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Lou Morrissette
02-28-2007, 4:54 PM
I'm in the process of helping my son remodel his kitchen and ran into a snag. I need to move the range to another wall further away from the service entrance. Is it advisable/safe/or code to go into a junction box and splice the additional length that I need or should I bite the bullet and replace the whole line with a new one? TIA

Lou

Jim Dunn
02-28-2007, 5:31 PM
Lou, in my non-electrical opinion, a junction box is just that a place to make electrical hookups. A splice is certainly an electrical hookup. The box has to be large enough to accomidate the particular size wire you are splicing. You would need to provide permanent access to it though.

David G Baker
02-28-2007, 6:16 PM
I'm in the process of helping my son remodel his kitchen and ran into a snag. I need to move the range to another wall further away from the service entrance. Is it advisable/safe/or code to go into a junction box and splice the additional length that I need or should I bite the bullet and replace the whole line with a new one? TIA

Lou
Lou,
I have never liked splices but they are done all the time. If done correctly and in the proper sized box like Jim wrote it is probably okay. I have made splices in #6 wire by using copper wedge nuts and wrapping the connectors with a lot of high grade electrical tape, then put the splices inside a junction box large enough to hold the splices with plenty of space around them and put a box cover on them. I do not know what code is on splices. With the price of wire now I would probably consider splicing at least until the price drops lower than my mortgage payment.
David B

Von Bickley
02-28-2007, 6:18 PM
Lou,

That's perfectly acceptable, at least around here. You probably have a #8 awg. or #6 awg.

I would use a 4" X 4" junction box with split bolt connectors. Be sure your connections are tight and taped up good.

Wayne Gauthier
02-28-2007, 6:37 PM
I know around here, that would not be acceptable. If I were doing it, I would run a new line from the CB panel. I am not in favor of splices with 220 volts.

I had to rewire my shop for 220v, because of a splice. I also had to put in a CB panel, but, that is another story.

Lou Morrissette
02-28-2007, 7:35 PM
Thanks for the feedback, guys. Based on your comments and my lack of experience, I think I'll go the safe route and run a new line. Thanks a lot.


Lou

Russ Filtz
03-01-2007, 7:24 AM
What's the problem with splices in 220V? Each leg carries less current than a similar circuit in 120 and hence would heat up less. For heavy loads like a stove or dryer not so sure due to the heavy gauge wire needed. Harder to get the splice to stay together. Is it against code to solder such a connection along with the usual wire nut or clamp?

Ron Wessels
03-01-2007, 8:52 AM
The one point that nobody has mentioned yet is that if you do splice, code requires that the old junction box must remain accessable. So I believe putting a cabinet in front of it is not allowed, at least not without cutting a hole in the back for access.

David G Baker
03-01-2007, 10:00 AM
The one point that nobody has mentioned yet is that if you do splice, code requires that the old junction box must remain accessable. So I believe putting a cabinet in front of it is not allowed, at least not without cutting a hole in the back for access.
Ron,
Jim Dunn pointed out the permanent access in the 2nd post but it is good to emphasize that point.
I ran new wire to my stove with #6-3 with ground wire. Took me a long time to get the receptacle wired because of the small area inside the 3 wire receptacle. The cord that came with the stove had three prongs. After I finished, I found out that code now wants 4 prong plugs, receptacles and 4 wire cords. I actually knew this from previous experience but had forgotten it. Getting old is a pain.
David B

Rob Russell
03-01-2007, 10:25 AM
Lou,

A couple of things:

Make sure that your son is the one doing all ;) ;) ;) of the wiring. As the homeowner, he's the only one allowed to do it.
Depending on how old the kitchen is, you may have to upgrade other circuits too. You must have at least (2) 20-amp, GFCI-protected circuits for the counter outlets. You may install an individual branch circuit for the refrigerator and specifically NOT GFI-protect that.
You have to put a receptacle on any wall counter space 12" or wider.
No point (measured horizontally) on a wall counter space may be more than 24" from a receptacle.
If it's not a huge expense and is easy to do (for example you have basement access to do the wiring), the cleanest way to relocate the range outlet is by running a new feed from the panelboard. That makes it easier to trace the wiring in the future if there were ever a need to do so. It is NEC-compliant to spice the wires using "approved methods" (appropriate wire nut, split-bolt connector, etc.) and leave it in a permanently accessible junction box. That box could be behind an appliance like a refrigerator. If you put it behind cabinetry, you would need to cut a hold in the back panel of the cabinet to leave access to the junction box.
I can provide code cites if you want them for reference.Rob