mbrooke
Batteries Included
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- United States
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- Technician
Are the conductors in a California (key word) 3 way required to all be counted as current carrying?
There is one instance of switch positions that results in ALL four conductors carrying the switched load current, so, Yes.Are the conductors in a California (key word) 3 way required to all be counted as current carrying?
Are the conductors in a California (key word) 3 way required to all be counted as current carrying?
Are the conductors in a California (key word) 3 way
What is that and is it a legal method anyway?
Looks legal to me?
Some, here, have argued that, when the hot conductor continues on past the end threeway switch to supply unswitched load, AND the two threeway switches are in the position shown in the diagram, that the current is split between two parallel conductors, and that 310.10(H) says that can only be done when the conductors are 1/0 and larger.
True, but the intention inst to parallel, rather an inadvertent byproduct?
Note also that in the diagram shown the conductors are only in parallel when they are carrying no current.
Finally, nowhere do you have single lengths of conductor connecting the same two endpoints directly.
Once you put the switch in the middle, you do not have parallel conductors.
The same argument has been applied to a manual bypass switch around a photocell, and I do not thing the parallel conductor rules apply there either.
The intent of the rule, FWIW, is the use of multiple conductors to increase the ampacity of the circuit.
In the diagram shown (Coast 3-way) no cross section of the circuit has more than 3 wires. And in the center section all three will be counted as CCCs.My thoughts, I do not believe this constitutes the intent of parallel conductors.
Now, correct to assume that in the right position all 4 wires will carry the load with added voltage drop as well?
That is a slight variation on a California three way but meets the same criteria of current on one wire with no opposing current to balance the circuit. What I have always known as a California three way is also known as California travelers, hot in one box, switch leg in the other, 14-2 or 12-2 romex for your travelers.Before 14-2-2 Romex we would borrow the white wire & common name was California 3 Way. Let me try to explain: One coach light at front door. Coach light at garage overhead door. 3 way between front door & inside garage with power at front door. Send the front door switch leg to garage on the white of 14-3 with red/black travelers.
At front door & inside garage there was always a two gang switch box where you could pick up neutral. You had to keep all of it on the same circuit.
My thoughts, I do not believe this constitutes the intent of parallel conductors.
The funny thing is none of my inspectors seem to care what mbrooke on the Internet feels the intent is.
Right or wrong it is IMO a violation.
But the conductors aren't parallel while they are carrying current.
but nothing explicitly prohibits it.