splices in panel?

[sky jumper]

I am replacing an existing 20 space subpanel with a 30 space panel. due to the size difference a handful of wires will not reach where they need to go (some hots and neutrals).

am I allowed to add "extenders" onto the existing wires to make them longer to reach the breakers and neutral bus?

if not, can I cut into the conduit outside the panel to add a junction box and splice the wires, and then pull a longer piece into the panel to reach the breakers? this would obviously be a bunch more work than just adding extenders in the panel.

if neither of these are code then I will have to pull new wires to the destination points, which would be the most difficult.

and similar --- I need to transfer 4 circuits from the main panel to the new subpanel. the only way I think this will work is to cut into the conduit and add junction box(es) and run extenders to the new sub panel. so hopefully this is code (I can't imagine why it wouldn't be) but are there any goofy codes that govern this? like you cant have a j-box within 3 conduit widths of the panel if there's more than 4 conductors in it or something crazy like that?.

 

[pattenp]

Splicing in panel is okay and so is the addition of junction boxes.

 

[Jim greengo]

As long as its inside of the panel or a box you're fine.
It's done all the time.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I am replacing an existing 20 space subpanel with a 30 space panel. due to the size difference a handful of wires will not reach where they need to go (some hots and neutrals).

am I allowed to add "extenders" onto the existing wires to make them longer to reach the breakers and neutral bus?

if not, can I cut into the conduit outside the panel to add a junction box and splice the wires, and then pull a longer piece into the panel to reach the breakers? this would obviously be a bunch more work than just adding extenders in the panel.

if neither of these are code then I will have to pull new wires to the destination points, which would be the most difficult.

and similar --- I need to transfer 4 circuits from the main panel to the new subpanel. the only way I think this will work is to cut into the conduit and add junction box(es) and run extenders to the new sub panel. so hopefully this is code (I can't imagine why it wouldn't be) but are there any goofy codes that govern this? like you cant have a j-box within 3 conduit widths of the panel if there's more than 4 conductors in it or something crazy like that?.

what is an extender?

 

[Terry D]

Splicing on to the wires to make them longer to reach breakers and buss bars is fine

Sent from my SM-G960U using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[nadogail]

Yes it's ok, as long as the splices don't excessively fill the panel box.

 

[rlitman]

Yes it's ok, as long as the splices don't excessively fill the panel box.

And that's kind of the point. A splice here and there is allowed (even if frowned upon by some), but when you end up splicing every single breaker, you make the panel quite a bit more difficult to work in.

In a lot of commercial setups, the conduit ends in a large wiring trough near the panel. That's a better place to locate a lot of splices. Having a box near the panel serves the same purpose at a smaller scale, but if you want to splice everything, a trough might be better, since they give you as much room to work in as the panel itself.

 

[reader2580]

I added a subpanel for a standby generator a few years back. I put a junction box above my main panel for a few wires that were too short to reach the subpanel. It passed inspection and no reason it shouldn't have.

I also have a few splices in my main panel as I had to switch to arc fault breakers and the neutrals didn't all reach to the breakers.