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enter image description hereenter image description herelooking for some help re wiring.

I have an outlet that's in the middle of a series. I'm trying to move the outlet higher up the wall (a built in cabinet is going in and will block it). I thought it would be as easy as splicing the line and load cables up to the outlet, however, it's not working.

I spliced the black and white line cables to a new cable and grounded the line in the junction box. I then spliced the load black, white and earth cables together in the junction box.

At the outlet I connected all the earths, and grounded the outlet box and outlet with daisy chains. Black line went in to the outlet in hot, and white other side, and line went in at the bottom.

However, this is tripping the breaker every time. I abandoned everything and rewired the outlet to the line and load and it works fine, so I guess something is going wrong in my junction box. Any help much appreciated. Sorry if i have not explained v. well. I've attached a picture of my wiring. TIA

Regular outlet, not a GFCI. I don't think I'm overloading the breaking as I'm not adding a new outlet, just moving an existing one. 15 amp breaker with 4 outlets on it. Edit: uploaded correct wiring picture

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    Wouldn't it be simpler to disconnect the lower outlet, and pigtail both the original right side and one wire to the new outlet box together? That way you only need one new wire instead of two
    – gbronner
    Commented Nov 5, 2021 at 15:51
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    In the picture you have black and white wires on the same side of outlet, they should be on the other side, both blacks on one side, whites on the other.
    – crip659
    Commented Nov 5, 2021 at 15:54
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    Important: The junction box must remain accessible. It could be covered with a hand-removable panel, but not blocked off by a cabinet screwed into the wall or covered with drywall, etc.
    – manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact
    Commented Nov 5, 2021 at 15:59
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    Oh sorry, that's actually just an error in my drawing. At the outlet, black line on the right, white line opposite. lod black bottom right, load white opposite (bottom left)
    – Bob W
    Commented Nov 5, 2021 at 16:00
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    Show as some actual photos. Your new drawing is fine, which suggests that what you've actually done does not match your drawing.
    – brhans
    Commented Nov 5, 2021 at 21:14

2 Answers 2

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Outside a ring circuit (very rare outside the UK) there is no need to keep the load/line of the daisy chain going through the outlet, even in a ring circuit you can put a fuse in the old box and make the branch to the new outlet a fused spur.

So instead you can pigtail like-to-like from all 3 cables in the old box and spur off to a single cable going to the new location.

enter image description here

Depending on the internals of the wall you can just drop a romex down and fish it through into the old box.

But keep in mind that the junction box must remain accessible.

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  • Thanks for your response! I did try connecting the load and line with a daisy chain cable up to the outlet, but for some reason it tripped the breaker. I also tested it a second time by connecting the load and line black wires with a seperate black wire, and it sparked and tripped the breaker. Do I have a problem with the ground in this case?
    – Bob W
    Commented Nov 5, 2021 at 17:53
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    Ground seems to be doing its job, and your wires seem to be connected right. You could have a nick(damaged insulation) or screw/nail in insulation or a hot touching a grounded surface. Would turn off breaker and carefully check the wires, bend and turn them around to see damage.
    – crip659
    Commented Nov 5, 2021 at 18:26
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The built-in cabinet can't cover up the original junction box

All junction box covers must be accessible without using tools or damaging building finish.

So your plan of splicing in the original box and then burying it, will not work.

The only way that would be acceptable is if you put a hole in the back of the cabinets so the junction box cover can be readily accessed.

Otherwise you will need to run a cable from "the next junction box down" to your new box and onward to the next onward box.

It sounds like you are pinching a cable or put a nail through it somehow. It's also possible the ground wires are touching the hot screws when you push it back into the box. But since you have to re-do it anyway, it'll probably fix itself.

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