Electricians! - Screw hit wire

russ0943

russ0943

yehaw x10
Joined
Mar 28, 2007
Location
Valdese, NC
I'm remodeling the kitchen. I've screwed into a wire. It smoked. I punched through the drywall to assess the situation.

Question: Do I have to replace the entire wire back to the breaker or can I just put in a junction box? This is behind where a cabinet will be.

2011-05-01_21-32-55_27.jpg
 
Dude, now you have to rewire the whole house. :D

I'm not an electrician. But if there is enough slack. A junction box fix is what I would do.
 
This does happen to be the first outlet in a string of 4 (all GFI). Wire runs straight through floor to crawl space and back to box.

Its 12awg? I thought most houses have 14...
 
russ0943 said:
This does happen to be the first outlet in a string of 4 (all GFI). Wire runs straight through floor to crawl space and back to box.

Its 12awg? I thought most houses have 14...
Click to expand...

14 is only good for 15A circuits, if its a 20A line it has to be at least 12.
 
If you have enough slack wire for the pull, just add a box and put an outlet in it. It will look like it was planned that way, and I'm pretty sure that 5 outlets in a circuit is well within code limitations.
 
You can put a junction box on it if you like, or even make the junction box an additional outlet on the circuit. One additional outlet on a 4 outlet circuit is well within code limits. The wire is 12ga, which is what is required for kitchen circuits. There are "In Wall Splice Kits" available now that are UL listed for spices/junctions inside a wall cavity without a box. I do believe that Lowes/Home Depot carry them now. If not give me a shout I have some.

BTW I have been an electrical contractor all my life. If you need a hand let me know
 
russ0943 said:
I'm remodeling the kitchen. I've screwed into a wire. It smoked. I punched through the drywall to assess the situation.

Question: Do I have to replace the entire wire back to the breaker or can I just put in a junction box? This is behind where a cabinet will be.

2011-05-01_21-32-55_27.jpg
Click to expand...

Put in a junction box. but a blank cover on it. Make the cover accessible. It may come in handy in the future. I would move it into a place less visible and put the wire stretcher on the top half.

russ0943 said:
This does happen to be the first outlet in a string of 4 (all GFI). Wire runs straight through floor to crawl space and back to box.

Its 12awg? I thought most houses have 14...
Click to expand...

A house usually consists 14, 12, 10, 8, and 6ga wire. 12 is for kitchens, bathrooms, washers etc. 14 is for bedrooms and lights etc. 10 for dryers, heat pumps, water heaters etc. 8 if for your range, 6 is for electric furnace.

RatLabGuy said:
14 is only good for 15A circuits, if its a 20A line it has to be at least 12.
Click to expand...

yep.
 
thanks guys. im going to put in a junction box with a cover behind the cabinet.
 
Just remember that the junction box has to be accessable (no hidden splices/boxes), so you can't bury it behind the cabinet without cutting a hole in the cabinet back to give access.
 
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