Home Improvement Stack Exchange
Home Improvement Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [junction-box]

A junction box is a container used to enclose electrical connections (junctions). Use with the [electrical] tag. Use with [wiring] if your questions involves wires.

When you need to connect two wires together, that is called a junction. By code, all junctions must be made within a junction box. This protects the junction and contains any electrical arcing.

The most common use for a junction box is to install a or .

Reference:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junction_box

Related Tags:

519 questions
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In a multi-gang box, are neutral wires paired with specific hot wires?

I have a four-gang box that I'm installing new dimmers in. Currently all of the neutral (white) wires coming into the box are connected together (and not to the dimmers). The new dimmers require connections to the neutrals. There are three bundles…
drs
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What's the minimum depth that an electrical box can recess into a finished wall? Does it have to be flush?

Do electrical boxes have to be flush to the finished surface? Can they recess any depth into the wall by as much as 1/8" or 1/4"? Edit: I appreciate everyone offering alternative solutions to making a non-flush, already-installed box flush to the…
oscilatingcretin
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How do you mount conduit to a wall so that it stands off a standard box distance?

I'm running 1/2" EMT conduit between single-gang surface-mount boxes. The holes for the boxes are slightly set away from the wall so that the conduit does not mount flush against the wall. I have found various types of single screw and double screw…
KJ7LNW
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14
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3 answers

What is the proper way to install a junction box above a dropped ceiling?

I'm doing some remodeling in my basement and part of that work involves moving a switch. When I was tracing the wires for the switch I found this above my dropped ceiling: Now, I'm no electrician, but this does not look up to code to me. Further…
heavyd
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Are these pigtails inside the panel and outside a junction box allowed?

I am concerned about a newer electrical panel's installation, where one of the older load wires, at the main electrical panel, appear to be shorter in length, appear not reaching the desired circuit breaker's location, as a result, the Electrician…
H1991
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12
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2 answers

Is grounding an outlet only to its box enough?

There's an outlet in the front hall of my house near Atlanta, GA. I noticed scorch marks on the face, so I decided to investigate it a bit. My outlet tester indicated an open ground. When I opened up the outlet, I was surprised by what I saw. The…
Kurt Tomlinson
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Does NEC allow a metal box to carry the ground connection between separate conductors?

I found this box: You can see that most of the conductors have their grounds crimped together in the deep part of the box. A box extension was added to this at some point, so it is rather deep, but then I noticed that one of the conductors has a…
Ryan Mortensen
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12
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"Old Work" electrical box: should it be screwed into the stud?

I'm interested in replacing an existing outlet (in a wall that's finished with drywall) with a two-gang duplex (four outlets total), using an "old work" box. This box is located in the garage, so I'd like it to be sturdy. Is it considered good…
whiskeychief
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12
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Outlet screwed directly into stud

I was replacing old outlet in my house and came across an outlet that is screwed directly into the studs. Also the stud and the junction box were cut to fit the outlet. The new outlet is too big to fit in this space. I am afraid to put a new…
mkuce23
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What is this thing on my junction box?

This thing is on my junction box but i don't know what it is or what it's for.
hack3rfx
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11
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3 answers

How can I install a ceiling fan that needs a 4" box where I only have a 3" box?

As part of a home renovation project I discarded my old ceiling fan and have bought a new one. When installing the new one the electrician tells me that I have a 3" junction box and that I'll need a 4" junction box to install the fan. Now, this is a…
FanInstall
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What is / was the purpose of these old openable-cover junction boxes?

1940s apartment in New York City. It has two of these junction boxes high up on the wall (just below ceiling level). We're in the process of planning remodeling and I'd like to just understand what these were originally used for, if possible. We may…
StayOnTarget
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10
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2 answers

OK to remove sheathe and have some wires bypass box?

We are installing a 3-way switch, light between switches and power into light. The light is a LED pot light. The light sits in a drop ceiling with lots of access. We don't really need to cut the red traveler or the white (marked black) on the 14-3…
Catherine
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10
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4 answers

What is the proper way to remove a receptacle from a wall?

What is code or proper way to remove a plug receptacle from a wall? If the plug has 2 black wires and 2 white wires, can the respective wires be connected together with wire nuts and tape then pushed into the wall? The box is going to be removed and…
Bill
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2 answers

Are there drawbacks to plastic cable connectors?

There are, to my knowledge (if there are other types, I'd appreciate being educated about them), three different kinds of NM-B cable clamps that go into a knockout in a junction box: The "traditional" screw in, screw clamp type of connector. It has…
FreeMan
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