# Making holes in junction boxes



## jbfan (Jul 1, 2004)

Will you have need for the hole saws after you finish this project?

Invest in a hole saw kit with the needed sizes.

A good kit should last you a very long time.


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## WillK (Aug 29, 2010)

In a seperate project, I was going to use hole saws to cut the holes in my wood boards from inside the side attic to vent my soffits, but the hole saw I had bought for that lasted 3 holes. It was using a d-shaped hole to drive the saw off the arbor, and the D rounded out.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Punch & Die set will work. What do you mean that you need to make your own holes? If the 6x6 will not work, you will have to move up to a larger box then.


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## WillK (Aug 29, 2010)

6x6 has 3/4" and 1" knockouts. Same with 8x8, it just has more knockouts. 10 x 10 has 1-1/2"knockouts, but no 2" knockouts and no knockouts in the back. Plus it's $48 to the 6x6's $15. Nothing is even getting spliced in any of these boxes, just making a turn so the garage feeder goes to the left and the 3-way switch loop goes up.


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## Buda556 (May 26, 2011)

These work well.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_291471-7206...oductId=3201635&N=0&catalogId=10051&langId=-1
Little pricey but it should last for quite awhile.

These work good as well but not sure if it goes up to the size you need though.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_158038-72068-36414_0__?productId=3122177&Ntt=step+bit&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl__0__s%3FNtt%3Dstep%2Bbit&facetInfo=


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

The preferred method is a KO punch. But they are expensive. I would buy "Lennox" hole saws in the sizes required. Or get a set. When drilling metal, hole saws get super hot. Some oil will assist in saving the teeth. Taking it easy also is a great help. 

I had an old electrician show me how to pack some fire stop into the hole saw about half way up. This also helps keep the hole saw cool. I have had one 1-1/8" hole saw for over 20 years and it still cuts. Not like new but it does cut.


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## powerfactor (May 7, 2011)

the reason a 6x6 box doesn't have 2" knockouts in it is because it is not large enough to have a 2" pipe enter and exit it. for an angle pull like you describe the pipes have to be 6 times the largest size away from each other. I wouldn't gamble on the inspector not knowing that. :no:


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## WillK (Aug 29, 2010)

It's not making any more of a turn than it would be inside an LB pull elbow. If I wasn't needing to have 14 gage THHN go up while the 1/0 XHWN goes to the side, I'd be using an LH fitting.

The old coot is the one that suggested cutting the larger holes in a 6x6 when I asked him for suggestions because the available boxes don't have knockouts larger than 1".


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## powerfactor (May 7, 2011)

I am not on any of the code making panels,(meaning I don't write the code) just informing you that you are planning to violate the NEC. The lb you reference is another place many people go wrong as the 2" lb is not large enough for all wire sizes that 2" conduit is rated for. it is not unheard of to have to use a 3" lb on 2" conduit to pull in larger conductors, legally that is. :whistling2:


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## HouseHelper (Mar 20, 2007)

WillK said:


> It's not making any more of a turn than it would be inside an LB pull elbow. If I wasn't needing to have 14 gage THHN go up while the 1/0 XHWN goes to the side, I'd be using an LH fitting.
> 
> The old coot is the one that suggested cutting the larger holes in a 6x6 when I asked him for suggestions because the available boxes don't have knockouts larger than 1".


You need a bigger box to have 2" pipe enter/leave... there needs to be a minimum of 12" between the two knockouts.


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## WillK (Aug 29, 2010)

1/0 conductor diameter is 0.3249". Section 300.34 defines minimum bending radius for conductors as 8 times the overall diameter for non-shielded conductors. The junction box is 4" deep. So as long as it's less than 1/2" I should be fine. Considering a single 1/0 is can fit inside a 1/2" conduit, I'm pretty sure even if the insulater is included it's under 1/2".

I don't even need the 2" conduit for the underground run, I could've gone smaller and legally met conduit fill, I chose to go larger for my own ease of pulling the wires. Even once I get inside, I'm planning to use 1-1/2" EMT which is larger than the 1-1/4" minimum for the conduit fill requirement.

If there's something else I should be aware of, a code citation would be handy for convincing me.


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## busman (Nov 7, 2008)

You need to look at the Article on Pull Boxes.

Mark


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## WillK (Aug 29, 2010)

HouseHelper said:


> You need a bigger box to have 2" pipe enter/leave... there needs to be a minimum of 12" between the two knockouts.


314.28 reads as follows:



> 314.28 Pull and Junction Boxes and Conduit Bodies.
> Boxes and conduit bodies used as pull or junction boxes
> shall comply with 314.28(A) through (D).
> _Exception: Terminal housings supplied with motors shall_
> ...


So first of all, we look at the exception for where it is opposite a removable conductor which points to table 312.6(a) where it says that a 1/0 conductor entering the back of the junction box opposite a removable cover requires 3-1/2" space. The 6x6 and 8x8 boxes I'm considering are 4" deep so that requirement is met.

314.28(a) 2 in the last paragraph talks about transposing cable size into raceway size, and since 3 conductors of 1/0 works out to requiring 1-1/4" raceway, 6x 1-1/4" is 7-1/2" so that sounds like I should be okay with the 8x8 box.​ 
If something larger than 8x8 is really required, I'll just use an LB fitting, run the THHN in and out of the service panel and from there it will go to the switch, but the inspector didn't want that.​ 
If I read anything wrong please explain.​


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## powerfactor (May 7, 2011)

WillK said:


> If there's something else I should be aware of, a code citation would be handy for convincing me.


If you are asking for and receiving help from people, don't act like an ass because I think I can speak for the majority here when I say that we don't give a damn if you are convinced or not. Take the advise or leave it, but just so you know, mine comes with a double your money back guarantee. :laughing:


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## WillK (Aug 29, 2010)

see below


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## WillK (Aug 29, 2010)

I've been a little pissy ever since the inspection yesterday, particularly with the service mast bracing the inspector is requiring even though going by the attachment point like the code and the POCO says it isn't required. But let me just say that I've been working through rewiring the house among other things since I bought it in August of last year and I've been coming here with questions to help me understand how to do it correctly. I tend to think that in terms of having a sense of what the majority here have to offer, having been here longer than someone that joined this month, my experience is that asking for a code reference is perfectly reasonable.

Back to the subject.

By read on 314.28 is that I need 8x8 because my 3 conductors of 1/0 would require a 1-1/4" conduit, so if my interpretation of the last paragraph of 314.28 (a) 2 is off then that would be information that would be helpful. I need a solution that isn't going to add $100 and if I need a box bigger than 8x8, that's going to add $100. Plus I'd probably need to take time off work to go to an electric supply store.

Another problem could come out of all this, my 1/0 cables might not be long enough with the conduit. I do have some SER and SEU. What if instead of a pull box I used the junction box to splice SER or SEU for the rest of the run, is that possible? I don't remember exactly what I have, I think I have 4/0 SER because I had a 14' piece I had bought for the service mast that I didn't use and I think I might've bought 2/0 or 1/0 SEU for upgrading the subpanel feeder in the house to 100 amps, which I'm not sure I am going to do. (The house subpanel is where the old circuits are I want to gradually replace with new circuits which are all going to be in the new 200A panel.)


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## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

WillK said:


> I've been a little pissy ever since the inspection


I know THAT feeling well! I see no problem with the way you asked nor the fact you asked at all for code reference. I find it real handy when I can quote code to the inspector when I know he's just giving me a hard time.... and yes, it DOES happen. I had to ask my electrical unspector a simple question.... "how thick is a wall supposed to be?" Kinda stupid, right?

DM


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## sirsparksalot (Oct 16, 2010)

powerfactor said:


> I think I can speak for the majority here when I say that we don't give a damn if you are convinced or not.


Not that I'm anybody, but you don't speak for me. His question wasn't inappropriate.


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