Wiring with Conduit - Neutral in All Boxes?

[Spudland_Dave]

Now its not quite so cold in the garage...i'm back at getting it finished up. Doing some wiring now...using the ENT conduit and I had a question...does the neutral HAVE to be in every box? I tried to whip up a pic here (Gray = white wire)

Basically I Have a J-Box in the attic side with a run down to the 2 gang box. I was thinking I could run the neutral straight to the 2 fixtures and just run down 1 hot feed and come back up with my 2 switched hots..I also assume I need to run Ground down to the switches.

 

[pmilin]

I believe so. I think the latest code requires it. I think the reason is that a lot of newer timers, dimmers, switches, occupancy sensors and such require the neutral in the box.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Current code requires a neutral be run to all switch boxes now. This is to provide the needed neutral for various electronic dimmers, fan controllers, piloted lighted switches and the like.

Charles

 

[darcyh]

Current code requires a neutral be run to all switch boxes now. This is to provide the needed neutral for various electronic dimmers, fan controllers, piloted lighted switches and the like.

Charles

Thanks Charles.

That's interesting and I did not know this. I have always (to the extent possible) tried to feed a switch from a full circuit as opposed to connecting it at the light junction box.

What about 3 way switches?

Dave

 

[pattenp]

Thanks Charles.

That's interesting and I did not know this. I have always (to the extent possible) tried to feed a switch from a full circuit as opposed to connecting it at the light junction box.

What about 3 way switches?

Dave

Charles is stating US National Electrical Code. Canadian code may not be the same,

 

[Kevin C]

http://ewh.ieee.org/r3/nashville/events/2012/2011%20NEC%20Changes%20-%20IEEE%20-%201202.pdf

Checkout page 23.

 

[darcyh]

Charles is stating US National Electrical Code. Canadian code may not be the same,

Most of the code is very similar; I've always considered it to be a best practise. But what about the neutral in a 3 way set up?

Thanks

 

[Norcal]

Here is the 2011 NEC requirements:
404.2(C) These only apply where the 2011 edition has been adopted, not required in prior editions.

(C) Switches Controlling Lighting Loads. Where switches
control lighting loads supplied by a grounded general purpose
branch circuit, the grounded circuit conductor for the controlled
lighting circuit shall be provided at the switch location.

Exception: The grounded circuit conductor shall be permitted
to be omitted from the switch enclosure where either
of the following conditions in (1) or (2) apply:
(1) Conductors for switches controlling lighting loads enter
the box through a raceway. The raceway shall have
suffıcient cross-sectional area to accommodate the extension
of the grounded circuit conductor of the lighting
circuit to the switch location whether or not the
conductors in the raceway are required to be increased
in size to comply with 310.15(B)(3)(a).
(2) Cable assemblies for switches controlling lighting
loads enter the box through a framing cavity that is
open at the top or bottom on the same floor level, or
through a wall, floor, or ceiling that is unfinished on
one side.

Informational Note: The provision for a (future) grounded
conductor is to complete a circuit path for electronic lighting
control devices.

Underline by me.

 

[wrench409]

So when I add a switch loop circuit in a box to control power to a device, I extend neutral into the switch box, and don't connect it?

 

[Speedy Petey]

So when I add a switch loop circuit in a box to control power to a device, I extend neutral into the switch box, and don't connect it?

With cable yes.
If you have conduit you do not need to have the neutral in the switch box at the time of installation.

 

[sparky36000]

If you read the code that Norcal posted, you don't have to run the neutral to the switch box if your using raceway that it can be added into later if needed. Very common in commercial jobs to not run it to switch boxes and perfectly legal. If you using NM cable where it can't be added later if needed, yes you have to supply it at the switch box. Just cap it and leave it for future if needed.

Edit- Petey beat me to the reply, and yes this is US code. Not sure if it applys in Canada.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

With cable yes.
If you have conduit you do not need to have the neutral in the switch box at the time of installation.

Sweet...That being said, for the sake of ease...I'll probably just pull it thru while I'm at it...wont connect it on either end, but it will be there in case. For the record..one of the circuits will control a cieling fan, the other circuit a light (not a light on the fan itself...but the reason I ran this in conduit is if I ever do put a fan in with a light kit...no problem adding it)

Oh, 2nd question related to this....Color coding. when I pull my black feed down into the switch box, I was planning on coming up with a red switched for one circuit, and can I use another color like Yellow (or any color) for the 2nd switched circuit so everything is perfectly clear? that way I KNOW the only black in there is the hot feed...Red & Yellow would be the 2 seperate switched circuits.

 

[pattenp]

You can use yellow. The colors you have to use are for grounded conductors (white or gray or 3 white stripes on other color than green) and equipment ground (Bare or Green or Green with Yellow stripe.)

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Charles is stating US National Electrical Code. Canadian code may not be the same,

I did not catch the OP's location, thanks for noticing that.

Charles

 

[pattenp]

I did not catch the OP's location, thanks for noticing that.

Charles

The OP was Spudland and is in the US. A different poster asked a question about the neutral requirement who was in Canada. You're good.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

I did not catch the OP's location, thanks for noticing that.

Charles

Hey no worries here either...where I am originally from, I am seperated from Canada by a 50' wide river... Spent MANY MANY Friday & Saturday nights over on the cool side of the border in umm....bars with really good scenery..