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Where is box fill in the NEC?

Box fill lives in NEC 314.16. Table 314.16(A) lists standard metal box sizes with their volumes and conductor capacities; 314.16(B) gives the volume allowance per conductor size, from 1.5 cubic inches for 18 AWG to 5 for 6 AWG.

The companion rules sit nearby in Article 314: 314.16(B)(1) through (B)(5) spell out the counting rules for conductors, clamps, fittings, devices, and grounds.

Bigger conductors move you out of box fill entirely: splices at 4 AWG and larger follow the pull-box sizing rules of 314.28, which work by raceway size rather than volume.

Nonmetallic boxes skip the table; their volume is stamped inside the box itself.

The junction box size calculator applies 314.16 or 314.28 depending on what you are splicing.

WireGaugeCalc runs every NEC calculation in one free app, with the code article cited on each result.

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