I have a situation where I need to build a knee wall to protect and cover some air conditioning tubes. The problem is that there is an electrical outlet where the knee wall it to go. I want to bring the outlet out to the new wall but that would mean I would have to extend the wires. It is my understanding that I cannot put them in an octogon box and then bury the box. Is there a way that is safe way and meets code to extend wires from a box.
Rob
Replies
You are right. It is a code violation to cover over a box containing connections with a finish that would be damaged in order to gain access. In other words, you cannot bury the box behind drywall or paneling.
That leaves you with moving the box, or running new wiring back to the source. If the knee wall as well as the existing wall are drywall, you'll have to be mudding and taping anyway, so you might as well cut open the existing wall to relocate the box. You would either move the box and then cover it with a blank cover plate so access is maintained, or, if you are fortunate, the wire goes below into a basement and you can pull it down from the existing wall and thread it up from below into the new wall so you won't need a connection in the existing wall.
If the knee wall area is going to be accessible, you can put the box there.
There is one form of connector that is listed for buried-in-the-wall connections, but it's hard to find and will probably be a red flag for most local inspectors.