Ok so the 14 guage wires are stacking up in my attic jbox, I am in solution trouble. I will have 9 total 14-2 to tie together. Wire nut 9 wires together is very ghetto and questionable I agree. Its a larger jbox the 4x4x2.5" So whats the best to go about this? Jump/pigtail a wire to another jbox and move some of my wires to the new jbox? I read online never go past 6 wires in one wire nut but seems like 9 in my case or even 10 - 14-2 wires in one big blue wire nut is better then multiple jboxes or connections. Maximum amount of wires in a wire nut really is confusing when you are a solo DIYer in relation to NEC. Do we rely on the numbers on some UL rated nut or from real world sparkys? Tempted to pigtail the wires using the quick splices in the same jbox so I dont go over the "6" and wont be cramming the jbox with large wire nuts. I would rally rather tie my 9 14-2 wire connections to one wire nut. If there is ever a problem you know where it may arise, but I get the controversy on stuffing a lot of wires in one nut.
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Tie 6+ 14-2 together for ceiling lighting
- Thread starter atvjoel
- Start date
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- Tags
- 14 guage electric electrical power
jar546
Forum Coordinator
Add a bunch of box extensions if it is a metal box.
jar546
Forum Coordinator
You need 36 cubic inches of space for that many wires if you have no internal clamps or devices going in the box. You also need a box that has 9 openings. Why you would want to put nine 14-2 cables into one box for one circuit is beyond my comprehension.
I am using the 34 cu inch blue boxes with 8 openings. I am basically branching off for all the ceiling lighting which are cans with the low 9w LED recessed lights. Smoke alarms are on a separate 15 amp circuit. Small 768 sq ft duplex unit so 15 amp is more then enough to power these low wattage recessed lights. It made the most sense at the time just to branch off to each switch into each room from the jbox. Its been years since I have wired and could have thought of a better plan. In retrospect I could have just avoided so many wires in the jbox by just looping it from each light switch box to the next instead of branching off each light switch from the jbox. Its not too late I could eliminate so many wires by looping the hot wire from switch box to switch box so I am not pulling wire on every switch box from the jbox. I wasnt thinking when I started pulling wire obviously, should have thought hmm i am going to end up with a ton of wires to wire nut together in that jbox.
I guess my option would be to add another jbox next to it and jump them together. Or scrap it all and just loop from switch box to switch box and wouldnt even need a jbox at all. Wouldnt be that much work I suppose.
Think the best route is to cut and run off my "branch" idea with the jbox and just loop from switch box to switch box and then close out the loop to the jbox for a complete loop. Would get rid of all the excess wires. Cost myself work not coming up with a plan before hand, oh well. Didnt think about having to wire nut so many wires together.