Ecmweb 4795 Crowdedcodewatchweb
Ecmweb 4795 Crowdedcodewatchweb
Ecmweb 4795 Crowdedcodewatchweb
Ecmweb 4795 Crowdedcodewatchweb
Ecmweb 4795 Crowdedcodewatchweb

What's Wrong Here?

May 24, 2006
Hint: How many did you say?

How well do you know the Code? Think you can spot violations the original installer either ignored or couldn't identify? Here's your chance to moonlight as an electrical inspector and second-guess someone else's work from the safety of your living room or office. Joe Tedesco, who has a knack for finding shoddy electrical work, did the dirty work and found this mess. Now it's your turn to identify the violation.

Think you know how this installation violates the NEC?

Hint: How many did you say?

Find the Answer

With five different wiring methods installed in this box, including two electrical metallic tubings, two rigid nonmetallic conduits, one nonmetallic sheathed cable (Type NM-B), two surface metal raceways, and two Type AC cables, there is just not enough free space in this 4 inch x 1 1/4 inch square box. If we considered conductors sized at 12 AWG for each circuit, with two wires in each raceway, and cable, including an equipment grounding conductor in the RNMC and NM-B cable, we would end up with a total of 18 of the 12 AWG conductors, plus one additional for the three equipment grounding conductors, for a grand total of 19 conductors. As per Table 314.16(A), the maximum number of 12 AWG conductors allowed in this size metal box is only eight!

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About the Author

Joe Tedesco

Tedesco served the industry in many roles during his career. He was a director, senior electrical code instructor for National Technology Transfer, Inc. and American Trainco, Inc.. He was also a codes, standards and seminar specialist for the International Association of Electrical Inspectors and an electrical field service specialist for the National Fire Protection Association in Quincy, Mass. He ran his own business as an NEC consultant and is a Massachusetts licensed master electrician and journeyman electrician and certified electrical inspector (one and two family 2A; General 2B, and Plan Review, 2C). Tedesco also wrote articles for CEE News and EC&M (Code Violations Illustrated and What's Wrong Here?) for more than 15 years and helped launched the Moving Violations video series.

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