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I have a house with a circuit for a backyard SPA that is no longer present. I want to remove all wiring coming down from the attic, but want to leave the fat 220V line in place (in case I need in the future) and terminate it in the attic.

Which of the following would be the proper way to terminate the line inside the attic according to electrical code?

  1. Just tape the wire ends, hang wires around to a stud, etc..

  2. Add wire nuts/caps to wire ends instead of taping.

  3. Add wire into a closed junction box, mount box in stud.

  4. Add disconnect box (pull type, for future use) and mount in stud.

Any code-required location for box? Does it matter, should it be at any height?

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In my area if the cable is for future use the current carrying conductors in the panel board must be capped and marked for future use. The ground conductor if bare secured to the ground buss, if insulated capped. The conductors at the other end must be in a box and capped. I have lived and worked in 4 states and all 4 had different rules. 1 required future use to be marked and all conductors capped together. If you remove the wire from the panel it could be considered abandoned and in most states it is to be removed. Is your panel is in the attic or a junction box?

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  • My main panel is in the garage at the front of the house. There's a GFCI switch inside the panel for the hot-tub. From there the fat wire goes all the way to the back of the house where the spa used to be.
    – Jose Cifuentes
    Mar 23, 2016 at 23:22
  • Since I don't know the area you live, I would suggest capping the hot conductors in the main panel and identity them for future use. This would all allow all the wiring to be in the future at the time of the instillation as long as the ampacity is not increased.
    – Ed Beal
    Mar 24, 2016 at 0:42
  • I live in Florida, USA. When you say capping you mean that the wires should be disconnected at the main panel (untighten bolts, pull out wires, cap them using wire nut, and label them?
    – Jose Cifuentes
    Mar 24, 2016 at 2:32
  • That is what is required here if the terminations are not made in a box. If the terminations (end of the wire is in a closed box and capped with wire nuts) it would be legal to keep the conductors in the panel on there breaker turned off.
    – Ed Beal
    Mar 24, 2016 at 13:12
  • Thanks, so that answers my question, I will enclose them in a box and leave the breaker off.
    – Jose Cifuentes
    Mar 25, 2016 at 17:33

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