Many inspectors in the area will not allow any conduits or cables to be run from the KO's in extension boxes (although it's regularly seen in older existing work).
Is this a valid call? What section would cover this (if any)?

I can understand their caution since brand X extensions may not fit real well to a brand Y box. They may also be concerned about the length of the wire in the regular box not being long enough.

However, there is nothing in the NEC that I am aware of that would prohibit this & there is nothing in the listing of the extension box that prohibits this.

Have any of the inspectors given you any justification for this practice?

Tom

i know of one inspector who will not allow extensions. he is very good with the code, yet spends much time in civil court over items others would not bother with.

There was never any justification made that I know of. The guys in the field had at least 4S boxes, proper conductor lengths, and the extensions were grounded with approved ground clips. They still were turned down. It got so bad that we eventually just banned the practice as a company policy so we didn't have to send a truck 75 miles to change them. (Then why do they have KO's?)
This happened all over the place, too, not just 1 city. ??????????

While working Industrial in Wisconsin, we weren't allowed to use extensions on any "new construction"... the premise being that the system should have been designed right in the first place, but old work was OK.

Here in WV, it's a life-saver...
I wish they made a 4" extension for a 3" octagonal box...

I only use extensions in new work on very rare circumstances.

How, then would one make a surface extension from a flush mounted box?

Hubble makes a surface mounted extension for flush mounted boxes, they're plastic and ivory in color. When in a pinch, they'll work, I've used them to "stretch" SWB's to get a dimmer in them. (Old work)

I hope this is what you were referering to, Redsy.

[This message has been edited by sparky66wv (edited 06-28-2001).]

Redsy, you've got an excellent point there. The "EA" type (1 gang to 4-S) of extension boxes would all be sent to the dumpsters. I've used these on a regular basis forever for surface ext's and not ever been hassled.
I'm at a total loss here.????

wiremould makes extensions too...

the premise being that the system should have been designed right in the first place, but old work was OK.

electure;
i'd say Virgil's got the accepted philosophy here