Best Practice for consistency with previous electrician's work

[snorky18]

My house required no electrical inspection of any kind when it was constructed in 2006. (Maybe that's why homeowner's insurance is up in the 4 figure range, but I digress).

I bought it in 2010.

Many places in my house have white wires that are hot. For example, the only wire going to most of my switch boxes is a single 12/2, with the black supplying power to the switch, and the white carrying the current back to the fixture.

None of these white wires have been re-colored to hot wires.

Now that I am adding some wiring to the house, I'm torn if I should recolor the white wires as necessary on my new work. The only thing holding me back is that it would be inconsistent with the way the house was wired originally, and I wouldn't want someone in the future to work on the system and assume that all whites were neutral based on my work alone. (That would be certainly be their error to make such an assumption, but even so I would like to avoid the possibility).

 

[MrMark]

That's normal practice for a backfed switch with romex but you must by code reidentify the white to black with some marking. I use tape. BTW, this backfed switch design is not allowed any more and it was a bad practice to begin with. Every switchbox has to have neutral by new NEC.

I see your concern though as you are not going into every box. That is a tough call. I don't know what I would do. I'd probably just start fixing the marking everywhere I went.

 

[snorky18]

Mr. Mark,

Being that I'm out in the boonies and there is not AHJ, what code should I follow?

I'm just adding some circuits and lights in the garage, so it probably won't make much difference, other than whether or not I can continue backfeeding the switches as was previously done in the rest of the house. No work involving AFCIs or anything fun like that.

Also, I'm curious, what is the practial reason/intent behind requiring the neutral in every switchbox, especially if it has nothing to connect to?

 

[Falcon67]

I would mark your work so you know, and fix whatever as you have to work on those circuits.

 

[MrMark]

Mr. Mark,

Being that I'm out in the boonies and there is not AHJ, what code should I follow?

I'm just adding some circuits and lights in the garage, so it probably won't make much difference, other than whether or not I can continue backfeeding the switches as was previously done in the rest of the house. No work involving AFCIs or anything fun like that.

Also, I'm curious, what is the practial reason/intent behind requiring the neutral in every switchbox, especially if it has nothing to connect to?

I think the ban on backfeeding switches is NEC 2011. ( edit: it's not really a ban on a backfeed it is a requirement of a neutral; I was a little imprecise. You could still backfeed with the neutral with 12/3) I personally wouldn't worry about that. It is a design guide not really a safety issue.

The neutral is said to be necessary to enable the use of certain switch gear like certain timers, smart switches, etc.

 

[eljefino]

Do it right on your new work but don't sweat the old stuff. If someone comes looking there is a date code on the romex jacket.

The neutral-in-a-switch box thing is (JMO) a preperation for an all flourescent future, where gizmos can't bleed a little current through a light bulb filament like they used to.

 

[Darrenone]

That's normal practice for a backfed switch with romex but you must by code reidentify the white to black with some marking. I use tape. BTW, this backfed switch design is not allowed any more and it was a bad practice to begin with. Every switchbox has to have neutral by new NEC.

I see your concern though as you are not going into every box. That is a tough call. I don't know what I would do. I'd probably just start fixing the marking everywhere I went.

Hey MrMark, I was just curious to know if that code book has actually been adopted yet? I have heard about the neutral being required in switch boxes in the future but around here it does not yet apply. I always wire the feed to the switch first so it does not impact my wiring but was more just curious. Thanks.
Darren

 

[Gooch]

Hey MrMark, I was just curious to know if that code book has actually been adopted yet? I have heard about the neutral being required in switch boxes in the future but around here it does not yet apply. I always wire the feed to the switch first so it does not impact my wiring but was more just curious. Thanks.
Darren

You would need to contact your local AHJ to know what cycle they are on. If they are on 2011 you need a neutral in the switch box, if 2008, you do not.

 

[Darrenone]

You would need to contact your local AHJ to know what cycle they are on. If they are on 2011 you need a neutral in the switch box, if 2008, you do not.

Thanks Gooch, we must still be on 2008 as inspector mentioned that that change was coming but not in effect yet. We are a little slow around here

 

[Thruxton]

I know this is a dumb question, but if you wire a neutral into the switch box and it is unused, do you just put a wire nut on the end?

 

[snorky18]

I know this is a dumb question, but if you wire a neutral into the switch box and it is unused, do you just put a wire nut on the end?

good question, and assuming that is the only neutral wire in the box, that is correct.

 

[Darrenone]

I know this is a dumb question, but if you wire a neutral into the switch box and it is unused, do you just put a wire nut on the end?

It is a more common practice to run the wires from power source to the switch first and then to the light fixture. The neutrals then just get wire nutted together to continue to the light. Or, if a three way, from first switch to second switch with 3 wire and then to light.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

BTW, this backfed switch design is not allowed any more and it was a bad practice to begin with. Every switchbox has to have neutral by new NEC.

Why is it a bad practice? I have had a few situations where there was no other way to wire a switch other than backfeeding it. As long as the wires are changed/taped to the correct color, there should be no problem!

Could u cite the code article, please? I wasn't able to find it! Thx!

 

[Speedy Petey]

I have the same question. WHY would you consider this "bad practice".

First off, this is NOT "backfeeding". I have NO idea how this term could even be applied. It is called a switch loop, and it is/was a VERY common wiring practice. It may not be ideal, but it can make a certain wiring scheme doable, or save a ton of wire in some applications.

Also, the way the OP's switch loop are wired is non-compliant. The power must be brought down on the white and the black is the switch leg.

The most typical way to re-mark is with a Sharpie. IF you are in a box already I would mark them. NO WAY in hell I'd go around the house and open boxes just to do this.
I know your house is relatively new, but the re-marking requirement is not that old so many older guys never got into the habit of doing it.

The neutral requirement is more of a stupidity avoidance. Stupid people were using the ground wire where a neutral was required for things like the aforementioned timers, smart dimmers, etc. This puts current on the bare ground and can be VERY dangerous under the right conditions.
I also think the re-marking of a switch loop white is also stupidity avoidance. I hear all the time about people with no clue wiring a receptacle into a switch loop and wondering why it does not work right.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

First off, this is NOT "backfeeding". I have NO idea how this term could even be applied. It is called a switch loop, and it is/was a VERY common wiring practice. It may not be ideal, but it can make a certain wiring scheme doable, or save a ton of wire in some applications.

Yeah, I knew that last night but was too tired to argue and type more sentences!

IF, you are in a box already I would mark them. NO WAY in hell I'd go around the house and open boxes just to do this.

I wouldn't open every box either! But definitely recolor the wires if I'm in the box already!

The neutral requirement is more of a stupidity avoidance. Stupid people were using the ground wire where a neutral was required for things like the aforementioned timers, smart dimmers, etc. This puts current on the bare ground and can be VERY dangerous under the right conditions.
I also think the re-marking of a switch loop white is also stupidity avoidance. I hear all the time about people with no clue wiring a receptacle into a switch loop and wondering why it does not work right.

I don't think the NEC should be changed because of stupid people! If you don't know what you're doing, u shouldn't be doing electrical. The banning of switch loops just screws things up for those of us who do know what we are doing! Regardless, I will continue to do switch loops when needed. Sometimes, there is just no other way!