Hi folks, my first post here (be gentle..√ú).. i have a reasonable amount of electrical experience, but definitely not a pro, so i ask: I am framing a wall in front an existing wall (reason: 3.5" extending concrete lip we want to cover). Existing electrical boxes must be moved out, but, each is set about 3 feet off the finished floor. To extend the wiring down and out would force me to place an accessible junction box at the original location, which seems silly. My thought is to disengage the existing wires,, enclose each in a marr connector, tape them up, close up the box, then hide them in the wall. This just sounds wrong, and wondered what you kind folks might suggest. I am reasonable close to the main panel and can easily run new wiring from the box to the new room to provice a new circuit. Thanks and i look forward to hearing from you, drew..
Hey Drew.
If running a new circuit is easy to acheive I would definitely do that. I don't particularly like joints as they have the potential to become the weak point in the circuit. This way you won't have blank covers everywhere because any box must be accessible. Can you use the old wire to connect boxes in the circuit? Could save you some cash. Run a new home run and use the old wires for everything else.
U.S.M.C. Semper Fi !!!
If running a new circuit is easy to acheive I would definitely do that. I don't particularly like joints as they have the potential to become the weak point in the circuit. This way you won't have blank covers everywhere because any box must be accessible. Can you use the old wire to connect boxes in the circuit? Could save you some cash. Run a new home run and use the old wires for everything else.
U.S.M.C. Semper Fi !!!
so then there are no issues with hidden runs, even if disconnected and taped up? I could possibly disaconnect the existing run to the panel, but the same run services other various and seemingly random locations within my 35-year-old home. I think the original electrician (home owner?) may have been trying to truly distribute the load throughout the house, but it sure makes it hard to work on areas. Thanks for the help! drew..
If a circuit is disconnected or abandoned then that portion of the circuit is to be removed. If you cap off the ends and leave them in a box, the box must remain accessible.
U.S.M.C. Semper Fi !!!
U.S.M.C. Semper Fi !!!
The cable must be disconnected at both ends. You can not leave live wires hidden inside the wall. Since it will be dead no need for wire nuts or tape.
thanks again folks, i just wanted to let this thread know, after discussing this with my wife/foreman, we decided to have a neat feature in the room: attractive, handpainted, locally-designed, eye-popping, intriguing, sensational, decor-enhancing wall plates set at the raised level. We will simply extend the wiring down to the 1-foot level and place plugs there. Again, many thanks, drew.. (not to be confused with another Drew on this forum who seems to be causing some irritation with others √ú)..