So here's one: Between the drywall guys and their roto-zips and the helpers who can't remember the 6" rule, we've been finding an awful lot of really short wires when it comes time to trim out houses.

Barring obvious alternatives like trying to pull extra slack, my usual solution is to simply add a pig-tail to the short section of wire, making it long enough to work with.

In addition to being a code violation, if I find several wires nicked in a small box, the extra wire-nuts can crowd things up fast.

I'd love to use some sort of non-reversable splice on these wires, but I'm none-to-comfortable with the idea of using something like a butt-splice. Seems like those things are best with LV.

I can't be the only one who runs into this problem, how do ya'll solve it?

-John

I find that a connector like the Wagos or Ideal push-in connector work well even when the wires barely exit the cable sheath.

This was disscussed some time ago, but other than special cover for your opening to protect against rocker gashes, someone had a great idea... A handy box cover with a spike through it. Hard to rock over, easy to find, and equally hard to get a zip through... I don't use them, as most of the rocker crews are pretty good about not doing it to me, and jamb everything back before they start.

As for your own guys cutting too short, a good crack across the wrist with a pair of linemens aughta set 'em strait. Most of my jobs I do line diagrams for, and often write the initials of who pulled and made up as I assign it. They check 'em off as they get done, and I check thier work. So if someone mis-wires a can, or has an open splice in one, the same guy can go back and fix his own mistake. Same can be said for outlets... That'll teach 'em.

Easy. You just do everything in pipe.

You can pull wires after drywall and repull if needed. We use 4x4x1.5 min boxes unless it wont fit.

I second the Wagos. I carry them just for that reason and they have saved the day more than once. As far as the butt splicers go, pulled a non working ceiling fan last week where they had butt spliced the neutral and it fell off. There was only 3/8" of wire but the pink wago worked fine.

The secret to butt splices is having the right (racheting) crimp tool, and using the correct size crimp for the wire size.

I thought smaller sized (#14-10, etc.)butt splices were for stranded wire only.

This is the reason why the code needs to be changed. Not sure of the code section off-hand, but slack unfortunately gets you red tagged.

I don't see why some slack or a loop is not permitted before boxes. If there was some slack, it would be no problem if the rockers did what they do best (damage our wires) -- just pull some of the slack in the box. Slack would also be nice if there's a last minute change for switch or receptacle locations.

I mean really, what's worse? Having a little bit of slack in the walls "just in case" or having to tape up and/or heatshrink damaged conductors, pig-tailing, having a box too tight from all the wirenuts? Code just doesn't make sense here.

Joe

I understand the idea but given what my guys' first attempt looks like, I'd be afraid to see what they did the second time around.

Techie, have you ever successfully used butt-splices on solid wire? Redsy pointed out they might only be for stranded, and I realised that's what makes me hesitant to use 'em: I've never seen any crimps for use on solid that small.
That is the only solution I've come up with so far; leave an "S" in the wire in front of each box so I have slack available if I need it. But I'm sure if I start doing that, I'll have someone crying at me about it.

-John

You could also try a product like this. They will send a free sample kit out to try.
www.StraightEdgeUSA.com