NEC Requirements for Sizing

Outlet Boxes
Under- and oversizing outlet boxes can wreak havoc on your
installations.

Mike Holt | Mar 20, 2019

The consequences of undersizing outlet boxes can include damaged wiring,

overheating, and even electrical fires. But you can’t just oversize boxes “to
be on the safe side” because that wastes space and money. A 10 × 10 × 4 box
for three 12 AWG conductors would prevent an undersizing problem, but it
would also be ridiculously big. So how small is too small, and what size is
adequate?

An outlet box is generally used for the attachment of devices and luminaires
and has a specific amount of space (volume) for conductors, devices, and
fittings. The volume taken up by conductors, devices, and fittings in a box
must not exceed the box fill capacity.

The requirements for sizing boxes and conduit bodies containing

conductors 4 AWG and larger are found in Sec. 314.28. The requirements
for sizing handhole enclosures are in Sec. 314.30(A).

Boxes containing 6 AWG and smaller conductors must be sized in an

approved manner to provide free space for all conductors, devices, and
fittings. In no case can the volume of the box, as calculated in Sec.
314.16(A), be less than the volume requirement as calculated in Sec.
314.16(B).

Same Size Conductors

When all the conductors in an outlet box are the same size (insulation
doesn’t matter), you can use Table 314.16(A) to determine the:

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(1) Number of conductors permitted in the outlet box, or

(2) Outlet box size required for the given number of conductors.

Consider this sample problem: What size 4 in. square outlet box will be
required for three 12 AWG THW and six 12 AWG THHN conductors? A
quick check of Table 314.16(A) reveals that a 4 in. × 1½ in. square box
permits nine 12 AWG conductors; the insulation type isn’t a factor when
calculating box fill.

If the outlet box contains switches, receptacles, luminaire studs, luminaire

hickeys, cable clamps, or equipment grounding conductors (EGCs), then
you must make an allowance for these items per Sec. 314.16(B)(1) through
(5). These items aren’t reflected in Table 314.16(A).

Box Volume

The volume of a box is the total volume of its assembled parts, including
plaster rings, raised covers, and extension rings. The total volume includes
only those parts that are marked with their volumes in cubic inches [Sec.
314.16(A)] or included in Table 314.16(A) (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1. The volume of a box includes the volume of its assembled parts that are marked with their cubic inches or are

made from boxes listed in Table 314.16(A).

Consider this sample problem. What’s the total volume of a 4 × 4 × 1½

outlet box, with a 4 × 4 × 1½ extension ring, and a cover having a volume of
7.50 cu. in.? (Fig. 2)
Fig. 2. In this example, the total volume of the box is the sum of the three individual components (i.e., outlet box,

extension ring, and cover).

Volume of outlet box = 21 cu. in.

Volume of extension ring = 21 cu. in.

Volume of cover = 7.50 cu. in.

Therefore, the total volume of assembled parts = 21 + 21 + 7.50 = 49.50 cu.
in.

Box with Barriers

Where a box is provided with barriers, the volume is apportioned to each of

the resulting spaces. Each barrier — if not marked with its volume — is
considered to take up ½ cu. in. if metal and 1 cu. in. if nonmetallic [Sec.
314.16(A)].

Box Fill

Many items that might go in a box are not counted in the fill calculations.
Table 314.16(A) doesn’t consider switches, receptacles, luminaire studs,
luminaire hickeys, cable clamps, or EGCs.

Raceway and cable fittings, including locknuts and bushings, aren’t counted
for box fill calculations. Conductors that originate and terminate within the
box, such as pigtails, aren’t counted at all.

EGCs and up to four 16 AWG and smaller fixture wires can be omitted from
box fill calculations if they enter the box from a domed luminaire or similar
canopy, such as a ceiling paddle fan canopy [Sec. 314.16(B)(1) Exception].

The calculated conductor volumes determined by Sec. 314.16(B)(1) through

(B)(5) are added to determine the total volume of the conductors, devices,
and fittings:

(1) Conductors. Each unbroken conductor that runs through a box and each
conductor that terminates in a box counts as a single conductor volume per
Table 314.16(B). Each loop or coil of
unbroken conductor having a length of at least twice the minimum length
required (12 in.) for free conductors in Sec. 300.14 counts as two conductor
volumes.

(2) Cable clamps. One or more internal cable clamps count as a single
conductor volume per Table 314.16(B), based on the largest conductor that
enters the box. Cable connectors that have their clamping mechanism
outside the box are not counted.

(3) Support fittings. Each luminaire stud or luminaire hickey counts as a

single conductor volume per Table 314.16(B), based on the largest
conductor that enters the box.

(4) Device yokes. Each single-gang device yoke (regardless of the physical
size of the device) counts as two conductor volumes based on the largest
conductor that terminates on the device per Table 314.16(B). Each
multigang device yoke counts as two conductor volumes for each gang,
based on the largest conductor that terminates on the device per Table
314.16(B).

(5) EGC. All EGCs in a box count as a single conductor volume per Table
314.16(B), based on the largest EGC entering the box. Insulated EGCs for
receptacles having insulated grounding terminals (isolated ground
receptacles) [Sec. 250.146(D)] count as a single conductor volume per
Table 314.16(B).

Outlet Box Sizing Steps

To determine the size of the outlet box when the conductors are of different
sizes (insulation isn’t a factor), follow these steps:

Step 1: Determine the number and size of conductor equivalents in the box.

Step 2: Determine the volume of the conductor equivalents from Table

314.16(B).

Step 3: Size the box by using Table 314.16(A).

Let’s work an example problem: What’s the minimum depth 4-in. square
outlet box required for one 14/3 with ground Type NM cable that
terminates on a 3-way switch, and one 12/2 w/G Type NM cable that
terminates on a receptacle? The box has internally installed cable clamps
(Fig. 3).
Fig. 3. This box has the equivalent of five 14 AWG conductors and six 12 AWG conductors.

Step 1: Determine the number of each size conductor.

14/3 NM = three 14 AWG conductors

Switch total = five 14 AWG conductors

12/2 NM = two 12 AWG conductors

Cable clamp = one 12 AWG conductor

Receptacle = two 12 AWG conductors

EGC = one 12 AWG conductor

Total = six 12 AWG conductors

All EGCs count as one conductor, based on the largest EGC entering the
box [Sec. 314.16(B)(5)].

Step 2: Determine the volume of the conductors [Table 314.16(B)].

14 AWG, 2 cu. in. each

2 cu. in. × five conductors = 10.00 cu. in.

12 AWG, 2.25 cu. in. each

2.25 cu. in. × six conductors = 13.50 cu. in.

Total volume= 10.00 cu. in. + 13.50 cu. in. = 23.50 cu. in.

Step 3: Select the outlet box from Table 314.16(A).

A 4-in. × 21/8-in. square, 30.30 cu. in. box meets the minimum cu. in.
requirements.

Try this twist on a box sizing problem: How many 14 AWG conductors can
be added to a 4-in. × 21/8-in. square box that has a plaster ring of 3.60 cu.
in. if the box already contains two receptacles, five 12 AWG conductors, and
one 12 AWG EGC?

Step 1: Determine the number and size of the existing conductors.

Two receptacles (two yokes × two conductors) = four 12 AWG conductors.

Add that to the five 12 AWG conductors and one 12 AWG EGC to get a total
of 10 12 AWG conductors.

Step 2: Determine the volume of the existing conductors [Table 314.16(B)].

12 AWG conductor = 2.25 cu. in.

Total conductor volume = 10 wires × 2.25 cu. in. = 22.50 cu. in.

Step 3: Determine the space remaining for the additional 14 AWG

conductors.

As per Table 314.16(A), the space for the box = 30.30 cu. in. and the space
for the extension ring = 3.60 cu. in.

Total space = 30.30 cu. in. + 3.60 cu. in. = 33.90 cu. in.

Therefore, the remaining available space = 33.90 cu. in. – 22.50 cu. in. =
11.40 cu. in.

Step 4: Determine the number of 14 AWG conductors permitted in the

spare space.

Conductors added = 11.40 cu. in. ÷ 2 cu. in. = 5.70

Conductors added = five conductors (Rounding up doesn’t apply to box
fill.)

Two Methods

If conductors are the same size, then add them together and size the box
using the AWG size columns of Table 314.16(A). However, if the box
contains different sizes of conductors, then use Table 314.16(B) to find the
area of each conductor, add them up, and size the box from Table 314.16(A)
using the cu. in. column.

To get good at using these methods, you should try to practice often. For
example, you can size boxes on the job site to double-check the drawings —
or set aside some time to draw out 10 picture problems, and then solve two
each day until you have solved them all.