The 'I feel like I should know this..' question on branches.

12 years ago

I'm a little hesitant to post, since I feel like I really should know this answer, but is it within code to come off a panel with a receptacle branch, say on the garage wall where the panel is located, then have one NM conductor feeding a few boxes down the wall in one direction while the rest are fed from a separate NM conductor leaving the same box in the other direction. I feel like I should be able to point to a specific reason why you should or should not be able to have two non-switched load paths leaving a box like this, but I've just not had a reason to tee off a branch with anything other than a switched load in so long. I know it'll work and I know it CAN be done safely (so can base jumpint..) but I can't remember if it's against NEC or not.

Thanks.

Dan

Comments (4)

Ron Natalie
12 years ago
T's are allowed. There's no specific requirement to daisy chain things. Be careful not to exceed the box fill on the box you're teeing from. Don't forget that 120V receptacles in garages that are at or below grade require GFCI and you need to make sure that if you're using a GFCI receptacle that it is correctly placed in the circuit to protect the rest.
brickeyee
12 years ago
Some breakers are even rated to have two wires landed on the breaker.

It might be easier to put a GFCI receptacle in the first box on each side, then wire the rest on that side from the LOAD side of the GFCI receptacle using conventional receptacles.
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dgeist
Original Author
12 years ago
Putting the T at the first box was what I was thinking with the loads feeding off it, but it would definitely have to be a 20A GFCI receptacle if so. Do standard GFCIs have load-side (i.e. protected) terminals or will I need to get a GCFI breaker?
dgeist
Original Author
12 years ago
Nevermind that last question. Of course they have protected load side terminals...