ECN Forum Forums Code Related Discussion NEC & other Code issues Length of free conductors at outlets

Does anyone happen to know when the code started requiring a certain length of wire at j-boxes? I'm dealing with existing cloth bx and changing fixtures/devices and trying to apply a practical approach.

Oldest NEC I have in the office is 1975.
300.14 is in there with 6"

Someone else here has older NECs in their archives & they may have some input.

In old work, from a practical sense, it is what it is.
Talk to your AHJ to see what remediation they like there.
Typically you can splice on the additional conductor necessary to make the box usable but that is not defined in the code.

Ditto to what Greg said above as to splicing on extension pieces.

An issue that pops up with replacement fixtures is the temp rating of the 'old' conductors. There is an available sleeve that goes over single conductors that is acceptable to some AHJs.

In this case I am the AHJ. And yes the temp rating is a highly correlated concern. Any links to those sleeves?

I do not have a link; hopefully someone does. The sleeves come with a few different fixtures that I have seen.

One that sticks to memory is Ruud Lighting, with the wallpack HID fixtures. You may find it thru McMaster Carr.

http://www.3m.com/market/industrial/ceramics/materials/braided_sleevings.html

I use this in the industrial dryers I work on. Most well stocked electronic stores carry it as well as some HVAC suppy stores

West:
Thanks for that link. Based on the temp ratings...it looks $$$$

Not to change directions here but are you allowing grounding type receptacles? I have often wondered about this, as the BX provides a grounding path, although questionable and not actually listed for grounding. What do you do?

BigB:
Best answer I can offer is:
"320.108 Equipment Grounding Conductor. Type AC cable
shall provide an adequate path for fault current as required
by 250.4(A)(5) or (B)(4) to act as an equipment grounding
conductor."
From the '11 NEC