Should I Open

[thejnicki]

This was a wiring application for a spa... I did not open the box to check the wiring..

[Paul W. Abernathy]

Do you mean a SPA Tub without a heater assembly or a real SPA/HOT TUB assembly.

[thejnicki]

A self contained real spa..

[Paul W. Abernathy]

Cord and Plug 20A or less model......?

[Paul W. Abernathy]

P.S....No, your SOP does not require you to open this. However, we can tell you ALOT about the additional requirements once you answer the question on the size of unit.

[ggreene]

I Would Tell The Buyer That It Looked Like The Homeowner Wired This Himself And Recommend A Licensed Contractor Be Called. Not Exactly The Proper Box For The Application Either? I Would Not Open It.

[Paul W. Abernathy]

OK....hold on now.......if this is simply a junction box to a receptacle that is 20A for a cord and plug self contained unit....nothing wrong with that box technically.

We need all the factors. Someone could have added a dedicated 20A branch circuit to feed a GFCI receptacle to supply the unit definition above and this is simply a junction box......how would it not comply?

But thats assuming at this point..we need more information...Is this under the house I assume from the flex duct....is that liquid tight simply sleeving the wire to an outside mounted receptacle....who knows at this point.

[Marc D. Shunk]

I'm not seeing a blessed thing wrong in that picture. I see a piece of (12-2?) NM cable entering the box, and a piece of liquidtight raceway leaving the box. This would be a normal way to change from one wiring method to another. Box fill will be in fine shape. The obvious possible red flag, which might be where Paul's headed, is if 20 amps is enough for a spa. I have seen a few el cheapo spas that only take a 20 amp circuit. This might be one of them. The dataplate of the spa will confirm or disprove whether the circuit has the capacity to serve the spa. It would be prudent to confirm that this cable is served by an appropriately sized set of fuses or a breaker, so that someone didn't (for instance) put this cable under a 50 amp breaker to serve a more traditional spa (which seem to often take around 50 amps). The spa dataplate is what you need next.

[Paul W. Abernathy]

lol...Dang you Shunk......lol......killed my thunder...

While this really goes probably well beyond a scope...I guess an argument could be made is it LFNC-B which is allowed in lenths longer than 6'...it could be either LFNC-A, LFNC-B or LFNC-C......and only B is has exceptions or possibilities.

Maybe it is LFMC which could be unlimited legth if it meets other requirements of article 350...

But again well beyond any scope.

[Marc D. Shunk]

Originally Posted by pabernathy

Maybe it is LFMC which could be unlimited legth if it meets other requirements of article 350....

My eye sorta wants to say that it's LFMC, due to what appear to be the ripples in the grey jacket from the spiral metal underneath, and what appears to be the metal collar of a LFMC connector at the box. Hard to say, really, but fun to talk about.

For the benefit of others, LFMC stands for liquidtight flexible metallic conduit. This normally has a grey jacket, with spiral metal underneath. The trade slang for this sort of raceway is "Sealtite". LFNC is liquidtight flexible nonmetallic conduit. It can be of many colors, but it is normally grey. The "-B" variant is often black. This flexible raceway is all nonmetallic, with no metal inside. Trade slang for this sort of raceway is normally "Carflex".

[Paul W. Abernathy]

teeehehhe.....ran LFNC-B to my Hot Tub and it was GREY

Yeppers...seen it in Black also.......Have seen it used improperly in areas COLD as all get out also and become BRITTLE as crumb cake as well....

Dang you got some GOOD eyes...I am 37 and struggle to see things in that image...lol

Man I love electrical chatting...

[thejnicki]

Yes, If I recall it was a 20amp that ran to an exterior GFCI..(Next to spa) Crawlspace was very difficult to get around, I could not trace the entire line..

Did you notice the rust on the box and the mud on the romex? I think this thing has been underwater at one time..

[Paul W. Abernathy]

lol....if water is getting THAT high under the house then they got bigger problems than that metal box and a little mud on the cable. Probably happened during the installation when the "FAT" electrician could not fit easy in the location to install the box......ahhh...yeah I have some experience with REALLY tight crawl spaces...lol..OPPS....dropped the BOX and screws.....sigh...where's my THIN helper...

[jcundiff]

I see nothing wrong here. Electrically, or in regards to workmanship. Whats the issue?

[Paul W. Abernathy]

lol...John you have to go back and read from original post...lol....I dont think we have any issues......sometimes when you get electricians chatting we look for possible senerio's.....to aid in education and kinda get off the pictures in question sometimes...lol