tagged or otherwise identified at its termination and junction points as "Abandoned in Place" or removed from all accessible areas and insulated from contact with other live electrical wiring or devices." I know it's not NEC, but may still be relative to the discussion.
 
tw1156 said:
You mention them being labeled so that should cover you; the only thing I could think of without it being labeled, NFPA 1 Chapter 11 paragraph 11.1.2.3 requirements wouldn't be fulfilled which states "Permanent wiring abandoned in place shall be tagged or otherwise identified at its termination and junction points as "Abandoned in Place" or removed from all accessible areas and insulated from contact with other live electrical wiring or devices." I know it's not NEC, but may still be relative to the discussion.
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In this particular case the wiring would not IMHO be abandoned in place but instead be spare for possible future use.
 
tw1156 said:
You mention them being labeled so that should cover you; the only thing I could think of without it being labeled, NFPA 1 Chapter 11 paragraph 11.1.2.3 requirements wouldn't be fulfilled which states "Permanent wiring abandoned in place shall be tagged or otherwise identified at its termination and junction points as "Abandoned in Place" or removed from all accessible areas and insulated from contact with other live electrical wiring or devices." I know it's not NEC, but may still be relative to the discussion.
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In reality I don't believe any code can legally force the owner of the wiring to remove it.
 
GoldDigger said:
In this particular case the wiring would not IMHO be abandoned in place but instead be spare for possible future use.
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408.4 still would require identification of the purpose or use of those breakers, even if they are "spares", which I would think if they have conductors that don't go to a load then just simply "spare" is sufficient enough for identification.

Oh yeah, I also agree with golddigger.
 
bunuelbresson said:
On one of my jobs. A circuit which was required by the client was no longer needed because he didn't buy the equipment.

I was wondering if it was against the code to leave the conductors in the junction box. They are labeled. Is it required to disconnect these conductors from the circuit breaker?
Click to expand...


I wire nut off the wires and write "spare" on the junction box cover. I may come back years later and forget that I have a spare circuit handy. Knowing there is a spare circuit can be a good money maker.
 
growler said:
I wire nut off the wires and write "spare" on the junction box cover. I may come back years later and forget that I have a spare circuit handy. Knowing there is a spare circuit can be a good money maker.
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I see how you work, I bet you have a lot of spare 200 amp circuits installed, just in case, don't you?:cool:
 
Nope, all good. That's what blank plates are for. Spare wires in a new pipe...I'm sure the first tech to service it will thank you. At the very least, you have a spare pipe with some scrap wire in it. The construction world smiles upon you. Just leave them capped off on both sides. Or if they're large cable, go ahead and pull it when the CO is given out. Job well done
 
Tom the lectrician said:
Nope, all good. That's what blank plates are for. Spare wires in a new pipe...I'm sure the first tech to service it will thank you. At the very least, you have a spare pipe with some scrap wire in it. The construction world smiles upon you. Just leave them capped off on both sides. Or if they're large cable, go ahead and pull it when the CO is given out. Job well done
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Hey just leave us a string in the pipe and we're more than happy with it. Nothing to prohibit it remaining though
 
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