Is there any situation where a "Pull Box" can be covered up??

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J

Josicle

Member
Location
Denham Springs, LA
Occupation
Electrician
Hey everyone,

I have a question regarding Pull Boxes being accessible. I understand that junction boxes need to be accessible as they contain splices which can have a future issue and must be accessible. However, in residential work if a box was needed just as a pull point with no splices in it, then why must it be accessible??
My issue is that the client wants to raise there main electrical panel by 8 inches, which will raise the panel above the nipple coming from the meter can. This is 2/0 wire and can not be exposed unprotected in the wall. Ideally it would be great to just place a J-box to protect the wire and place under the existing panel and then just cover the box up in the wall. If this was ran in romex it would be fastened to the wall and you would not be able to pull it out anyways. So I don't see what the difference is to if these wires are unable to be pulled out.

Thanks,

Joshua
 
brantmacga

brantmacga

Señor Member
Location
Georgia
Occupation
Former Child
Josicle said:
is there something that can slip over the wires to protect it while in the wall (regular 2x4 wall ) so don't have much room.
Click to expand...

nothing I can think of that's compliant and will fit within a standard 2x4 wall. Is there any particular reason you can't just take the nipple out and change it to a cable assembly? It sounds like a back-to-back install, we're talking 5' of SER cable.
 
LarryFine

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
Use an LB and install an access panel under the panel.

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Fred B

Fred B

Senior Member
Location
Upstate, NY
Occupation
Electrician
Not quit clear on how there is enough service conductors to not require a splice yet wanting a jbox added in between original conduit nipple to moved panel location by 8 inches. Don't usually see an "extra" 8 inches of conductors in a nipple through back to back installation unless you were to flip the panel, but not all panels would allow for that.
If there is enough wire, just extend with some flex conduit.
Otherwise the most likely case you would need to have longer wire anyway, then use @brantmacga suggestion and use a cable assembly, MC or some flex conduit and new wire. Would seem to be the most cost effective and compliant method.
And don't forget the GEC needs to extend as well (usual configuration of POA of GEC).
 
A

AC\DC

Senior Member
Location
Florence,Oregon,Lane
Occupation
EC
It should not matter for the owners reason for raising 8” the lb would connect to meter nipple and as long as the access panel in Sheetrock is accessible should no be a problem
Lb won’t effect 110.26 does not need to meet requirements for that
 
kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
AC\DC said:
It should not matter for the owners reason for raising 8” the lb would connect to meter nipple and as long as the access panel in Sheetrock is accessible should no be a problem
Lb won’t effect 110.26 does not need to meet requirements for that
Click to expand...
What I was saying is if you are raising the panel only 8", chances are it is because of something being placed in that 8 inches. That something might cause a 110.26 violation.
 
J

Josicle

Member
Location
Denham Springs, LA
Occupation
Electrician
brantmacga said:
nothing I can think of that's compliant and will fit within a standard 2x4 wall. Is there any particular reason you can't just take the nipple out and change it to a cable assembly? It sounds like a back-to-back install, we're talking 5' of SER cable.
Click to expand...
I think I might have been over thinking it (trying to save the client some money by not replacing the wire). But it might be much easier to just replace with SER cable.
 
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