Garage single gang box GFCI w/12 conductors

rstyszko

Please forgive some of my ignorance with residential wiring, I usually just do industrial electrical and really don't have to worry about dealing with any codes at work. What I have to do is GFCI protect all the outlets in my garage. I found one outlet that branches off to all the other outlets in my garage. If I put a GFCI on this outlet to protect it and all the other outlets, I cannot put it all back together properly because of how deep the GFCI is compared to the outlet I removed. There are a total of (x4)Hots (x4)Neutrals and (x4)Grounds[pigtailed] in the gang box. I believe all wires are #14. Should I just get a 2 gang box deep enough to fit everything in properly and replace the single gang box? Or should I get a 2 gang box and use it as a junction box in between this GFCI single gang box and all the rest of the outlets? Also, either way, on the double gang boxes, should I install rubber grommets on all the knockouts that I'm running the Romex through? May be a dumb question, but I figured I'd ask anyway. I have attached a photo so you can kind of see what I'm talking about. It's not the best photo and only 2 sets of wires are currently connected. Please let me know if anyone needs more clarification about what I'm trying to do or if any other photos may be needed.

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k_buz

Oh come on, don't try to tell us you are an electrician when you ask this type of question.

That box is completely overfilled. You ether need to install a new, larger box or install a handy box extension.

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Speedy Petey

I could never understand that mentality.
"I don't do resi work".
"I don't have to deal with codes".
"I believe all wires are #14".

You should have just been honest and said, I am not an electrician and don't claim to be.

Barring any codes, logic should tell you that four cables in a single gang box is way overfilled. And doing "industrial electrical work" you should be dealing with conductor size and box fill all the time. This is NOT a resi only thing.

What Kbuz said, replace the box or use an extension collar.

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Sometimes I feel like if I answer any more questions it is like someone trying to climb over a fence to jump off a bridge and me giving them a boost.

rjniles

And not many electricians would use the term "outlet" when they were specifically talking about "receptacles". To an electricain an "outlet" has a different meaning.

You do not need to GFCI protect all the outlets in your garage, you need to protect the 120 volt receptacles.

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Location:
Coastal South Carolina

Code05

Could have been worse and the OP had said plugs, that really drives me crazy.

I am bored, nit pick time:

210.8 Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection for
Personnel.

FPN: See 215.9 for ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection
for personnel on feeders.

(A) Dwelling Units. All 125-volt, single-phase, 15- and
20-ampere receptacles installed in the locations specified in
(1) through (8) shall have ground-fault circuit-interrupter
protection for personnel.

(2) Garages, and also accessory buildings that have a floor
located at or below grade level not intended as habitable
rooms and limited to storage areas, work areas,
and areas of similar use

rstyszko

I am not an electrician, nor do I claim to be. Of course I realized that the box was overfilled, but my question was really directed more towards what would pass an inspection or not. I just didn't want to do the work twice.

kevinp22

Could have fooled me.

Of course, to a degree I sympathize. I do corporate accounting/finance and friends call me with their rental property etc tax questions and I don't even try.

Code05

I do not, actually I am about 80% commercial, 10% resi and 10% industrial: and for about 90% of the NEC codes-there is no distinction between them.

Now about my 401(K) and 403(B) and certain taxes.....

rstyszko

Thank you for all of your replies and help everyone. You have all been most helpful with this topic.

goosebarry

An outlet is where you buy your receptacles and a receptacle is where you dispose bad outlets?