I work for a large shop and have been doing this for 27 years, but ounce in a while I work with a new guy that has been doing it for 33 years and they come up with codes they have been doing all there career but dont know why.I was working with this guy who claims that it states in the NEC that when you wire a 3-way switch the hot,switch leg and both travelers have to be the same COLOR.After I stopped laughing I asked him to show me in the code where it states this.He just says its in there, so I bet him lunch that by the end of the week he cant produce an article that supports this.Then I started thinking what if finds one then one of us has been doing switchs wrong for a very long time.oh yea and he says its the same for single pole switches... DO YOU GUYS OF ANY ARTICLES THAT SUPPORT THIS.
200.7 Use of Insulation of a White or Gray Color or with Three Continuous White Stripes.
(A) General. The following shall be used only for the grounded circuit conductor, unless otherwise permitted in 200.7(B) and (C):
If part of a cable assembly that has the insulation permanently reidentified to indicate its use as an ungrounded conductor by marking tape, painting, or other effective means at its termination and at each location where the conductor is visible and accessible. Identification shall encircle the insulation and shall be a color other than white, gray, or green. If used for single-pole, 3-way or 4-way switch loops, the reidentified conductor with white or gray insulation or three continuous white stripes shall be used only for the supply to the switch, but not as a return conductor from the switch to the outlet.
404.2 Switch Connections.
(A) Three-Way and Four-Way Switches. Three-way and four-way switches shall be wired so that all switching is done only in the ungrounded circuit conductor. Where in metal raceways or metal-armored cables, wiring between switches and outlets shall be in accordance with 300.20(A).
Exception: Switch loops shall not require a grounded conductor.