Buck Turgidson wrote:
I need to lengthen some old wiring in order to make all the wires of a 3-way
switch come together in a recessed lighting box that I am installing in a
first floor ceiling (no insulation).

In doing some web research, I see that splices can be done, but they must be
done in a junction box, and must be accessible.

It is the second part that is confusing me. How can I make the junction box
accessible when I just need to lengthen the wire by about a foot in the
ceiling of a finished area? It wouldn't be a big deal to remove the light
fixture, but "accessible" to me means the box is visible or in some access
door.

Thanks.


Yep, you got it. I found a loose butt splice buried in the wall behind
the medicine cabinet, when I cleaned up the wiring in the bathroom
shortly after moving in here. Thankfully it was a low-draw circuit and
hadn't started any fires, and I had access from the attic to drop a new
wire.

When you say first floor, I assume there is no access from above? Are
the wires in the joist spaces floating or stapled? Which way do they
run? Any way you can add a junction box in a closet ceiling or some
place it won't look horrible, and fish the wires there? Or can you get
to the far end of the wire, and use the existing wire to pull a new
longer wire? Wire costs a lot more than it used to, but it is still
cheaper than patching wallboard and repainting. Any other way you can
fish new wire and just abandon the existing wires in place? Really hard
to offer advice without seeing the room. You may wanna consider hiring
one of those moonlighting or semi-retired electricians that advertise in
the ad papers, to come take a look. Make sure they have 'old work'
experience. They usually know a few tricks about fishing wires, and
other ways to lay out a circuit.

--
aem sends...