Choice 1 and 2 are both ok. Mostly choice. Many electricians like to run the
power in the ceiling and drop off for the switch. Others prefer to run power
horizontally through the studs catching outlets and switches, then running a
line up to the light. Yes the white wire in number one is spliced, wire nutted
and put into thee switch box. I am not sure what you mean in number three
choice. You can break into the power line anywhere. Providing a junction box
is installed and left accessible, with a proper cover. All three are then code
for safety. Of you are using a extra junction box and possible cable clamps
and cover. Extra money. In rewiring old work it is what works. In new work a
little planning can make for less hole drilling and wire saving.
When using the white wire for a switch leg as when the power is ran to the
light first the code way is to turn the white wire into a colored wire. This
can be done by painting both ends of the wire or more commonly using black,
blue or red tape around it for the length of the exposed white insulation.
Ron
----- Original Message -----
From: Dan Rossi
To: Blind Handyman List
Sent: Friday, February 05, 2010 1:19 PM
Subject: [BlindHandyMan] Wiring a switch.
Not that I have any immediate plans of rewiring, but this question popped
in my head. I think I've seen a comment about this here before.
If you are wiring a switch to a light fixture, do you:
#1: Run a set of wires from the power source to the switch, and a set of
wires from the switch to the light fixture. In this case, connecting both
blacks to the switch terminals, and tieing the two whites together? Do
you just stuff the white splice in the box with the switch?
#2: Run a set of wires from the power source to the light fixture, and a
set of wires from the switch to the light fixture. In this case, The
white from the power would connect to the white on the light, and the two
switch wires would be connected between the black power, and black light
wires. It technically wouldn't matter which orientation you connected the
switch wires, but is there a standard? I mean, black power, to black
switch, then white switch to black fixture.
#3: I assume this one is definitely wrong, but similar to #2. Run power
directly to the light fixture, then just interrupt the black wire at some
point with the switch wires.
I believe choice #1 is the correct option, but is choice #2 against code?
Choice #3 seems to be the most efficient use of wire, no parallel runs of
wire, but would make it a pain in the ass to ever trace an issue since you
wouldn't necessarily know where the switch spliced into the power line.
Just a thought for the day.
--
Blue skies.
Dan Rossi
Carnegie Mellon University.
E-Mail: [email protected]
Tel: (412) 268-9081
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
