electrical / j-boxes / attic insulation

[pbs]

I understand that j-boxes aren't permitted to be concealed inside of walls.

Can j-boxes be located in attics, and covered with insulation?

Thanks

[Colbyt]

Doug may answer and give you a definitive answer since he knows code real well.

Yes to attics for sure. I would say yes to under insulation. I believe the term is accessible not visible They hide them above dropped removable ceilings all the time but you can't put them behind drywall since it is considered not easily removable.

That said, I would either make a map of their locations or attach little vertical flags like the lawn care people use if it was my attic.

Colbyt

[Tom The Great]

Checking the national codes.... 2005NEC 314.29 makes a requirement "..accessible without remvoing any part of the building..."

Check with your local authorities. The insulation might be considered 'part of the building'.

IMHO thinking. I was taught that intentions were so that no box was 'hidden' for later trouble shootting. I would suggest that you try and get the box mounted up towards a rafter, accessible thought the ceiling(below) with a blank cover plate, or if you are ok with the underinsulation have a sign pointing down and informating attic visitors of the j-box.

Remember follow codes local, and national.

Good luck,

tom @

[CJT]

What is "removing?" I assume opening a door is not "removing" part of the building. So perhaps pushing aside some insulation isn't, either.

[Eric in North TX]

I'm a little confused here, whats the difference between having a junction box inside the wall and daisy-chaining outlets. If it is secure, it is secure. Does this apply to any junction? I've buried octagon boxes with metal covers where a previously installed outlet needed to be bypassed. The existing wiring was good, wires were properly secured both at the wire nuts and with proper romex clamps entering and leaving the box, in short, much better that the previously installed outlet.

[Randy Cox]

A badly connected termination in a box can be found and fixed. Those buried in a wall can not be found unless you can see through walls. Nobody ever makes a bad termination, nobody ever violates a code, and nobody ever does electrical work that damages property or injures people.

Nobody ever does these things, yet they happen every day.

Codes are established from a numbers game. Any one violation can usually endure a lifetime of use without a problem, but some number of those same violations will result in damage to property or injury to people.

Let the wireman who is without short bury the first box. Go and violate the code no more!

Randy R. Cox

[Tom The Great]

Exactly, I don't know the answer and the only one that would, is the local code dude. Or Dudet.

;)

tom

[Eric in North TX]

Ok that answers my question, thanks Randy. If I read it right, we all do it, but disavowal any knowledge of same.

[Doug Miller]

The NEC defines "accessible" thus:

"Capable of being removed or exposed without damaging the building structure or finish or not permanently closed in by the structure or finish of the building."

Under this definition, something buried under insulation pretty clearly *is* "accessible".

[Chris Lewis]

According to Doug Miller :

But markers won't hurt ;-)

Had one instance where we had to put a J box in a ceiling - since a recessed fixture was nearby and was easily removable, that provided the access.