Does the one you want to keep in place get the power first?
I don’t know; haven’t checked yet.Does the one you want to keep in place get the power first?
So you could end up with hidden junction box. That would change your plan a little.I don’t know; haven’t checked yet.
If one has a j-box, with an approved electrical cover plate, inside another "box" with a removable lid/cover, which is held on by accessible screws, the connections inside the j-box are accessible. It just takes a bit longer to access them - and recover them - and it is probable that the same screwdriver would be used to remove and replace all of the screws involved.The NEC requires j-boxes to be "accessible" which is further defined as without having to remove any part of the building. I would cut an opening for any hidden j-box and put an approved electrical plate on it. I would install an extension ring to bring the box face flush with the finished enclosure.
As the code was read to me a time or two, I was told that an electrician would not be expected to remove any part of the building or its finish to locate or access a j-box. It's not a good idea to do that even though nobody else will know... in fact, that's the problem... nobody later will know where to find that junction box that may have a failed connection.If one has a j-box, with an approved electrical cover plate, inside another "box" with a removable lid/cover, which is held on by accessible screws, the connections inside the j-box are accessible. It just takes a bit longer to access them - and recover them - and it is probable that the same screwdriver would be used to remove and replace all of the screws involved.
The box concerned would not be part of a building. It would be a fitting (or an accessory), just as much as the "box" of a fluorescent tube fitting would be if it were covering a j-box.
Hopefully he will find power at the box he wants to use and this discussion will not matter.As the code was read to me a time or two, I was told that an electrician would not be expected to remove any part of the building or its finish to locate or access a j-box. It's not a good idea to do that even though nobody else will know... in fact, that's the problem... nobody later will know where to find that junction box that may have a failed connection.
That's a good way to describe it, Nealtw. So it sounds like I'll be OK as long as my fixture is easily (& obviously) removable.Hopefully he will find power at the box he wants to use and this discussion will not matter.
I think he meant to make the lamps and the base into one lamp fixture so the unit would have to come down to be worked on as one. Much like a multi light bathroom fixture.
Great now all you have to do is figger out how to make the connections above the wood fit code. :wink2:That's a good way to describe it, Nealtw. So it sounds like I'll be OK as long as my fixture is easily (& obviously) removable.
None of the 3 pendants will be aligned closely enough with either existing can, so I'll extend the switched power to my assembly from whichever can can has it.
Thanks to everyone for all the comments, they're very helpful.
Yeah, that's the next thing I wondered about. I was planning on connecting the 3 boxes for my pendants with romex, but then wondered about just using THHN. The wiring to the boxes will be contained beween my wood "fixture" & the ceiling wallboard, so I'm not sure if THHN would be OK.Great now all you have to do is figger out how to make the connections above the wood fit code. :wink2:
You can't use open THHN... instead use romex. You'll have to use extension rings to bring the box face down relatively flush to comply with code... the romex can come off the extensions with 3/8 2-screw connectors.the same way you need to do it for any j-box inside that enclosure you are building.Yeah, that's the next thing I wondered about. I was planning on connecting the 3 boxes for my pendants with romex, but then wondered about just using THHN. The wiring to the boxes will be contained beween my wood "fixture" & the ceiling wallboard, so I'm not sure if THHN would be OK.
Yeah, that's the next thing I wondered about. I was planning on connecting the 3 boxes for my pendants with romex, but then wondered about just using THHN. The wiring to the boxes will be contained beween my wood "fixture" & the ceiling wallboard, so I'm not sure if THHN would be OK.
With the proper extension or mud ring and plate combination, the final cover can be a common plastic wall box blank.Or just plan on a descriptive cover on the junction box and put 3 surface mounted boxes on the ceiling and an extension box on the one with power.
This is a really good suggestion. Your graphic is exactly what I'm planning, except that I never thought of surface-mounting the boxes on the ceiling. I'm assuming that I won't be fortunate enough to have the locations for the surface mount boxes line up with the ceiling joists, but I'm thinking that I could attach a long steel strip, maybe 3/32" x 1", to the ceiling and attach the boxes to it. (The ceiling joists run perpendicular to the length of my planned fixture.) That would provide plenty of strength to hold the pendant lights. Although toggle bolts through the ceiling wallboard would probably provide enough strength.Or just plan on a descriptive cover on the junction box and put 3 surface mounted boxes on the ceiling and an extension box on the one with power.