Electrical outlet- What to do?

[Paco]

I want to build a hearth surround for my Fireview. It's a corner install, and pretty close on the clearances.
Trouble is I have an outlet that will be covered by the hearth surround. I know that I can't bury it in the wall- so what to do?
If I pull it out flush with the stone or slate (undecided as of yet) then it will be too close to the stove.
(I assume an outlet counts as a combustible.)

Any ideas?

 

[tfdchief]

I have 2 outlets in the hearth area of my install. The wall they are in is 9.5 in. from the back corner of the stove. Clearance to combustibles from that corner is 9 in. so I just put a metal plate on the recep. and figure I am good. Is the recep closer than your specified clearance to combustibles?

 

[Paco]

I'm within an inch of specified clearance. Unfortunately the outlet is right off of the corner of the stove.

 

[SteveKG]

Do you wish to keep the outlet?

I'd remove the socket, replace the outlet box with a steel junction box with a cover that can be buried [maybe $1-$2], tie in to the wiring with some Romex or whatever, run it to a new location and put the outlet box there. You will have to cut a hole or two in the drywall, if that's what you have, but all subsequent repairs will be covered with the material you use for the surround. Easy.

If you don't want the outlet, same thing except just cap off the wires in the steel box and forget them. Just be sure they really safely capped off.

 

[Paco]

Can I bury a junction box? I thought that was a no-no.

 

[Benchwrench]

Can I bury a junction box? I thought that was a no-no.

You can bury that side IF you can cut out the other side and install a plug or cover plate to make it accessible from the other side of the wall. If it's an outside wall then it will have to be a GFI.
The way you would do it is demo out the box (usually plastic or bakelite) by cutting the nails between the box and the stud with a sawsall or hacksaw blade, however you don't have to demo it out unless it's going to be in the way of the other side new location, all without damaging the wire and install a remodel or "cut-in" box to the other side.
However, if the plug terminates and doesn't feed another box, (only one wire in it) then all you need to do is disconnect it from the box that feeds it. THEN you can just bury it, plain and simple.
There is yet another method but it's more difficult and invasive. So I hope this will work for your application.
As per NEC, all wired junctions need to be accessible.

Bench

 

[tfdchief]

I'm within an inch of specified clearance. Unfortunately the outlet is right off of the corner of the stove.

"within an inch of specified clearance" to combustibles?

 

[Paco]

Yeah- clearance to combustibles. Spec is 12" on the corner and I'm just about there. So if I bring the outlet out to the surface of the surround, it'll be 2-3 inches too close (assuming a plastic outlet counts as a combustible.)

 

[tfdchief]

Yeah- clearance to combustibles. Spec is 12" on the corner and I'm just about there. So if I bring the outlet out to the surface of the surround, it'll be 2-3 inches too close (assuming a plastic outlet counts as a combustible.)

I don't think I would worry about it to much if the electrical box it is in is metal and you use a metal cover plate.