Hi,
I have a two gang box. I would like to replace it with a three gang box where the third slot is occupied by an audio jack (the idea being that audio out on my computer goes to the jack and the audio wire in the wall runs to the amp). Is that a big no-no from the electrical code point of view to combine electrical and comm in a single box?
Thanks,
Sam
I don't know (or care) what code says about it with regard to safety, but you're definitely running the risk of picking up electrical noise from the AC line. The risk may be minor, but since you have room for a 3-gang box, it seems worth the extra effort to just use a separate box. A metal one, obviously.
The NEC says that you can=92t have anything over 30 volts sharing the same space as anything under 30 volts; the logic behind it being that if the low voltage line has the potential of being energized with high voltage if anything goes wrong.
Yes, it's a no-no to mix line voltage and low voltage in the same box without a separator. They make special boxes for that type of application, or the easier thing it to just keep the LV separate entirely. The LV doesn't require a full box, and there are several varieties of LV remodel "rings" available that dress the opening and provide the mounting holes for a device, but leave the rest open so you aren't wrestling and kinking coax or other LV cables.
Absolutely, it is a super NO-NO. Code does not allow any low volt wiring in the same enclosure or raceways with voltage carrying conductors.
Wiremold does make a divided raceway that may be of interest to you:
Not entirely true. LV and line voltage can indeed be in the same enclosure under some conditions i.e. energy management such as remote controllable circuit breakers, line current monitors, lighting dimmers and various other situations. Where they don't mix is in receptacle and switch boxes where they don't directly relate to the device in the box.
yes.
they do make separators, but Molly is correct
nate
Not only that, but for an audio jack, you don't even need a box, Sam. You can just cut a little hole in the sheetrock, anywhere but above a stud, buy a blank plate, drill the right hole, and mount the jack to the plate.
Or you can buy pre-made plates with the jacks you need, and drill holes in the corner for more jacks when needed. Like speakers, audio output, phone, phone neon light to show when it's ringing, antenna cable
They also sell plates that are "undefined". They are meant for wires, several at a time, instead of terminating at the plate, which can be a real nuisance. If you're not going to be moving your equipment and/or furniture often, it may be simpler to have the wire in the wall come out of thw wall and go out of the way to the amplifier, tuner, or whatever. No extra parts, no connections to cause trouble (do they ever cause trouble?) and only the cost of 2 or 3 feet more wire, which you might have used anyhow.
They are in standard wall-plate colors, have upside-down scoops, sort of like round awnings, so you can't see inside the wall unless you bend down and put your eye lower than the plate. Then you can run several cables of any sort into the wall going under the awning and through the hole you make behind the plate. I've only seen these all-purpose plates one place, at one of the companies that sells Multi-channel Modulators** I can probably find them, either in my bookmarks or back at the original webpage if you want them. Because for a while i thought I was going to have to run video and two channels of audio from my computer to my DVDR/TV distribution hub. So let me know, preferably by posting here and emailing me too. (Remove NOPSAM).
**(RF modulators that will take a digital tv signal and turn it into channel 3 or 4 like everything uses, or into channel 8 or 20 or 21 or almost any channel VHF/UHF channel there is, so that it is far enough from channel 3 that you can run two different chanlels at the same time on the same co-ax and your tv will be able to tune to each of them. (When you run one on channel 3 and one on channel 4, there is usually interference and a terrible picture for both.) 25 years ago, I bought a phone-jack plate with built-in jack, and I intended to use it just for a handset, next to the bathtub. So I drilled a hole and mounted a toggle switch, to "answer" the phone with. Later I drilled a hole and put in a neon light so I could tell when the phone was "ringing". Because I didnt' want a noise maker that would wake me up when I was in bed. I didn't use a whole phone, just a handset, that I hung from a ribbon that also went around a towel bar. Still later I put in a buzzer and a switch to turn it on and off with. I changed the modular plug on the coiled-cord to better fit the wall jack. I don't get so many phone calls anymore, but it was great for 10 or 15 years. I only answered between rings.
Oh, and they also have modular wall plates, with various numbers of square holes and your choice of jacks to go in the holes. This is probably more expensive though, and doesn't have the personal touch.
You don't need a box for anything except house current, electricity, if I have paid attention, because the box is there to keep fire in it, and not let it get out and burn down your wall or house.
None of the other things people have in their walls can start a fire.
Simpler is to just add a low voltage wall port - no box - and keep the audio cable out of the box completely.
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