Finishing up a rear-dormer addition that is going into it's 10th year (and has been dormant for the past eight years). So. . . I had a family member do a lot of the wiring. As I start working on the project again I have discovered that he installed junction boxes in the basement and then ran multiple lines to the second floor from those junction boxes. One box has power in and then multiple lines out to individual outlets in multiple rooms. Another box has power in and then separate runs for each outlet and fixture in the bathroom. I have no idea why it was done this way - in the end it used so much more copper than it would have used going from outlet to outlet. While (I believe) that as long as the junction boxes are the right size they comply with code - it's also my understanding that junction boxes are less than desirable. I have done a lot of research and can't seem to find anything on why junction boxes are not preferred. I'd appreciate any insight into the matter. Anyone have an opinion on distributing power in this way? Is this a problem? Thanks!

Hello all, One particular circuit in my house is dead and the breaker keeps popping. Best I can tell, the circuit services a guest room's outlets, ceiling fan and light, as well as a neighboring bathroom lights and fan, but not the outlets in the bathroom -those still work and are on a GFCI connected to a downstairs bath I believe. At any rate, the outlets in the bathroom work. I pulled and ohm'd out the breaker on the problem circuit and it tested fine and I then swapped the breaker for the one right next to it - the "new" breaker I moved into the bad circuit popper right away and the "old" breaker works fine on the circuit right below the faulty circuit. I've unplugged everything from all the outlets on the faulty circuit and so the only thing I haven't disconnected from the circuit is the ceiling fan and light in the guest room and the exhaust fan and light in the bathroom. Suggestions? Thanks! Augoose