Electrical Wiring Code Compliance – Can NM Cable Run Behind a Junction Box in a Wall?

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I'm placing a receptacle 43” above the floor. I plan on building a work bench in this area. I’m running some cable and using preexisting holes in the stud, but one of the holes is exactly 43” high. I’d have to place a receptacle directly in front of the horizontally run cable. Is there anything inherently wrong with that?

Yes I could just lower it, but I’d rather not if possible.

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Best Answer

The only two things that come to mind are that a box must be set at an appropriate depth so that it rises to the surface of the final wall covering, and that NM-B cable must be protected by a nail plate when it passes through framing within 1.5" of the edge/surface.

If the wire-behind-box arrangement were done in a 2x4 wall there could be a problem. It appears your wall stud is 2x6 though and provides enough room to satisfy both of those constraints. I think your work looks fine.

All that said.. you could've drilled a new hole above or below the box with a spade bit in about 4 seconds. Of course that would have let the opportunity to ask a question and learn something new slip by. :-)