Shop light wiring question

[jjscott]

I need to wire three lights in my storage shed and have a few questions.

Lights "A" & "B" will be controlled by two separate switches, so I will be using three way switches. For this circuit, I will run 14/2 from the breaker to the first switch. I will run 14/3 from the first switch to the second switch and then 14/2 from the second switch to light "A". I will continue the 14/2 from light "A" to light "B". This will be a 15 amp circuit.

Light "C" will NOT be controlled by the light switches listed above, but I want it on the same circuit/breaker. It needs to be wired hot and activated by a pull string on the light fixture itself.

I've done basic wiring before, but not with the twist I list above. I was thinking about putting in a junction box between the breaker and the first light switch, cut the wire from the breaker to the first switch and splicing in another wire that would go to light "C". Wiring nut black to black, white to white & ground to ground in the junction box. The switches would still control lights "A" & "B", but the splice wire from the junction box to light "C" would be "always on" or hot and I could control this light with the pull cord.

Do you think this would work?

 

[pattenp]

Yes. You can also do splice in breaker box.

 

[yatg]

Make your splice in your first switch box.

 

[jjscott]

Yes. You can also do splice in breaker box.

Thanks.

So for the breaker box splice, would I just connect both black wires to the breaker terminal? Of course both neutrals and grounds would be connected to they respective bars (neutral bar and ground bar).

 

[pattenp]

Most breakers only allow one wire to be connected. You will need to wirenut the two wires to one wire for connecting to the breaker and neutral/ground bar. So two blacks to one black and two whites to one white. Do the same for the grounds even though usually more than one ground can go in one screw hole on the neutral/ground bar. Only one neutral per screw hole is allowed. If you have enough open holes on the bar then only the breaker connection needs to be one wire.

 

[jjscott]

Make your splice in your first switch box.

That would certainly work, but based on the location of the first switch and even the second, I'd have run a lot more wire to get back to light "C".

 

[jjscott]

Most breakers only allow one wire to be connected. You will need to wirenut the two wires to one wire for connecting to the breaker and neutral/ground bar. So two blacks to one black and two whites to one white. Do the same for the grounds even though usually more than one ground can go in one screw hole on the neutral/ground bar. Only one neutral per screw hole is allowed. If you have enough open holes on the bar then only the breaker connection needs to be one wire.

Is it bad practice to do this type of splicing inside the breaker panel?
Wondering if an electrical inspector would flag it as an issue.

 

[Terry D]

Panels are not splice boxes. The only time I splice in a panel, is on a panel change out and wires are not long enough to reach to the breakers or buss bars, this is allowed in my area. All other splices should be done outside the panel in J-boxes, switch or receptacle boxes

 

[AntonLargiader]

I have a similar situation. Although standard HOM breakers allow two wires, the DF ones don't so I have a JB a foot or so away from the panel which splits the circuit into a few different directions. Due to the solid brick wall between the panel and the porch, it isn't easy to make it a continuous daisy-chain run without having exposed conduit all over the porch side of the wall.

What breakers do you have?

 

[pattenp]

Is it bad practice to do this type of splicing inside the breaker panel?
Wondering if an electrical inspector would flag it as an issue.

Panels are not splice boxes. The only time I splice in a panel, is on a panel change out and wires are not long enough to reach to the breakers or buss bars, this is allowed in my area. All other splices should be done outside the panel in J-boxes, switch or receptacle boxes

It is perfectly fine to split a circuit in the panel box. Some Square-D breakers even allow 2 wires under the connection screw to allow splitting the circuit in the panel without having to pigtail to a single wire. I don't know where you are getting your bogus info from.

 

[jjscott]

It is perfectly fine to split a circuit in the panel box. Some Square-D breakers even allow 2 wires under the connection screw to allow splitting the circuit in the panel without having to pigtail to a single wire. I don't know where you are getting your bogus info from.

Just checked my breaker and it does have two connector receivers on it, so looks like no junction box is needed. BTW, it is a Square D breaker. Thanks for the info everyone.

 

[rburke65]

Feed C from the first switch box....in my opinion.