Electrical code as it relates to junction boxes

[sroxberg]

Am I correct in stating that all junction boxes must be accessible to meet code?

But how does one define accessible, would a junction box in an attic area buried in R39 of blown in insulation be considered accessible? Would you not have to remove a wall but it would still be a bear to get to.

That said would a junction box that merely had a circuit running through it without any connections just a pass through used for pulling the original wire be considered a junction box that had to be accessible?

Thanks in advance. Planning to rewire some circuits in the shop and deciding the path to take and want to be code compliant.

[Foggy]

Two terms in the NFPA code. Readily accessible and accessible.
Readily accessible means you can walk right up to it without moving or removing anything. Think light switch or fuse/circuit breaker panel. Nothing can be piled in front of it. Some jurisdictions will not allow the panel to be in a closet because it may become buried.
Accessible means you can get to it without destroying or major dismantaling. You may have to get a ladder, crawl through an attic or crawl space, lift out a ceiling tile, unload a book shelf and move it, but not have to tear out some plaster or cut something out of the way. 
A pull box must be accessible so you can add or remove wires in the future.
At least that's the way I remember it from my working days.

[EdL]

and as soon as someone makes one "inacessable", guess where the problem will be.






Ed

[JGrout]

by putting boxes above the insulation you have an accessible and acceptable box 

why bury it if you know you may need to access it eventually 

Joe

[rudedan60]

The original owner of my house, built in 66'.  He decided to cover all his boxes with ceiling tile in the basement.  Then decided nothing needed a ground, even though the wire was in the older NM.  It was the smaller 16 gauge ground, but was insulated. It took me awhile to find them, until I decided to replace the ceiling.  In my attic it was almost as bad.  So when I did some wiring, I put posts in and mounted the boxes.  It saved me time a few years later when I added some lights.  In the basement I put in access panels in the ceiling so I can get to the wiring and the cable mounting points.  Dan