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View Full Version : screw terminal type 120c junction box?


nissan_crawler
11-29-2008, 09:20 PM
does such a thing exist? I'm looking for a junction box with screw terminals like in a breaker panel.

Long story short, due to where my lights are going in relation to the roofline, it is almost impossible to daisy chain them together. It would be MUCH easier to run a wire from the switch to a junction box, and separate wires to each light. Seeing as how there will be the switch wire + 8 wires for the lights, wire nuts are out. Even the wago wall nuts don't hold that much.

I'm dealing with a hip roof that will be sloped on 3 sides of where my lights are, making it almost impossible to get to 7 of the lights. Even laying face down on the rafters and scooting, you can only get within about 5' of the outside walls, which isn't fun in itself when you're surrounded by blown in fiberglass. Only one of the light fixtures will really be accessible from up above.

I'm aware I could split it in half and run two junction boxes and wiring nuts, but really don't want to go that route.

If I can mount the fixtures, then run the wire from in the garage into the attic, and just feed enough until I can grab it with a 10' pole, I'll be able to wire them. Even fish tape would be hard, as I would have to run the fisht ape and wire at least 10' towards the center before I could join them together and pull the slack out, which would be hard on my own.

Torque1st
11-29-2008, 10:35 PM
I have the exact same problem with a hip roof on my house. A couple of half sheets of OSB help with access in attics.

Can you use two switches for the lights?

A series of old work boxes mounted in the ceiling with romex wiring "festooned" between them may work. In inaccessible spaces wiring does not have to secured to framing members. An old work box will not support a lighting fixture tho. Lights would have to be secured to framing members for support.

Surface mount raceways can also be used.

LoneGunman
11-29-2008, 10:40 PM
You could nut four together come out of that with a pigtail and nut the rest to the pigtail, thats the way it would normally be done. You could also use a splitbolt and friction tape. If you really want screws then buy your junction box and mount ideal terminal strips in it.

nissan_crawler
11-30-2008, 12:26 AM
If I did it that way, the junctions would still have to be in a box, right? I didn't think there could be any "bare" wire nut connections in walls or attic.

Torque1st
11-30-2008, 12:49 AM
The old work boxes would have wiring daisy chained between them with all junctions in the boxes. I use a couple of old wire hangers all straightened out to fish the wires between boxes. The hangers can be bent easily into the proper shape. Fishing wires 6-8 feet between boxes is not difficult that way. I have even used two wire hangers twisted together to extend their reach at times. A couple of those "wire fishin hangers" hang on a nail out in the garage ready for use.

An inspection mirror and a good flashlight helps. If you can get a bright light into the attic area it helps also. When working with holes overhead in a ceiling and all that loose insulation and dust an old ball cap turned around backwards and a face shield or goggles help. Working overhead is a real PITA when a person wears bifocals...

LoneGunman
11-30-2008, 09:13 AM
If I did it that way, the junctions would still have to be in a box, right? I didn't think there could be any "bare" wire nut connections in walls or attic.

Yes they still need to be in a jbox.