I am trying to add a few GFI outlets to my wife's bathroom. I also have to
move one of the outlets because of a larger mirror that I will be installin
g to make wife and daughter happy.
The problem is, I know it is against code to put a junction box inside the
wall. And I think leaving it outside will cause my framed mirror to not sit
flat.
I spent all weekend trying to track down wires. I figured out the entire br
eaker is dedicated to the bathroom GFI's only. I have only 3 outlets curren
tly on this entire 20 amp circuit.
The power goes to the outlet I want to move from above in the attic. Howeve
r, from this outlet it goes to two other bathrooms and I cant find the wire
s that branch the outlets together. I am guessing it is through the studs w
hen they built the house and as such, they may be inaccessible or if they d
o go into the attic are covered under the floor of my bonus room to which I
have no access because the bonus room is finished.
As I see it I have two options:
1. somehow leave the current outlet and make it into a junction box and som
ehow recess a new box so that the acess cover would be flush with the wall.
Then run a wire from this box into the crawl space then to the two new out
lets in the bathroom.
2. Maybe more work but a more proper solution would be to install a junctio
n box in the attic where the current feed is to the existing outlet, run a
wire from this junction box down the entire length of the wall into the cra
wl space. Install another junction box in the crawl space and make the conn
ection to the new outlets here. I would also have to run new wires from the
two other outlets in the two other bathrooms into the crawl space to tie i
nto the junction box. (Doing it this way requires new wiring on the entire
circuit but eliminates an accessible junction box being required in the wal
l).
One thing I wondered. This is a GFI circuit. The breaker is not GFI but the
outlets are. If I have connections in the crawl space where sometimes ther
e is a little moisture after a lot of rain, will I have trouble with the GF
I tripping? My idea would be to use one of those outside metal moisture pro
of boxes but just run regular 12/2 wire to this junction. Would using condu
it to this junction be a better idea?
Any help is appreciated!
- posted 8 years ago