I am trying to figure out what size junction box I need to connect 6
awg wire.

I went to my local hardware store and the person there looked at me
like I was an idiot, after talking to them for a min I realized they
were the idiot...

Anyways, the biggest box they showed me was a 4x2 1/8 square box, which
I know is just too small. Not enough room to join a 3x6 awg wires.

Basically I have hooked up my hot tub (which is outside) using armor
cable for the outside run then when I ran out of that wire I bought
another 30ft of indoor wire. Obviously the junction box where i am
butt joining the wires is indoors. So basically I just need to know
what size junction box I should be using.

Mighty Miindy

wrote:
I am trying to figure out what size junction box I need to connect 6
awg wire.

I went to my local hardware store and the person there looked at me
like I was an idiot, after talking to them for a min I realized they
were the idiot...

Anyways, the biggest box they showed me was a 4x2 1/8 square box,
which I know is just too small. Not enough room to join a 3x6 awg
wires.

Basically I have hooked up my hot tub (which is outside) using armor
cable for the outside run then when I ran out of that wire I bought
another 30ft of indoor wire. Obviously the junction box where i am
butt joining the wires is indoors. So basically I just need to know
what size junction box I should be using.


I bet you could use a weather-proof circuit-breaker box -- like used for AC
disconnect. They're less than $10.00.

wrote in message
oups.com...
I am trying to figure out what size junction box I need to connect 6
awg wire.

I went to my local hardware store and the person there looked at me
like I was an idiot, after talking to them for a min I realized they
were the idiot...

Anyways, the biggest box they showed me was a 4x2 1/8 square box, which
I know is just too small. Not enough room to join a 3x6 awg wires.

Basically I have hooked up my hot tub (which is outside) using armor
cable for the outside run then when I ran out of that wire I bought
another 30ft of indoor wire. Obviously the junction box where i am
butt joining the wires is indoors. So basically I just need to know
what size junction box I should be using.

Mighty Miindy


You have 3 wires in and 3 wires out. That is a total of 6 wires. My book
is very out of date but it refers to NEC 370-6(b) which you might be able to
reference.

My book states that each #6 wire requires 5 cubic inches of space. You need
a box rated at 30 cubic inches. This site seems to confirm that
information:
http://www.tmsoftware.com/el96.htm#jbox

Just in case your math skills are rusty cubic inches is LxWxD.



--
Colbyt
One picture can be worth a 1000 words.
Post yours at www.ImageGenie.net for FREE.

Why is using the AC wire outside wrong? I checked with the local codes
and they said it was fine. It is a weather proof plasic shield with an
armor ontop of that along with another plastic cover over the armor. I
took a piece of it to the place where I got my electrical permit and
they said it was fine...

Why do you say that it is wrong? I dont think I understand what you
mean by a insulated ground.


The 4x4 2 1/8 box that I do have just doesnt seem to hold everything
properly. By the time I butt join the cables the wire is extremly hard
to bend and leave any extra in the box. But then again that just may
be me being not strong enough to bend the wires, but still I would
rather have a bigger box and give me more room to bend the wires
specially after I butt join them and put the shrink sleave on the butt
ends.

Mighty Miindy

wrote:
On 7 Jul 2006 07:53:12 -0700, wrote:

I am trying to figure out what size junction box I need to connect 6
awg wire.

I went to my local hardware store and the person there looked at me
like I was an idiot, after talking to them for a min I realized they
were the idiot...

Anyways, the biggest box they showed me was a 4x2 1/8 square box, which
I know is just too small. Not enough room to join a 3x6 awg wires.

Basically I have hooked up my hot tub (which is outside) using armor
cable for the outside run then when I ran out of that wire I bought
another 30ft of indoor wire. Obviously the junction box where i am
butt joining the wires is indoors. So basically I just need to know
what size junction box I should be using.

Mighty Miindy


a 30 sq/in box will work for six #6s. That is a 4x4x2 1/8. They also
sell a 4 11/16 x 4 11/16 x 2 that will work.
What is wrong is using AC cable for the spa (outside). It should be
wire in pipe with an insulated ground.

According to :
Why is using the AC wire outside wrong? I checked with the local codes
and they said it was fine. It is a weather proof plasic shield with an
armor ontop of that along with another plastic cover over the armor. I
took a piece of it to the place where I got my electrical permit and
they said it was fine...

AC wire normally doesn't have a plastic shield _over_ the armor. The
outside is bare metal. Which doesn't work very good outdoors if it's
steel.

Here, AC wire with a sheath over the armor is usually called TECK
cable. _That's_ fine outdoors.

Why do you say that it is wrong? I dont think I understand what you
mean by a insulated ground.

The 4x4 2 1/8 box that I do have just doesnt seem to hold everything
properly. By the time I butt join the cables the wire is extremly hard
to bend and leave any extra in the box. But then again that just may
be me being not strong enough to bend the wires, but still I would
rather have a bigger box and give me more room to bend the wires
specially after I butt join them and put the shrink sleave on the butt
ends.

An electrician wouldn't ordinarily have problems with 3x #6 splices
in a 4x4x2 j-box. You might want to use a utility box. These
are usually simple rectangular boxes meant to be surface mounted
with knockouts for cable clamps. Unlike j-boxes which have integral
cable clamps, cover ears etc.

We have one somewhere around 4x4x6" holding a splice between 3 #4 copper
and 3 #3 Al (100A feeder to a garage) plus the ground.
--
Chris Lewis, Una confibula non set est
It's not just anyone who gets a Starship Cruiser class named after them.