Range receptacle box

[Gregory Allen]

This just looks wrong to me,any comments?

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

I'll let a sparky address, but I'm pretty sure that blue box is not listed for use with 220 VAC.

[Jim Port]

Not enough detail is shown to see if that box has the proper clamp for that size cable. I don't know why someone would think a two gang box could not be used on a 240 volt circuit, or maybe that blue is only for 120 volts.

[Robert Meier]

Unless the box is improperly sized or the cable is subject to physical damage I see nothing wrong with it. Maybe someone could say that the box is not installed as per it's listing but to me that's a stretch. The receptacle used as a disconnect for an electric range is required to be accessible after the range is installed. This is usually by removing the bottom drawer on the range.

422.33 Disconnection of Cord-and-Plug-Connected Appliances.
(A) Separable Connector or an Attachment Plug and Receptacle. For cord-and-plug-connected appliances, an accessible separable connector or an accessible plug and receptacle shall be permitted to serve as the disconnecting means. Where the separable connector or plug and receptacle are not accessible, cord-and-plug-connected appliances shall be provided with disconnecting means in accordance with 422.31.
(B) Connection at the Rear Base of a Range. For cord-and-plug-connected household electric ranges, an attachment plug and receptacle connection at the rear base of a range, if it is accessible from the front by removal of a drawer, shall be considered as meeting the intent of 422.33(A).

[Robert Ernst]

It would have to be a 20 cuin box or bigger I believe. I don't think that type plastic boxes are usually allowed to be surface mounted and you also have unprotected non-metallic cable there. I would refer it out to a licensed Electrician. They could replace that with a surface mount receptacle and cover the wire with flexible conduit through the floor.

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

Originally Posted by Jim Port

I don't know why someone would think a two gang box could not be used on a 240 volt circuit, or maybe that blue is only for 120 volts.

Perhaps I misspoke about the listing being due to the voltage or amperage. But you can bet there's a reason why it's not acceptable or you'd see them all them time like that.

Because it's a floor mounted box, it would have to be specifically listed for such use. What you normally see is a much more rugged type of plastic. That blue box is very likely to be cracked if the range hits it the wrong way. If I were the AHJ, I'd make the electrician prove the box is listed as acceptable for a floor mount.

[Jim Port]

Just for the sake of argument, I would say the box is not mounted on the floor. It is nailed to the framing near the floor.

The box, regardless of style, is told where to be installed in the manufacturers instructions to avoid any conflict with hitting any part of the stove to avoid any damage.

I would have expected to see either a surface mount receptacle or a metal box with the correct coverplate, but don't see any reason to reject this install.

That box is probably a 34 cubic inch box. A 20 cubic inch box would still be a single gang box.

[Robert Meier]

Even if this were 6/3 NM cable the box would need to be 38 cu inches, not overly large for a two gang box. Here's the calculation:


3-#6 conductors * 5 cu in/ conductor= 15 cu in
1-#8 conductor * 3 cu in/conductor = 3 cu in
1-2 gang device * (2*5) cu in/gang= 20 cu in

Total: 38 cu inches minimum box size.

[Robert Ernst]

I came up with 20 cu in but this says the calculator states 23 cu in. They make extra deep plastic boxes that are allot thicker. The wires can fit into a deep box but I still don't like exposed plastic boxes unless they are meant to be connected to conduit. Here is a handy link.
http://www.constructionmonkey.com/ca...l/boxfill.aspx

[Robert Meier]

Originally Posted by rernst1

I came up with 20 cu in but this says the calculator states 23 cu in. They make extra deep plastic boxes that are allot thicker. The wires can fit into a deep box but I still don't like exposed plastic boxes unless they are meant to be connected to conduit. Here is a handy link.
http://www.constructionmonkey.com/ca...l/boxfill.aspx

What size conductors/number of did you use to come up with 20 cu in?

I tried that calculator and algorithm for #6 conductors on a device is incorrect.

[Robert Ernst]

I was using #6 and I do think the calculator is wrong. I used another program I have and it's different at 27.25.
3-#6=15 1-Divice (2x conductor)=10 and 1-#12 ground 2.25.

[Robert Meier]

Originally Posted by rernst1

I was using #6 and I do think the calculator is wrong. I used another program I have and it's different at 27.25.
3-#6=15 1-Divice (2x conductor)=10 and 1-#12 ground 2.25.

My apologies, I missed the fact that this was single gang box and a #10 EGC. Usually the EGC in a cable containing #6 conductors is a #10. Therefore my calculation should have been:

3-#6 conductors * 5 cu in/ conductor= 15 cu in
1-#10 conductor * 2.5 cu in/conductor = 2.5 cu in
1-1 gang device * (2*5) cu in/gang= 10 cu in

Total: 27.5 cu inches minimum box size.

[Brian E. Kelly]

Originally Posted by gallen1

This just looks wrong to me,any comments?

Don't like the exposed cable.

[Paul W. Abernathy]

I guess if you really want a reason to give them a headache then you could write down the bold/underlined below.

334.15 Exposed Work.

In exposed work, except as provided
in 300.11(A), cable shall be installed as specified in
334.15(A) through (C).

(A) To Follow Surface.

Cable shall closely follow the surface
of the building finish or of running boards.

(B) Protection from Physical Damage.

Cable shall be
protected from physical damage where necessary by rigid
metal conduit, intermediate metal conduit, electrical metallic
tubing, Schedule 80 PVC conduit, Type RTRC marked
with the suffix -XW, or other approved means. Where passing
through a floor, the cable shall be enclosed in rigid
metal conduit, intermediate metal conduit, electrical metallic
tubing, Schedule 80 PVC conduit, Type RTRC marked
with the suffix -XW, or other approved means extending at
least 150 mm (6 in.) above the floor.

However, if installed properly I would call it a non-issue but since we are all doing the calculations and all that jazz...