i really need to hide a junction box


  #1  
Old 10-28-20, 08:51 AM
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i really need to hide a junction box

From watching all the home shows I have gathered you cannot put a junction box where you cannot see it. However what do you do in the case where there is no other option. I am going to get my shower stall replaced and it is a weird set up in the bathroom. Immediately inside the door is the shower stall. There is a light switch between the shower stall door and the entrance to the bathroom which turns on the light directly overhead. There is another light in the center of the bathroom that is activated by a switch that is on the other side of the shower door. It is not possible to access the wiring in the ceiling thats between the switch and the fixture.but i can access from the ceiling down to the swtich in the shower. I have the shower down to the studs now but the way that joists run I believe that there are holes in the joists and the wire is fed through to the lighting fixture. Meaning I don't think any type of fishing is even possible. unless you can tie new and old lines together maybe but wouldnt it catch on the joists then if it does i'm totally screwed if it comes apart. I know there is not enough slack to even run the wire to the other side of the shower and tie into the other wiring if I even wanted to do that. The shower guy that came out said I could install it on the wall that is the other side of the shower , which it's not on the shower door side. but that is right next to the bathtub. It would be a very weird place for a light switch and I know you are not supposed to be able to reach it from a water source anyway. So I am lost as to what to do. I'm not tearing up the ceiling



 
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Old 10-28-20, 09:11 AM
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You have a long story about pulling wire but I don't get what junction box you need to hide.
 
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Old 10-28-20, 09:20 AM
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It is not possible to access the wiring in the ceiling thats between the switch and the fixture.
It is always possible. Sometimes it means more demolition that you don't want to do, but it is possible.

Both of those switches need to be moved. You can have switch within reach of a shower.
 
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Old 10-28-20, 09:38 AM
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Hi, What is the actual problem with the switch locations? That switch/ receptacle should be on a GFCI .
Geo🇺🇸
 
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Old 10-28-20, 09:58 AM
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shower guy will keep the switch by the door but has to get rid of the switch on the left side. therefore in the ideal world id put a junction box and run the wire to the right side of the shower to that switch and put in either a dual swirtch or just run both lights off the single switch. they are sep now
 
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Old 10-28-20, 10:03 AM
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shower guy said put the swtich on the blue wall next to tub but i dont have slack for that even
 
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Old 10-28-20, 10:32 AM
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You still haven't said which thing you want to "hide" as your title states. Are you just trying to remove or abandon one box or are you trying to relocate them?

A switch cannot be located within a shower but it can be mounted outside as shown in your photo. Both your box locations are within reach while in water. Has your inspector ruled that that one location is a violation while the other is OK?

If you want to relocate your electrical box or boxes you're going to have to pull wire. In some cases it's easier to just abandon what's there and back up and look at other options. Now that you are redoing the shower it's the time to do the project right so don't let opening up the ceiling stop you. Sheetrock is easy to repair. You may hate the extra work now but in the long run you will be happier with things located where you want.
 
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Old 10-28-20, 11:10 AM
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the left side switch cannot remain but the right side can. . the wiring to the left side will not reach to the right side, i need to extend the wire from the left switch so it reaches the right.

ill not be opening the ceiling .
 
  #9  
Old 10-28-20, 11:37 AM
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idea just popped in head. unsure how to implement it. permanently wire the switch 'on' then do some kind of surface mounted battery switch to a new fixture where the remote switch is at the fixture. or something like that lol.
 
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Old 10-28-20, 01:47 PM
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Hi, I still don’t see what the reason is for moving the box, is it a space issues? can the box be moved to the other side of the stud ? how come the one on the right is OK ?
Just curious.
Geo🇺🇸
 
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Old 10-28-20, 01:55 PM
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Is the door opening for your shower full height (flush with the ceiling)? If not then you could mount a box above the door opening with a blank cover plate. You can pull the wires from the box on the left up and into the new box over the shower door. Then from there you can connect to new wire and run to wherever you need.
 
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Old 10-28-20, 06:22 PM
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the shower guy initially wanted both gone. he said they prefer to totally open the front. i said um, i really need a swtich as you enter the bathroom. he agreed could keep the right side which is the light right outside the shower. but he said because of how the new shower wall would come out , the left side simply had to go. i thought him suggesting it go on the blue wall was crazy lol. when i get the estiamate ill be going to the showroom then ill have to ask again why i cannot keep the left one there and just have narrower door. he said the tiny space between the left tub wall and the glass door would be filled by drywall.

i have another shower guy coming out next week, rest assure ill hammer him on details more.

this guy would take out the header that i didnt remove yet. so the space would be totall open to let in light and let out moisture. i like this. the door would not go to ceiling, i like the idea of ventilation. the door hasnt been chosen, i havent seen the models yet.
 
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Old 10-28-20, 06:27 PM
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wait, its OK to mount a junction box just over a shower door??
 
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Old 10-28-20, 07:15 PM
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wait, its OK to mount a junction box just over a shower door??
So long as it does not interfere with shower door and remains accessible, yes.

But, to do that, you will have to open the ceiling anyway. Why not open the ceiling in couple of more places and pull new cable or may be make splice in a shower light junction box ?
 
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Old 10-29-20, 04:55 AM
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i thought you meant surface mounted junction box which is why it surprised me. im not opening up any ceiling or walls for this. ill rig with track cable covers coming out of my light box above my sink first lol. ez to tie in up there but would prefer the track with the wire not be visible.
 
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Old 10-29-20, 05:23 AM
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is there such a thing is a reallllly small light switch? like if you kept just the left most stud in the pic but cut out for the switch....i looked at the situation more and see how the interior wall is gonna come out to the door wall. i think that left most stud will remain, if so , i could notch it out and put a switch in there?
 
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Old 10-29-20, 05:27 AM
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Hi, is the ceiling out of the shower area, how far from inside shower wall is the other ceiling fixture? What is the distance between the edge of the shower door and the edge of the wall? Another thought would be to remove the stud that the box is mounted to and nail it to the other stud on the right, or remove it all together, I would assume there will be drywall installed on that wall, once it is cut an old work in as far to the left as you, make sure you leave room for the plate.
Geo🇺🇸
 
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Old 10-29-20, 05:47 AM
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i thought you meant surface mounted junction box
If you really wanted, you could do that with wiremold or conduit. It will look pretty bad though.
 
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Old 10-29-20, 09:39 AM
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hope these help.now that i actully looked up there i wonder if i cannot just take the left side and connect it to the fixture at the door somehow? or maybe the switch will be able to be squeezed to the left of where it is now











 
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Old 10-29-20, 10:49 AM
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That is a dream for running wires. With no insulation and nice clean joist bays it's easy to pull wire if you want to. It also looks easy for you to install a box in the ceiling outside the shower to use as a junction for adding more wire.
 
  #21  
Old 10-29-20, 10:59 AM
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im def replacing the lighting at some point but thats last on my list.

that being said, do you mean its ez to pull thru the existing holes?

or that an electrician can rewire without pulling down the ceiling? or could i buy some tools to fish things myself? i'm assuming there are no staples between the fixture and the opening in my pic. what do you think
 
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Old 10-29-20, 11:04 AM
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Most likely there are staples securing the wires to studs. Best way is to snip the wires and leave them where they are and run new wire.
 
  #23  
Old 10-29-20, 05:55 PM
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how do you drill sideways thru joists? i need a drill that goes about 2 ft ahead then makes right hand turn thru probably 3 or 4 joist then somehow fish that wihtout being able to see a thing
 
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Old 10-30-20, 05:09 AM
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Hi, it is possible that that ceiling box feeds the other fixture, there must be a 3 wire going to that switch/receptacle, it could be a matter of changing some splices in that box , it’s hard to tell, I think your best option is to choose your contractor and let him work around the boxes.
Geo🇺🇸
 
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Old 11-04-20, 03:40 PM
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had 2nd guy out. insane price for vikrell...10K. but he would shorten the depth 6 inches and he woudl have put the outlet on the outside wall in the 6 inches created next to the door. that would have been interesting. i didnt get into details how to join the further away light once i heard the price on the shower though.

once i get 1st estimate ill be talking to that guy about the box situation
 
 

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