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#1
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Electrical Question
Hi,
I am replacing my medicine cabinet in my bathroom. The old medicine cabinet had the bathroom lights built-in to it at the top. My new medicine cabinet has no lights so I need to install some lighting above it. My question - the wiring for the light needs to be extended by a foot or so. It is too short to reach where the new lighting will be installed. I have never done electrical work -- is it as easy as just buying a small piece of wire -- hooking up the black, white and copper wire ends of each wire? Please any help is appreciated. You can assume that I know nothing about wiring - I will not be offended by very obvious things being explained. Thanks, Joe |
#2
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Electrical Question
In article .com, "Joe" wrote:
Hi, I am replacing my medicine cabinet in my bathroom. The old medicine cabinet had the bathroom lights built-in to it at the top. My new medicine cabinet has no lights so I need to install some lighting above it. My question - the wiring for the light needs to be extended by a foot or so. It is too short to reach where the new lighting will be installed. I have never done electrical work -- is it as easy as just buying a small piece of wire -- hooking up the black, white and copper wire ends of each wire? No. It is an electrical code requirement that *all* junctions be made inside junction boxes approved for that purpose, *and* that the junctions be accessible. Simply extending the cable as you describe will not meet code. Please any help is appreciated. You can assume that I know nothing about wiring - I will not be offended by very obvious things being explained. Since you've never done this before, for your own safety and that of others, PLEASE get someone who understands wiring to help you or show you how, or at least get a book from the library. Electricity is dangerous if mishandled. Mistakes can kill. -- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com) It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again. |
#3
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Electrical Question
Yes, however you have to make splices in splice boxes, which have to be
accessible. In your case you'd need to find a location where the cable will reach to, where you can install such a box, or if that won't work, you have to run a new cable from the switch to the new location "Joe" wrote in message oups.com... Hi, I am replacing my medicine cabinet in my bathroom. The old medicine cabinet had the bathroom lights built-in to it at the top. My new medicine cabinet has no lights so I need to install some lighting above it. My question - the wiring for the light needs to be extended by a foot or so. It is too short to reach where the new lighting will be installed. I have never done electrical work -- is it as easy as just buying a small piece of wire -- hooking up the black, white and copper wire ends of each wire? Please any help is appreciated. You can assume that I know nothing about wiring - I will not be offended by very obvious things being explained. Thanks, Joe |
#4
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Electrical Question
Thanks - this was the type of info I was looking for. I have no
business trying to do this myself and will hire a professional. Thanks, Joe RBM (remove this) wrote: Yes, however you have to make splices in splice boxes, which have to be accessible. In your case you'd need to find a location where the cable will reach to, where you can install such a box, or if that won't work, you have to run a new cable from the switch to the new location "Joe" wrote in message oups.com... Hi, I am replacing my medicine cabinet in my bathroom. The old medicine cabinet had the bathroom lights built-in to it at the top. My new medicine cabinet has no lights so I need to install some lighting above it. My question - the wiring for the light needs to be extended by a foot or so. It is too short to reach where the new lighting will be installed. I have never done electrical work -- is it as easy as just buying a small piece of wire -- hooking up the black, white and copper wire ends of each wire? Please any help is appreciated. You can assume that I know nothing about wiring - I will not be offended by very obvious things being explained. Thanks, Joe |
#5
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Electrical Question
RBM (remove this) wrote: Yes, however you have to make splices in splice boxes, which have to be accessible. In your case you'd need to find a location where the cable will reach to, where you can install such a box, or if that won't work, you have to run a new cable from the switch to the new location Has anyone ever wondered about the reasons for the boxes required to be accessible? I certainly agree that it is highly desirable and should always be done where practical. For example, it makes later trouble shooting easier. However, in a case like this, what exactly is the big deal if the box that contains the splice were not accessible? For example, it doesn;t suddenly become a fire or safety hazhard, does it? It would seem to me if you were allowed to use a metal box and cover (to prevent driving a nail into it) it would still be fine, even if not accessible. And it would make some jobs a hell of a lot easier. |
#6
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Electrical Question
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#8
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Electrical Question
The problem is that if it were "legal", it would be done all over as a lazy
man's solution. I agree that a properly made splice isn't likely to cause a problem, and burying one in the wall is certainly not a fire hazard or every recessed light fixture would be a fire hazard as well. The real problem as I see it, is if the splice does go bad, you'd have no way to even guess at where the buried box is located wrote in message ups.com... Doug Miller wrote: In article .com, wrote: Has anyone ever wondered about the reasons for the boxes required to be accessible? I certainly agree that it is highly desirable and should always be done where practical. For example, it makes later trouble shooting easier. However, in a case like this, what exactly is the big deal if the box that contains the splice were not accessible? For example, it doesn;t suddenly become a fire or safety hazhard, does it? It would seem to me if you were allowed to use a metal box and cover (to prevent driving a nail into it) it would still be fine, even if not accessible. And it would make some jobs a hell of a lot easier. The "big deal" is that, barring some sort of mechanical damage, faults almost occur in the wiring between boxes. Problems develop at junctions. That's why junctions need to be accessible. -- And so what? It's very unlikely that any given box that has just a simple splice will ever develop a problem. And if it does, so what? Why can't you just deal with it then? In many cases, you can't just put an accessible box in because of the location. So, instead, you wind up rerouting the wiring, all the way back to the accessible end points, which can be a real headache. Now, I'd rather do that later, replacing the wire IF the inaccessible junction box did develop a problem, rather than always ahead of time, on the theory that someday in MIGHT require access. Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com) It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again. |
#9
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Electrical Question
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