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Electrical Question Joe 06-16-2006
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Posted by Joe on June 16, 2006, 7:16 pm
Hi,

I am replacing my medicine cabinet in my bathroom. The old medicine
cabinet had the bathroom lights built-in to it at the top. My new
medicine cabinet has no lights so I need to install some lighting above
it.

My question - the wiring for the light needs to be extended by a foot
or so. It is too short to reach where the new lighting will be
installed. I have never done electrical work -- is it as easy as just
buying a small piece of wire -- hooking up the black, white and copper
wire ends of each wire?

Please any help is appreciated. You can assume that I know nothing
about wiring - I will not be offended by very obvious things being
explained.

Thanks,
Joe


Posted by Doug Miller on June 16, 2006, 8:18 pm
>Hi,
>
>I am replacing my medicine cabinet in my bathroom. The old medicine
>cabinet had the bathroom lights built-in to it at the top. My new
>medicine cabinet has no lights so I need to install some lighting above
>it.
>
>My question - the wiring for the light needs to be extended by a foot
>or so. It is too short to reach where the new lighting will be
>installed. I have never done electrical work -- is it as easy as just
>buying a small piece of wire -- hooking up the black, white and copper
>wire ends of each wire?

No. It is an electrical code requirement that *all* junctions be made inside
junction boxes approved for that purpose, *and* that the junctions be
accessible. Simply extending the cable as you describe will not meet code.
>
>Please any help is appreciated. You can assume that I know nothing
>about wiring - I will not be offended by very obvious things being
>explained.

Since you've never done this before, for your own safety and that of others,
PLEASE get someone who understands wiring to help you or show you how, or at
least get a book from the library. Electricity is dangerous if mishandled.
Mistakes can kill.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

Posted by RBM on June 16, 2006, 8:20 pm
Yes, however you have to make splices in splice boxes, which have to be
accessible. In your case you'd need to find a location where the cable will
reach to, where you can install such a box, or if that won't work, you have
to run a new cable from the switch to the new location



> Hi,
>
> I am replacing my medicine cabinet in my bathroom. The old medicine
> cabinet had the bathroom lights built-in to it at the top. My new
> medicine cabinet has no lights so I need to install some lighting above
> it.
>
> My question - the wiring for the light needs to be extended by a foot
> or so. It is too short to reach where the new lighting will be
> installed. I have never done electrical work -- is it as easy as just
> buying a small piece of wire -- hooking up the black, white and copper
> wire ends of each wire?
>
> Please any help is appreciated. You can assume that I know nothing
> about wiring - I will not be offended by very obvious things being
> explained.
>
> Thanks,
> Joe
>



Posted by Joe on June 16, 2006, 9:32 pm
Thanks - this was the type of info I was looking for. I have no
business trying to do this myself and will hire a professional.
Thanks,
Joe

RBM (remove this) wrote:
> Yes, however you have to make splices in splice boxes, which have to be
> accessible. In your case you'd need to find a location where the cable will
> reach to, where you can install such a box, or if that won't work, you have
> to run a new cable from the switch to the new location
>
>
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > I am replacing my medicine cabinet in my bathroom. The old medicine
> > cabinet had the bathroom lights built-in to it at the top. My new
> > medicine cabinet has no lights so I need to install some lighting above
> > it.
> >
> > My question - the wiring for the light needs to be extended by a foot
> > or so. It is too short to reach where the new lighting will be
> > installed. I have never done electrical work -- is it as easy as just
> > buying a small piece of wire -- hooking up the black, white and copper
> > wire ends of each wire?
> >
> > Please any help is appreciated. You can assume that I know nothing
> > about wiring - I will not be offended by very obvious things being
> > explained.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Joe
> >


Posted by on June 17, 2006, 10:13 am

RBM (remove this) wrote:
> Yes, however you have to make splices in splice boxes, which have to be
> accessible. In your case you'd need to find a location where the cable will
> reach to, where you can install such a box, or if that won't work, you have
> to run a new cable from the switch to the new location
>
>


Has anyone ever wondered about the reasons for the boxes required to be
accessible? I certainly agree that it is highly desirable and should
always be done where practical. For example, it makes later trouble
shooting easier.

However, in a case like this, what exactly is the big deal if the box
that contains the splice were not accessible? For example, it doesn;t
suddenly become a fire or safety hazhard, does it? It would seem to me
if you were allowed to use a metal box and cover (to prevent driving a
nail into it) it would still be fine, even if not accessible. And it
would make some jobs a hell of a lot easier.


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