AFCI Neutral Connection Question

[Silent One]

Situation - subpanel fed from the main service panel with a 60A breaker to the subpanel.

Question - what is the proper way to connect an existing incoming neutral to a new (retrofitted on existing circuit) AFCI breaker if the neutral is too short to reach the breaker? This house was built in 2002 before AFCI was required in this jurisdiction and hence all the neutrals were all cut and terminated immediately at the neutral bus bar. The neutral bus bar is at the far left of the subpanel and any new AFCI breaker in the open spaces in the right side of the panel will not reach the existing incoming neutrals. All wire is 12-2 or 12-3 NM-b.

Same question applies to the neutral pigtail from the AFCI breaker to the neutral bus bar as the pigtail is too short to reach same.

Is the proper, code-compliant answer as easy as a twist-on electrical wire connector (aka wire nut)?

Thank you much for your time.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Yup. U answered your own question. Get some #12 and splice in a longer piece with a wire nut!

 

[Silent One]

Yup. U answered your own question. Get some #12 and splice in a longer piece with a wire nut!

Glad to hear - and thank you for the quick response.

Is there any obscure section of code that would limit the number of splices in a box or max box fill calculation that might come into play?

 

[RickP]

Is there any obscure section of code that would limit the number of splices in a box or max box fill calculation that might come into play?

Yes - but it takes a LOT of splices inside the subpanel to run up against the box fill limitation. I can't remember the exact fill limit, but I think it's based on a percentage of the free space inside the subpanel.

But there might be a simpler way. Could you just move one of the existing breakers over to the right side of the panel and install the new AFCI breaker on the left side?

I just hate to put splices inside a panel unless I have no other choice. I have a bunch of splices inside my main panel that were installed by the electricians wiring the whole house during new construction. There were no issues with passing inspection, but I can't stand all those wirenuts inside the panel. They make it extremely difficult to make any changes without pulling all the wirenuts out of the panel each time.

 

[Ballistic Jello]

<snip>
I just hate to put splices inside a panel unless I have no other choice.<snip>

Damn straight. Here's one I did awhile back (new construction).

 

[Silent One]

Yes - but it takes a LOT of splices inside the subpanel to run up against the box fill limitation. I can't remember the exact fill limit, but I think it's based on a percentage of the free space inside the subpanel.

But there might be a simpler way. Could you just move one of the existing breakers over to the right side of the panel and install the new AFCI breaker on the left side?

I would rather go that route but moving the existing breakers to the right side of the subpanel would then cause an issue with the hots being too short to neatly reach the new breaker location.

I just hate to put splices inside a panel unless I have no other choice. I have a bunch of splices inside my main panel that were installed by the electricians wiring the whole house during new construction. There were no issues with passing inspection, but I can't stand all those wirenuts inside the panel. They make it extremely difficult to make any changes without pulling all the wirenuts out of the panel each time.

I also do not like the splice option (OCD thing), but may have no other alternative.

 

[RickP]

I also do not like the splice option (OCD thing), but may have no other alternative.

If I absolutely have to splice inside the panel, I like to use a terminal block instead of wirenuts. I think it makes the install look much cleaner, and the block can be secured to the back of the panel so it won't move around. Also, the plastic is easy to cut to a shorter length for fewer wires. Here's one for 12 ga wire:

They're available online. Here's one manufacturer that says its products are UL listed:
Jameco Electronics PA8HDS-R

 

[Beemer533]

I know they use these in the EU, but are they legal here for AC work? I agree though, i like them a lot better than wire nuts; i use them for low voltage wiring a lot..

This post edited by the NSA

 

[RickP]

I asked our local electrical inspector that exact question. He said they were okay as long as they were UL listed.

 

[Beemer533]

Huh, good to know..

This post edited by the NSA