How should I repair damaged wire?

Howdy,

I've managed to damage an 8 guage wire that supplies a 220 electric heater in my cabin. Don't ask how...it's embarassing!
The wire runs down from the panel, through the floor and into the crawl space. From there, it runs under the joists, back up through the floor to the heater.

The damaged part of the wire is about 6" below the floor directly below the main panel...and unfortunately, I don't have a lot of slack to play with.

So, I'm wondering.....

Should I bite the bullet and replace the entire wire?

If not, what's the proper way to splice the wire back together once I remove the damaged part?...is a junction box really necessary?

Thanks a lot folks!

 

Yes.

 

If the damage is confined to a small section, you could put a jbox in the crawl space and replace the shorter end back to the panel. If fishing the wire back to the panel is a problem then you could use 2 jboxes and replace only the damaged section.

 

In either case, I guess the most difficult part is fishing the wire back to the panel.

Even though the wire goes straight down from the panel...no jogs or anything, I believe it's been stapled down within the wall. Is it normal procedure to staple so close to the panel? I was hoping to avoid cutting out the drywall.

Any recommendations about how to go "fishing"?

Mike

 

Yes, stapling is normal and required.

If it's really hard to replace the cable, then buy two large junction boxes with covers, a few feet of cable that matches what you have, and a number of connectors good for that size wire. Mount one junction box a foot on either side of the damage. Cut the cable at the damage, and use the junction boxes to splice in the spare cable you bought.

Make really, really darn good connections.

 

Fished wires do not require staples.

 

How?

 

How what?

 

Well, he said, "Don't ask how...it's embarassing!" so I asked "How?".
In other words, the cable seems to be safely ensconced underneath the floor and he somehow cut it? So perhaps whatever he did could be revealed so others cold learn alesson.
Inquiring minds want to know.
~Peter