[NickWa]

My garage is wired very interestingly. It goes from the panel (50A 240 breaker) with 6/3, then into a junction box where it is connected to 3/3 cable. That runs the length of the house, then into another junction box where it connects again to 6/3 cable. Finally, the 6/3 connects to 6/3 direct burial cable at the wall of the house and goes underground to my garage panel.

Wondering if this is legitimate (all connections are barrel connections with heat shrink over top)? I'm budgeting for an interior electrical job and wondering if I'm going to have to replace this all as well.

Ontario, Canada if it matters.

Thanks

 

[rjniles]

As long as all the cables have a ground, it is fine,

 

[NickWa]

As long as all the cables have a ground, it is fine,

Ok great, yeah it's 4 wires from start to finish and the breaker is sized under the least gauge wire, so I was hoping it was OK.

Thanks

 

[AllanJ]

The 3/3 section helps reduce voltage drop compared with 6/3 the full distance.

Voltage drop within any given piece of wire depends on the number of amperes passing through it at that moment and does not depend on whether a fat wire is first or in the middle or at the end of a run carrying the same amperes over its entire length.

 

[Datawise]

It could be that way for voltage drop, could be just an attempt to use an existing cable that was buried. Certainly no issue with it as long as the breaker is sized on the smallest wire.

Running a larger wire in between two smaller wires is common when there is a long distance to cover. You don't normally see it in residential because the distances are generally shorter, unless you have a gate at the end of a long driveway or an out building several hundred feet away.

Cheers
John

 

[NickWa]

Thanks all.

The 3/3 is NMWU and the 6/3 is NMD90. The connection points are in 4x4x4 PVC junction boxes and as mentioned, made with barrel connectors covered in heat shrink.

 

[CodeMatters]

Thanks all.

The 3/3 is NMWU and the 6/3 is NMD90. The connection points are in 4x4x4 PVC junction boxes and as mentioned, made with barrel connectors covered in heat shrink.

They used smaller JB's than allowed. Personally, now that it's done, I'd
leave it alone. Working out the correct min JB size would require more
info regarding the side of the box each cable enters. Straight through
actually requires larger box than adjacent sides, and entering the box
through the side opposite the cover is different again.
Code ref 12-3036

 

[NickWa]

Thanks.

The connection from the 6/3 NMD90 to 6/3 TECK90 cable (going underground to garage) is made inside a 1 1/2" LB on the outside wall of the house. Is that correct?

 

[CodeMatters]

Thanks.

The connection from the 6/3 NMD90 to 6/3 TECK90 cable (going underground to garage) is made inside a 1 1/2" LB on the outside wall of the house. Is that correct?

No. Definite fail.

 

[NickWa]

No. Definite fail.

OK, I guess the teck should have been terminated in a junction box inside the house, and the connection to NMD90 made there?

No nice way to fix it now, hopefully they can allow it as is.