Junction box question

kupalino

i'm installing recessed lights and they are about 10 feet apart and doing a "T" connection. My question is, which one is more code compliant?

1. Use 1 junction box (4" square metal box at Menards) and branch to the leff and right and use about 4' of conduit and a foot of flexible armor to reach the lights. I need to use a flexible cable to move the lights when I install ceiling tiles.

2. Use 3 junction boxes( left, middle, right) and use about 4' of conduit from the middle box to the left/right boxes and use about a foot of flexible armor from the left/right junction boxes to the lights.


Also, should I do anything to plug the hole on the metal boxes if I pop the wrong hole?

jbfan

Are you required to use conduit in your area?
I would use flex from the j/b to each light and forget running conduit half way and changing over.

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kupalino

yes, we are required to use conduits.

I need to double check but the city also requires 18" max should we need to use flex if it's exposed.

Currently, I have Junction box for every light, and flex from junction box to the light.

Big N8

Also remember you need to have at least 12" between the box for the light and the junction box.

Nate

kupalino

Nate,

I need help with my terminology. Can you clarify? You said "the box for the light and the junction box".

What's a junction box? Is that different from the box I use for the light? In my case I bought these 4" square metal boxes at Menards and I use that as "junction box" and also the "box" for the light.

I guess I'm not sure what a junction box is. I thought it was the box in the middle where I do a "T" split.

Thanks.

220/221

The lights have junction boxes built on them. Why would you add more splices? Just run from light to light.

And yes, fill the unused holes. Keep the fire in the JB in case of failure.

300zx

Junction box http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junction_box Electrical junction boxes are devices that contain the wiring junctions that let you extend the wire to a new device or point.

Big N8

Here is a good picture of what I mean.



But if you are running all new wire just use the armored wire all the way and as stated above the least amount of splices the better.

AllanJ

If you used a 4 inch junction box to transition from rigid conduit to flexible conduit before reaching the junction box built into the light fixture, you can string the wires with no splices or wire nuts in the square 4 inch junction box.

Meanwhile the 4 inch square junction box as shown at the left in the picture above, with connections in it, may be needed if you are running 12 gauge wiring and need to daisy chain given the small space in the junction box in the light fixture.

Another disadvantage of the extra 4 inch junction boxes is the need to have their covers exposed on the ceiling. The light fixture needs no hole other than the round hole for the light.

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