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Posted By: doc MADE ME SHAKE MY HEAD - 05/17/01 03:05 AM
am working as a maint worker for large company someone else has the headaches now.
They have hired a journeyman elec. so he tells me how to do wiring,and now i just shake my head at some of the things these guys are doing at least now my fat is not on the burner,but it makes me shake my head when he and the boss had me run 6 hot wires and 6 grounded conductors in conduit and then at each j-box they had me cut them into and wire nutted them back together Is that legal guess it is ? Is it neat and safe and in a workman like manner guess it is ? I do not think so ,Does it make a bit of since to cut a perfectly fine wire into and wire nut it back together at every 50 ft. which then made a total of 5 splices in it ? or tell, me that raised outlet cover plates do not have to have a ground wire.
THESE are most likely the same type of people that are running neutrals out of different panels,but yet I am the stupid one ha ha
Posted By: CanadianSparky Re: MADE ME SHAKE MY HEAD - 05/17/01 04:06 AM
Only thing I can see is it makes it easier to cut into the circuit at a later date. Guess you could've just left loops though too.
Posted By: Bill Addiss Re: MADE ME SHAKE MY HEAD - 05/17/01 06:18 AM
I'm with you CanadianSparky.
I would have left loops.

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Bill
Posted By: Redsy Re: MADE ME SHAKE MY HEAD - 05/17/01 10:51 AM
Each wire now becomes 2 as far as box fill goes. It seems better to leave a loop just in case you needed to tap into it at at later date. This way you may have spare box volume if needed for new wires.
Posted By: electure Re: MADE ME SHAKE MY HEAD - 05/17/01 11:53 AM
I hope you've got big boxes and small wires!! You've already got 24 wires in each box. The service loops are the way to go, but even at that, they're pushing it here. (ie., 12-#12 in 4Sdeep would only leave room for 1 more conductor...maybe a ground?)
Posted By: gpowellpec Re: MADE ME SHAKE MY HEAD - 05/17/01 10:59 PM
When you guys say loop do you mean a 360 degree loop? I try not to have a full loop in spare conductor because that creates a 1 turn inductor. Could create some choking effect to slow down an overcurrent device in event of short circuit. The loop will also try to increase its diameter if large currents run through it. That may cause violent motion that could damage its insulation, pull loose a connection, or damage something else.
Posted By: sparky66wv Re: MADE ME SHAKE MY HEAD - 05/18/01 03:20 AM
I've heard that leaving a long extension cord in a coil (on a spool or loose) can drop the voltage more (and burn up your new drill!) than if it were stretched out straight, do to the same effect...

Is this right? I tried to measure the difference once but couldn't determine anything positively...

Would having both poles in the coil (cable) reduce this effect?

[This message has been edited by sparky66wv (edited 05-17-2001).]
Posted By: Anonymous Re: MADE ME SHAKE MY HEAD - 05/18/01 03:33 AM
I was thinking they meant loop like a drip loop, not a circle, just enough slack to cut and splice it later.

Yes, a circle would not be good in a single conductor.
Posted By: CanadianSparky Re: MADE ME SHAKE MY HEAD - 05/18/01 04:58 AM
Im sorry to ask, but I am Canadian and all. Whats a raised outlet cover plate? I'm thinking its a "mud ring for a 4x4 box." And if thats what it is I've never grounded one and would like to know why I have to. Thanks, just wondering.
Posted By: electure Re: MADE ME SHAKE MY HEAD - 05/18/01 11:13 AM
C Sparky,
These are also referred to as "industrial covers". They are the raised cover that a device (recp in this case) screws to the backside of. Used for surface work. They're not approved for grounding path. In the case of duplex recps, they should have holes and screws for the device to be mounted by the yoke,and not just the screw meant to hold on a cover plate.
By loop, I believe we all meant a piece of wire long enough to be cut and spliced into later, not a little "coil" in the box.
Posted By: gpowellpec Re: MADE ME SHAKE MY HEAD - 05/18/01 10:14 PM
My post was really so loop would be defined better and point out the reasons a complete 360 in a current carrying conductor is not desirable. I am sure most of the readers of this forum were already aware, but for the few that may not have been, this seemed like a good placd to inject the details. Sorry if my wording offended anyone.
Posted By: sparky66wv Re: MADE ME SHAKE MY HEAD - 05/18/01 10:20 PM
gpowellpec,

Please elaborate for us if you will, (see my last post above)...

Doc has started a new thread under the topic Loops in box ...

I wish I'd remember to do that!

[Linked Image]

-Virgil


[This message has been edited by sparky66wv (edited 05-20-2001).]
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