In article , Wayne Whitney wrote:
On 2009-03-17, Len56 wrote:

As an example, I am looking at a ceiling fan box that says that it is rated
for up to five #12 wires.

Does that include the bare ground wires that will be going into the box, or
is it just the conducting wires (such as the black and white wires)?

Each circuit conductor entering the box is counted once. All the EGCs
(ground wires) together count only once.

Note the distinction: circuit conductors are counted. Fixture conductors (the
leads to a lamp, for example) are not.

Also:
- a conductor that both enters and leaves the box, without being spliced, is
counted only once
- any conductor, no part of which leaves the box, is not counted at all.