Wiring – Receptacle wires

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Is my receptacle box size big and deep enough to hold all these wires? receptacle 4x 2 1/8 enter image description here. This is for residential home built 40 yrs ago. Also what is the difference between this and a square box? I know that NEC has it requirements and this is how I found it when trying to replace a new tamper resistance receptacle." What would you suggest if it is over the requirements. Do I need to get a deeper box same size or ????also there is another two wires in the far right upper corner that is connected with a wire nut! Please note I disconnected one of these wire nuts because different gauges were mixed.

Best Answer

Let's see. The largest wire in the box is 12 AWG, so all the grounds together count as one 12 AWG wire, so 2.25 inches. Pigtails are free.

Six 12 AWG wires counts as 2.25 cubic inches each, so 13.5 cubic inches. Six 14 AWG wires count as 2.00 cubic inches each, so 12 cubic inches.

One receptacle yoke counts as 2 of the largest conductor that goes to it - since that's 12AWG that counts as 4.5 cubic inches. So let's see:

 2.25 cu. in. - grounds
 0    cu. in. - pigtails
13.5  cu. in. - six 12AWG wires (2.25 each)
12    cu. in. - six 14 AWG wires (2.00 each)
 4.5  cu. in. - 1 receptacle (2 x largest conductor going to it)
32.25 cu. in. TOTAL
27.75 cu. in. TOTAL if you omit receptacle

Now what's available to supply that? It really looks to me like a 4" square box (which come in 1.25, 1.5 or 2.125" deep) plus a 2-to-1-gang plaster ring front. I really don't believe you have a 1-gang box because those wires just wouldn't fit at all.

  • A 4x4 x 1.5" deep box is 21 cu. in.
  • A 4x4 x 2.125" deep box is 30.30 cu. in.
  • A 2-to-1-gang plaster ring of that sort is 3.3 cu. in.
  • A 2-gang raised cover is 7.5 cu. in.
  • A 1.5" box extension is 21 cu. in.

If you have a 2.125" deep box, with the ring you have 33.60 cubic inches, just enough.

However if you have a 1.5" box you are at 24.3 cu.in., considerably shy of the required. Eliminating the receptacle would suffice if you added a 2-gang raised cover. If you want to retain the receptacle, visit a real electrical supply house, and tell them your problem, and they can get you a cover plate that'll work. It may stick out from the wall just a bit.

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