Thread: Wire Outside Junction box Code Reference?

Buyer had a house built by a builder about 18 months ago. After final walk thru but before closing, the house caught fire and burned. Fire department cited a recessed light fixture hidden in soffit over a built-in bookcase as the cause. Builder agreed to build a duplicate house several lots down the street.

8-9 more months go buy and the buyer moves into 2nd dream house. Can't figure out what this one light switch controls. Buyer checks with builders electrican. Electrician explains it is a wire run to a location in the ceiling of the kitchen for a "future" pendant light. The wire zig zags between the ceiling joists. The end of the wire is NOT in a junction box. The light switch that controls the wire is hot so can engerize the un-terminated wire hiding in the ceiling. Electrican claims it is to code and no problem exists. Home owner is very leary.

Buyer calls me and asks if I can find him a code reference to explain why this is ok or to take back to the builder/electrican indicating why it is unsafe. I am weak in finding references in the electrical code. Wondering if anyone could offer some pointers.

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Check out E3805.1 in the 2003 IRC
Box, conduit body or fitting- where required. A box or conduit body shall be installed at each conductor splice point, outlet, switch point and pull point...

From the 2005 NEC.
- 300.15 Boxes, Conduit Bodies, or Fittings — Where Required.
- - A box shall be installed at each outlet and switch point for concealed knob-and-tube wiring.
- - Fittings and connectors shall be used only with the specific wiring methods for which they are designed and listed.
- - Where the wiring method is conduit, tubing, Type AC cable, Type MC cable, Type MI cable, nonmetallic-sheathed cable, or other cables, a box or conduit body shall be installed at each conductor splice point, outlet point, switch point, junction point, termination point, or pull point, unless otherwise permitted in 300.15(A) through (M).
(note: none of the below (A) through (M) allows open splices laying around)

Could it just be that that electrician's work was the cause of the fire and not a hidden recessed light over a built-in bookcase? Could be ...

Refer to another post I just made referencing "qualified" licensed electrical contractors ...

The first house had a recessed light over the bookcase. Later in the building process, the recessed light was boxed in and covered over with sheetrock. The origin of the fire started at or very near the light fixture as determined by the fire department. It could have been a faulty electrician.

The reference to knob and tube is interesting but not terribly relevant to new construction. The later reference further down seems to almost duplicate the wording in the IRC reference. The NEC reference actually lists termination point as something that needs to be in a box so that is very helpful. So I believe 300.15 is the winner.

Thank you all.

Bruce,

You need to re-read what was poste by JPeck-- it was not *Just* about knob-and-tube. That was ONE of the bullet points. Lets repost:
________________________________________________
From the 2005 NEC.
- 300.15 Boxes, Conduit Bodies, or Fittings — Where Required.

- -A box shall be installed at each outlet and switch point for concealed knob-and-tube wiring.

- - Fittings and connectors shall be used only with the specific wiring methods for which they are designed and listed.

- - Where the wiring method is conduit, tubing, Type AC cable, Type MC cable, Type MI cable, nonmetallic-sheathed cable, or other cables, a box or conduit body shall be installed at each conductor splice point, outlet point, switch point, junction point, termination point, or pull point, unless otherwise permitted in 300.15(A) through (M).
_________________________________________________

Forget the first two bullet points that I greyed-out. Only use the third bullet pont where I highlighted the reference.

rr

The state of Texas nor the Texas Dept. of Licensing and Regulation (via the Texas Electrical Board) nor the Texas Residential Construction Commission recognizes the electrical chapter of the IRC. The Texas Real Estate Commission (inspector licensing) suggests (as they are not a code enforcement agency) that if an inspector references a code it be a code adopted by the state or authority having jurisdiction.

As SB 365 (Jan. 1, 2002) mandates that all cities adopt and enforce the provisions of SB 365 no city can adopt the IRC Chapter 13 - Electrical.
SB 365 specifically excludes Chapter 13 - Electrical from the IRC.

All electricians in Texas are licensed through the TDLR and they mandate that the NEC be used.

Formally, the state of Texas adopted the National Electric Code as its electrical code.

Use of IRC electrical code sections in reports are discarded by electricians, and authorities. In a rebuttal it will be used against you whether you are correct or not.

In a E&O claim the IRC Chapter 13 will not be recognized.

...just a suggestion