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Rewiring and junction boxes jimbob 10-13-2006
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Posted by Steve Barker LT on October 14, 2006, 8:14 pm


doing this is a #1 no no in some electricians eyes. You've created a series
circuit so to speak and if that outlet were to go bad or come loose, then
you loose the power downstream also. Pigtailing is the quality way of doing
things.

--
Steve Barker

>
>> #1. It's the same amount of connections if you pigtail the outlet like
>> you should.
>> #2. It makes the work at the outlet a lot easier especially if you're
>> using 12ga wire like you should be.
>
> I work with #12 almost exclusively -- it's not hard to use with the outlet
> boxes. I personaly don't see anything wrong with 'daisy chaining' using
> the outlet's screws -- frankly I think a screw connection is probably more
> reliable than a wire nut. But I realize not everyone thinks this way...
>
> -Tim
>



Radiant Heat 468x60
Posted by Tim Fischer on October 14, 2006, 8:53 pm


> doing this is a #1 no no in some electricians eyes. You've created a
> series circuit so to speak and if that outlet were to go bad or come
> loose, then you loose the power downstream also. Pigtailing is the
> quality way of doing things.

I understand that a lot of people like pigtailing, but I don't see why a
properly-installed screw terminal would come loose any more easily than a
properly-installed pigtail...

Or maybe I'm just lazy <g>. In any case, I've NEVER seen a pigtailed
circuit done in a case where they could have just done a daisy-chain. Even
the circuits that were installed by professional electricians.

-Tim



Posted by Steve Barker LT on October 14, 2006, 11:36 pm


That's because they take longer. Wouldn't want to take extra time to make
it better when you can short cut and get away with it.

--
Steve Barker



> Or maybe I'm just lazy <g>. In any case, I've NEVER seen a pigtailed
> circuit done in a case where they could have just done a daisy-chain.
> Even the circuits that were installed by professional electricians.
>
> -Tim
>



Posted by Don Young on October 15, 2006, 12:26 am



> That's because they take longer. Wouldn't want to take extra time to make
> it better when you can short cut and get away with it.
>
> --
> Steve Barker
>
>
>
>> Or maybe I'm just lazy <g>. In any case, I've NEVER seen a pigtailed
>> circuit done in a case where they could have just done a daisy-chain.
>> Even the circuits that were installed by professional electricians.
>>
>> -Tim
>>
Wirenut connections in a junction box are no "better" or reliable than
terminal screw connections on an outlet. Nor does the junction box reduce
the number of connections. If you count wire ends as connections, for the
two power conductors the junction box method actually increases the number
of wire ends from four to eight. If you count 3 wires in a wirenut as one
connection both methods have four connections.

There are reasons to prefer pigtailing of the wires in an outlet box but the
only reason to move the pigtails to a separate junction box is to reduce the
number of cables to the outlet box. This can be a valid reason if the run is
very long or difficult.

Well established trade practices are not established only because they are
faster or cheaper, although that is a consideration. It is usually a pretty
good idea to follow them (especially for novices) and using a separate
junction box to feed every outlet is not normal practice with most
electricians or in most areas. It is certainly not wrong or unsafe, and if
someone feels that it somehow makes a job better and wants to do it, I see
no problem with it. I would certainly ask my local inspector first, in case
he does not like it.

Don Young



Posted by jimbob on October 15, 2006, 2:58 pm


After reading your responses it seems that there is nothing inherantly
unsafe or wrong about using junction boxes. The problem seems to be
creating inaccessible splices that could fail later on and be difficult
to find. Also using a lot of j boxes can make a simple circuit
unecessarely complicated and hard trace later on. It's just not neat
work. Looking at the wiring I have done so far there are a few j
boxes where the cable could have just as easily been spliced in the
outlet box. Those will have to go. There is one j-box however that
makes connecting a few outlets on a longer more difficult run much
easier. This one will stay. In the future, I will try to avoid
overuse iof j boxes and make sure if I do use them that they will be in
areas that will stay accessible. Thanks for the help.


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