Can I patch in more wire?

[Willowynd]

I bought everything I needed to run 220 outlet for an electric stove (got rid of my propane stove). I estimated how long the laundry room was that the panel is in, added 5 ft - stove about a foot away from entrace of laundry...and distance to panel and added one foot. I was off by about 4 ft...so did I just waste over $30 or can I just get another 4 ft of wire and connect them with something?

[tom j]

get a junction box and wire nuts , ,, total of $6 or less , depends were you get them . junction box is just a 4in by 4in box about 1 1/2 or 2 in deep ..

[Danaus29]

Dh would say your best bet would be to buy another longer piece. I don't have the NEC (national electric code) book so I can't tell you if it has to be a straight run.

[Nevada]

Originally Posted by tom j

get a junction box and wire nuts , ,, total of $6 or less , depends were you get them . junction box is just a 4in by 4in box about 1 1/2 or 2 in deep ..

That should work. Wire-nutted connections are fine, but they have to be accessible. A junction box with a cover plate would do nicely, and no building inspector should have a problem with it. If there is a problem with power at the range outlet sometime in the future you can always check the wirenuts by removing the cover plate.

[Willowynd]

thank you!

[Malamute]

It may be worth checking with the store you bought the wire at, they may take back the wire and let you buy a longer piece.

When doing wiring, I always measure, add a foot on each end for working room, and add another foot or two, more if not sure. Its simpler and cheaper in the long run to throw away a couple feet than to end up too short once in a while, and much easier on the nerves!

Many seem to try to have the least amont of wire in the box at each end. It can be hard to work with when it's too tight. Think of it like you are going to try to get as much extra wire in the box as you can. If you ever have to work on it in the future, and a wire breaks, you have some extra to work with. You'd be surprised how much wire you can get in a box when it's folded carefully and cut to lay right with what you're doing. 6-8" of slack wire isn't too much in most applications.

[Willowynd]

OK...another question...4 ft will put the junction box under the house (crawl space)...still OK?

[Willowynd]

Malamute...there was a sign that was posted near the wire that said cut wire is non-returnable.

I know, I should have measured before I left, but was in a hurry and thought I knew how long the laundry room was

[Malamute]

I think your junction box in the crawl is OK, it just has to be accesible in case there's a problem, so it can be checked.

When getting the extra wire, measure, double check, and add some,.... Be sure you add the extra working room on both ends of the wires you're going to join together, meaning if the wire ends 4 feet short of where you need it, you need a foot to work on the end, and a foot for each of the wires you're going to join in the junction box. That would be 7 feet of wire needed, if you follow what I'm saying. If it were me, after I'd determined that 7 would would absolutely positively make it with enough room for working, I'd get 8 or 9 feet. Thats just me. I hate having wires too short to work with. Makes me say bad words.

Did you check to be sure you got the correct gauge wire for the amperage of the stove you are running? It should be a 3 element wire with a ground, so 4 wires total.

Do you have wire nuts the right size for the gauge wire you have? You probably have 6 gauge wire for a stove. Standard wire nuts for 12 gauge wire aren't going to work.

[Alice In TX/MO]

I would get new wire. Safety.

[Old Vet]

You can get wire nuts in just about any size you want but you can get connecter for large wire Like 6 gauge or larger. They are the one that have a screw in a short piece that will connect them in a Junction box that are better than a wire nut. They are not much the tape you use more than the connecter.

[agmantoo]

If you are only 4 feet short look at the manner that you are going to wire to the electric stove. It may be possible to use a pigtail cord on the stove that would reach to a receptacle mounted nearby that the too short wire would reach.

[rambler]

The juntion box, if accessable as others mentioned, should be acceptable. Hope you get the wire nuts good and snug, that kind of amps takes a good connection or it heats up a lot - there right under your floor......

If it were me, I'd measure twice, and buy a long enough wire to do the job right. Easier, safer. Chaulk the extra expense up to a learning moment.

--->Paul

[Harry Chickpea]

For the extra $30, I would bite the bullet and buy a new length of wire. The junction box/wire nut is perfectly acceptable as far as code, but every junction is susceptible to corrosion at the joint, and stove wiring more so because of the amount of current being carried. It just isn't worth it to risk an open circuit when you are older and can't easily fix it, or even the tiny added risk of a fire. (That risk being minimal) There are some things ya just "do right" the first time.

[Nevada]

Originally Posted by Harry Chickpea

For the extra $30, I would bite the bullet and buy a new length of wire. The junction box/wire nut is perfectly acceptable as far as code, but every junction is susceptible to corrosion at the joint, and stove wiring more so because of the amount of current being carried. It just isn't worth it to risk an open circuit when you are older and can't easily fix it, or even the tiny added risk of a fire. (That risk being minimal) There are some things ya just "do right" the first time.

I hear ya on that, but if the wire twist is firm enough I would add the patch anyway. He should not try to twist the wires with the wirenut, as I've seen some people do. Instead he should twist the two wires with pliers at, providing least 6 twists (depending on wire diameter), then clip the twist clean. The wirenut only serves as an insulator, not a connecting tool.

[ryanthomas]

Another thing that might be a good idea is to put the short length of cable on the breaker end if that will keep the junction box out of the crawl space. Depends on how your house is laid out if that would work, but it's always good to keep j-boxes easy to get to if possible. I would get a new length of cable to do it all in one piece myself.

[Danaus29]

This is one situation in which you really need to check the NEC and your local building codes. Your local library should have a copy of the National Electric Code book.

[rockhound]

Safer to just buy a new wire and keep the old piece, you'll never forget it anyways. Copper is not going down in price so when you DO need that piece, it'll be paid for.

[Bentley]

Were it mine, I would buy new wire 5' longer. Four things in a home that should have non-spliced runs; Elect clothes dryer, elect hot water heater, heat/AC unit or an electric stove.

If you do it anyway; I would not mount the J-box in the crawl space for such a high current item. There is to much moisture down there. Sooner or later, it will cause you trouble.

If you decide to put the J-box in the crawl space anyway, install large staples on the wire 8" and 12" from the J-box on either side. Twist the actual copper wire as someone described above, and then solder the wires together.

After this, install the wire nuts, and apply a double (or more) layer of good quality (3m) electrical tape over the wire nut, winding back onto the wire.

And then put the correct lid on the J-box.

my two pennies.....

b

[Harry Chickpea]

Those are good pennies, Bentley. I can tell you didn't put 'em in the fuse box.