# wires too short in panel / loadcenter



## houselost (Jun 5, 2009)

After having a new loadcenter installed by professionals I found out that my detached garage no longer has power.

I found the wires to the garage where not connected to a breaker, and the wires will not reach to where I can install a breaker in the panel/electrical breaker/loadcenter. 

I suspect that using wire nuts to extend the wires inside the panel would not be code. Is this true? As it would be the fastest and easiest solution.

Other ideas, are to lower the outlet box in the garage so I can get an extra 6 inches or so and then hope that the wires are free/loose enough to be able to pull them to get the extra length I need. 

Last option is to replace the cables and hope that it will be easy to get the new cable passed without have to crawl under the house and dig up the asphalt between the house and garage.

The loadcenter is from Eaton/Cutler Hammer, are there way to extend the bus/rail so I can add a break lower down so that the existing cables can reach?

Sorry for the long question - thank you for all answers in advance.


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

You can use wire nuts in the load center to extend the wires
This is acceptable under code


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## 300zx (May 24, 2009)

Scuba_Dave said:


> You can use wire nuts in the load center to extend the wires
> This is acceptable under code


+1 :yes:


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## Yoyizit (Jul 11, 2008)

If soldering or crimp splices 
http://www.allproducts.com/manufacture13/uta/07-double_crimp_butt_splice-l.jpg
are not forbidden by code I'd do that. 
Wirenuts are not always forever.


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## 300zx (May 24, 2009)

If done right,(Twist wires together) Wirenuts Will last forever.


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## jbfan (Jul 1, 2004)

I would call the professionals back and have them fix it!


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## J. V. (Jun 1, 2007)

jbfan said:


> I would call the professionals back and have them fix it!


AGREE!!!!!!! They did not complete the job. I would have called them yesterday.


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## Yoyizit (Jul 11, 2008)

300zx said:


> If done right,(Twist wires together) Wirenuts Will last forever.


How often are they done right? 
Is there a way to tell if they were done right (beside measuring contact impedance)? 
I couldn't find any data on wirenut reliability, or the overall reliability/skill of the people installing them. Compared to screw terminal methods, for example.


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## 300zx (May 24, 2009)

Are they UL listed?. 
Making good, solid solderless electrical splices begins with selecting the right size connectors for the splice. What size connectors you will need depends on the size of the conductors being spliced together and the number of conductors in the splice. I’m not one for reinventing the wheel and the Ideal™ Corporation, a manufacturer of Ideal Wire-Nut® wire connector has made available a connector selection chart that’s approved by the Underwriters Laboratory for UL Listed Wire Combinations. Every DIY electrician needs to download and printout this pdf file for future reference. This is a good time for you to start building your reference library. Like professional electricians you should start a MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) reference file at this time too. The MSDS in pdf file format can be downloaded and printed out here.
The most common size splices made by the DIY electrician involve a combination of AWG (American Wire Gage) sizes 14, 12 and 10 copper conductors and Ideal 92® (green), 451® (yellow), 452® (red) and 454® (blue). These numbers are strictly applicable to the Ideal line of wire-nuts but the colors apply to all brands of screw-on wire connectors. The “Greenie” or grounding wire-nut is especially designed to make grounding pigtail splices easier with a hole in the end of the cap.Wire-nuts makes making good solid splices so easy that anyone can learn to do it after a few minutes practice


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## Yoyizit (Jul 11, 2008)

Thanks for the bookmarks.


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## COLDIRON (Mar 15, 2009)

*Yeah*



Scuba_Dave said:


> You can use wire nuts in the load center to extend the wires
> This is acceptable under code


 
Way to go Scuba that's the ticket.:thumbsup:


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

jbfan said:


> I would call the professionals back and have them fix it!


Very good point
They should not have left this disconnected


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## InPhase277 (Feb 9, 2008)

I have had situations where I have swapped a panel out and encountered a cable that was not correct for the load and refused to hook it back up. For example, I found a 14-2 NM connected to a 30 A double pole that went right into the dirt to feed a shed, and a piece of speaker wire that fed a doorbell transformer in the attic. Both in the same panel. I informed the customer there was no way that I was going to put power back on either of those circuits unless they were corrected. This particular guy almost got PO'd. He told me that there was nothing wrong with it (because he installed them!), and knew someone who would hook them up. It wasn't me.


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## wirenut1110 (Apr 26, 2008)

300zx said:


> The “Greenie” or grounding wire-nut is especially designed to make grounding pigtail splices easier with a hole in the end of the cap.


My helpers seemed to think they were to be used as "one hitters" :wallbash:


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## 300zx (May 24, 2009)

wirenut1110 said:


> My helpers seemed to think they were to be used as "one hitters" :wallbash:


:laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing:


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