If you have an electrical box with wiring that is too short to make electrical connections to outlets, switches or even another junction box, you will need to add 'pigtails' to the wiring in order to lengthen the wiring so you can use it. Knowing how much wire to leave in an electrical box is crucial, as it can affect the box's safety and function. In this case, leaving the correct length of free conductor helps ensure proper installation and reduces the risk of loose or unsafe connections. A 'pigtail' is simply an extension that is added to a piece. Is there anything I can do to make the wires long enough to reach? Answer: Whenever a cable is not long enough to reach the new location with enough length to make a proper termination and splice, you only have 2 choices. Adjustments are made for the ground wire as you will see in the.