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. Can you identify the specific Code violation(s) in this photo? Note: Submitted comments must include specific references from the 2020 NEC.
Hint: Mix and match GEC sizes
Tell Them What They've Won…
Using the 2020 NEC, correctly identify the Code violation(s) in this month's photo — in 200 words or less — and you could win an Arlington Industries 18" Slider Bar and plastic box for mounting between studs with non-standard spacing. E-mail your response, including your name and mailing address, to [email protected], and Russ will select three winners (excluding manufacturers and prior winners) at random from the correct submissions. Note that submissions without an address will not be eligible to win.
September Winners
Thanks go out to the electrician who shared this photo with us but prefers to remain anonymous. No worries, my friend, remaining anonymous is perfectly fine. According to the electrician, this box was a deep 4-in. square with an extension ring.
Our winners this month were Benjamin S. Berman, an EC&M reader from Philadelphia.; Michael D. Ortiz, a residential electrical contractor from Navarre, Fla.; and Jacob Ross Riddle, located in Tulsa, Okla. They all knew that this box was way overcrowded. Section 314.16 provides requirements for calculating the minimum volume needed to accommodate conductors in outlet boxes and device boxes. While I cannot determine the size of each conductor in this installation, I can certainly see that there are far too many to fit inside this box. There are so many conductors that the cover cannot be installed. A box cover is required per Sec. 314.25. Perhaps installing more extension rings could provide enough space for all these wires.
