ECN Forum Forums Code Related Discussion NEC & other Code issues Romex pulled into box..

Hello,
Is there a code requirement that romex must be pulled tight into a box?

Is there any problem with leaving a few inches of slack outside the box?

Thank you,

Brad

I think the biggest difference is in rough v. finished (ie fished) work.

With the former, while having a few inches of slack isn't a bad idea, it can result in an "unworkmanlike" appearance that might peeve AHJ's during a rough inspection.

With fished, who's going to know? (just kidding)

Maybe the goal is to anticipate future access to the wall cavity. After all, most folks think of wire going pretty much perpendicularly out of a box.

You don't mention if the cable is clamped in the box, or if it is a single gang NM box. If a single gang nonmetallic box without a clamp then the lencth of the cable, measured along the cable to a point where it is secured cannot be more than 8 inches (314.17(C)exception. I have seen cables stapled within six inches of the box with an additional 12 inch loop before it went into the box. That made it a violation. Alan