I need home electrical help!

[BWR1953]

My buddy is wiring up my steel garage. Not connected to power from the meter yet. Most of the work is done. Looks great.

But, when he got over to the main breaker panel, he discovered that the box is upside down! I don't like it that way.

If I buy a new box two of the black wires will be too short to reach the other side. He wants to just use a wire nut to add an extension in the box.

Would that be kosher?

 

[mickyryan]

no

you would need to use split bolt and wrap with buytl rubber and then coat it with several wraps of electrical tape. if they are feeders and should be in its own junction box not in the panel.

 

[BWR1953]

I can't upload a pic from my phone. Too big. When we quit for the night I'll resize and upload a photo.

 

[BWR1953]

Okay guys, disregard. We decided to reconfigure how we're setting up the overhead lights for a neater look. That will require rewiring one outlet which means that we can easily replace the "short" black wires.

Problem solved.

 

[bigdee]

Glad you resolved it. For future reference; NEC does ALLOW splices as long as space does not exceed 75%. BUT whether or not you can splice inside panel is still determined by your local inspector. Local inspectors always have final say and can rule above NEC. I have had to do many ridiculous things to pass local inspections!

 

[poconojoe]

I realize this question has been resolved, but I was wondering if the OP was referring to branch circuit (black) wires or feeder wires. The answer would be a bit different between the two. If he was referring to feeders, yes the proper way to splice would be as MickyRyan stated. If they are branch circuits, perhaps #14 or #12 or even #10, then the wirenut method is good.

 

[BWR1953]

We stayed outside working on the garage until 1am last night. I still haven't updated my Garage project thread (link in my sig line) but I'll post these two pix here for reference.

This is the original, upside down main box as it is right now. (I purchased a replacement this morning.) If we flipped this box over, it would mean that the two black wires on the left of the pic wouldn't reach across to the other side. Hence the need for an extension to reach the breakers on the other side of the box. And there would be a 2" hole in the top of the box if we reused it too. Not good.

But we're rewiring an outlet and that will require messing with those wires anyway so I bought the new box and we'll hook it up normally again. (Right side up, even! :lol: )



This is a test of the 8 overhead lights using an extension cord and power strip. Two more lights on order which will be added when they arrive. The lights are "daisy-chained" with their built in outlets. A very neat way to rig. Much more info in my Garage thread.

 

[BWR1953]

Okay, so I don't know if there is a problem or not. My buddy installed the new main box but ran the extensions anyway. I'd thought he was going to run new wires but apparently that's not happening.

Pic below. Is this okay? We're running 2 boxes with four 20 amp outlets each, total of 8 outlets on the "extension" circuit.

 

[poconojoe]

Okay, so I don't know if there is a problem or not. My buddy installed the new main box but ran the extensions anyway. I'd thought he was going to run new wires but apparently that's not happening.

Pic below. Is this okay? We're running 2 boxes with four 20 amp outlets each, total of 8 outlets on the "extension" circuit.

I see he extended the branch circuits by splicing with yellow wirenuts. That's no problem. But how did he extend the main feeders? I can't tell from the picture.

And just as a mention, I think he could have just flipped the panel guts completely around (leaving the box along) and the feeders probably would have reached by entering the lugs from below. Those lugs look to be feed through in which you can enter them from either side.

 

[BWR1953]

I see he extended the branch circuits by splicing with yellow wirenuts. That's no problem. But how did he extend the main feeders? I can't tell from the picture.

And just as a mention, I think he could have just flipped the panel guts completely around (leaving the box along) and the feeders probably would have reached by entering the lugs from below. Those lugs look to be feed through in which you can enter them from either side.

When you say extending the main feeders, do you mean from the meter? Those were already long enough.

 

[poconojoe]

When you say extending the main feeders, do you mean from the meter? Those were already long enough.

In the first picture the feeders just made it into the bottom of the lugs. On the final picture they are routed around the left and up over the top and into the top of the lugs. They are longer in the second picture.

 

[bigdee]

Wire nuts fine as long as inspector is OK with it.....its his decision. Also that green equipment conductor has to be hooked up.

 

[bigdee]

Is that a sub-panel or is it connected directly to meter? If it is a sub-panel the neutrals and ground cannot be tied together on the same buss bar. They have to be isolated from each other. neutral has to float (isolated from grounds) and grounds and enclosure have to be bonded together.

 

[poconojoe]

Is that a sub-panel or is it connected directly to meter? If it is a sub-panel the neutrals and ground cannot be tied together on the same buss bar. They have to be isolated from each other. neutral has to float (isolated from grounds) and grounds and enclosure have to be bonded together.

Good point and good advice!

 

[BWR1953]

Hey guys, everything is all done and working perfectly.

Thanks for all the input!