extra wire at boxes

[480sparky]

......Why fill the box with all those jumpers and on a 4 gang you will have 5 conductors to wire nut together.

When I get into 4- and 5-gang boxes, there's more than one circuit in 'em. So a tons of jumpers under one wire nut is a non-issue.

 

[jetlag]

thanks spark

thanks spark

Here's a 3-gang showing how I leave it when I'm done at rough:

​

I see now what you meant , I thought you meant the two wires for each switch was a cable coming into box where each switch was located , I see now you place the two wires or three in the correct spot . Yea no brainer to wire , if I left mine for some one else they would have to know what to do with the common loop wire . My previous post wont make much sence because I misunderstood what you meant

 

[480sparky]

I see now what you meant , I thought you meant the two wires for each switch was a cable coming into box where each switch was located , I see now you place the two wires or three in the correct spot . Yea no brainer to wire , if I left mine for some one else they would have to know what to do with the common loop wire . My previous post wont make much sence because I misunderstood what you meant

Regardless of how many cables come into the box, each 'gang' in the switch box will contain the wires needed for that particular switch.

 

[LEO2854]

More than a 1/4" of sheathing in the box. Some here would fail you. LOL.

Is that not better than "NO SHEATHING IN A BOX:-?

 

[LEO2854]

It is a terminal. Not rated for feed through. Read 110.14(A).

That is correct there are some switches that have upturn lugs that are rated for two conducters.
The "OP" WAS LOOKING for a code ref for wraping a conducter around a device screw.:roll:

 

[hurk27]

I dont follow , there is no difference except instead of a hot jumper ran to each switch and wire nut to hot in , the same hot in just loops to each switch. why would some one else go back and cut it off with switches in ? If it is cut off before then I wire it your way . A 3 way gets a hot the same way , and the two travelers on the other screws to the 14 /3 with neutral , dont they know where the 3 way goes , no matter if the hot is long or short :-?

Very common in pipe jobs around here, rope pullers don't use it as often, but I do my switches this way pipe or rope, after pig tailing all the hots I will leave one long hot and ground pig tail wrapped around the switch legs rolled back into the box for trim after drywall, receipts, I pig to each receptacle much easier to push back in box, and I abhor tangled up makeups, I will undo every one and untangle them so they will lay back in a box nicely, Now I know some will hate to here this but when I do my makeups, I do cut the wire about 3" outside of the box, and have the pig tail about 4-6" long to land on the devices, makes it much easier to get it all laying in the back of the box, been doing it that way for years, and to me its so much more easy.

The reason the code don't require longer wires on larger then 8" box's is because we can reach inside of them.

 

[LEO2854]

It is a terminal. Not rated for feed through. Read 110.14(A).

This is the post im am talking about.

I go more by the box type and device going in . If I leave 3 " past the front of outlet box , it was a mistake and there is no more slack to pull . I will leave 4 to 6 on a single gang , I try to eyeball 5 " . I know any more will just get sniped off , so not have to pack it in device box. Now multi gang is another thing I will leave 8 or more , somtimes I loop the hot and grounds around the screw terminals from first switch to the last in box. of course each switch has its on hot leaving the box to fixture . and the neutrals nut together. Does anyone know if it is a violation to loop between switches that way.

 

[George Stolz]

It is a terminal. Not rated for feed through. Read 110.14(A).

How many conductors are under that screw? Just one - it's compliant.

 

[iwire]

How many conductors are under that screw? Just one - it's compliant.

I agree with George.

 

[jetlag]

thanks Iwire

thanks Iwire

I agree with George.

Im surprised more here dont loop on conduit and stranded wire its a lot easier to get the stranded to stay under the screw when you have a loop to pull tight when the screw is tightened and the strand wire loop pushes back easy into box. Solid n m not quite as easy . What about loop the bare ground, it has turned up taps on each side of screw . Seems to me it is better ground connection not to cut it. I dont think any would could call a non current conductor a fed thru. In case like Iwire there will be a loop at each switch location instead of single conductor

 

[jetlag]

thanks spark

thanks spark

When I get into 4- and 5-gang boxes, there's more than one circuit in 'em. So a tons of jumpers under one wire nut is a non-issue.

Not sure I follow, why does 5 light fixtures always require more than 1 circuit ? :-?

 

[jetlag]

oops

oops

Im surprised more here dont loop on conduit and stranded wire its a lot easier to get the stranded to stay under the screw when you have a loop to pull tight when the screw is tightened and the strand wire loop pushes back easy into box. Solid n m not quite as easy . What about loop the bare ground, it has turned up taps on each side of screw . Seems to me it is better ground connection not to cut it. I dont think any would could call a non current conductor a fed thru. In case like Iwire there will be a loop at each switch location instead of single conductor

sorry iwire that was 480sparky that posted the photo of box , I meant to say "in case like sparky"

 

[480sparky]

Not sure I follow, why does 5 light fixtures always require more than 1 circuit ? :-?

Box is centrally located in the house..... switches for living room, stairways going up, hallway back to bedrooms.

 

[LEO2854]

Not sure I follow, why does 5 light fixtures always require more than 1 circuit ? :-?

it does not. If you have 24 fixtures rated at 60 watts thats 1440 watts thats 80% of 15 amps..if 5 fixtures were at 288 watts=1440 watts =80% of 15 amps.

 

[hurk27]

Not sure I follow, why does 5 light fixtures always require more than 1 circuit ? :-?

My answer to this would be it doesn't, at least by code, it is a design issue, and would depend upon what was being switched, I sure you didn't mean its required, but it all depends where the lights are located and what circuits feed those areas, I might have a 5 or 6 gang in the living room with switches all for simple lights in the living room all on the same circuit, very common.

switches:
1 outside porch light
2 entry ceiling light
3 switch leg split receptacle/'s
4 wall wash cans
5 eye balls over fire place
6 ceiling fan
7 light on the ceiling fan

nothing in the code would require more then one circuit for this but the load itself.

Now would I install a 5-7 gang box for switch's? Not on your life, the cost of custom covers will go through the roof.
I limit mine to 4 gang maybe 5 in decora.
only if directed by a builder or home owner, there is no problem stacking two 3 gangs or what is needed above or below each other and most builders or home owners don't have a problem with it once they find out what a special order 6-7 gang cover will cost.

 

[jmellc]

I dont follow , there is no difference except instead of a hot jumper ran to each switch and wire nut to hot in , the same hot in just loops to each switch. why would some one else go back and cut it off with switches in ? If it is cut off before then I wire it your way . A 3 way gets a hot the same way , and the two travelers on the other screws to the 14 /3 with neutral , dont they know where the 3 way goes , no matter if the hot is long or short :-?

I don't like switches wired that way because it makes it harder to replace the switch down the road. The loop feed & ground wires often get tangled in with others, ground especially, got to watch it for shorting. I like a separate feed for each switch.

 

[macmikeman]

What I am saying is there's a good chance the long hot will get cut off by mistake at the trim, as the switches are installed. Do as you please, it's none of my business. I prefer to make it as mindless as possible to minimize mistakes.

I didn't read thru the whole thread so forgive me if somebody else mentioned this: Good for you George, but anyway the practice was pretty popular for us how do we say? Old Fogey's. So you young pups might cut the long hot off but I bet no oldtimers (are there any in the field besides me anyway?) would make that mistake very often....

 

[jerryalan]

Old Fogey's

Old Fogey's

I didn't read thru the whole thread so forgive me if somebody else mentioned this: Good for you George, but anyway the practice was pretty popular for us how do we say? Old Fogey's. So you young pups might cut the long hot off but I bet no oldtimers (are there any in the field besides me anyway?) would make that mistake very often....

don't feel like the lone ranger, er fogey . . .

 

[George Stolz]

I didn't read thru the whole thread so forgive me if somebody else mentioned this: Good for you George, but anyway the practice was pretty popular for us how do we say? Old Fogey's. So you young pups might cut the long hot off but I bet no oldtimers (are there any in the field besides me anyway?) would make that mistake very often....

Well, it's probably not necessary to discourage the practice then, since no young pups ever get stuck trimming out.