3 way switches

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steelersman said:
Hey Dennis. Sorry for taking years off your life. :) I really should have slowed down and read it slower but I was obviously reading too fast. Also I was imagining the 2 sets of 3-ways being in seperate single gang boxes instead of 2 gangs so I wasn't thinking that it would be very possible to tie all 4 neutrals together on the switch leg side. Thanks for being so patient like SEO said. On a brighter note, at least I can man up when I'm either wrong or when I've gone overboard or jumped the gun which was the case last night. :)
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It's not a problem. I am glad we got it sorted out. It does take a good person to fess up when they are wrong. I have eaten crow many times on this forum and in life. I'm beginning to like the taste

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Dennis Alwon said:
It's not a problem. I am glad we got it sorted out. It does take a good person to fess up when they are wrong. I have eaten crow many times on this forum and in life. I'm beginning to like the taste

eating_crow.jpg
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But you do understand that the way I thought you were talking about which was tying only the neutrals from the switch leg to it's respective 3-wire neutral (which is how I do it) is a-ok and not parallel neutrals. :)
 
Would we agree that 3 ways are regularly wired this way?
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That's what I consider regular

There are occaisions where I dead end the 3 wire due to space limitations but I never wire thru the fixtures. I don't want to pull a fixture down to troubleshoot.

Parallel neutrals are a problem in this case???
 
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steelersman said:
But you do understand that the way I thought you were talking about which was tying only the neutrals from the switch leg to it's respective 3-wire neutral (which is how I do it) is a-ok and not parallel neutrals. :)
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Yes I do. You are a better man than I.
 
Dennis Alwon said:
Yes I do. You are a better man than I.
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No no no. Don't say that. I'm no better than the next man. I personally don't think it should matter if you parallel the neutrals together that way as long as they're on the same circuit which is what you were talking about.
 
steelersman said:
No no no. Don't say that. I'm no better than the next man. I personally don't think it should matter if you parallel the neutrals together that way as long as they're on the same circuit which is what you were talking about.
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Does that comply with section 310.4?:smile:
 
I have been thinking about this today and although I know nada about theory I cannot see what harm it will do. 310.4 is clear, however I bet that is really about trying to get a larger ampacity with 2 conductors. That is not the case here. Even if the current went on both paths would that be bad??

My only thought is that the current travelling on both neutrals may have an effect on the EMF's. I have no idea if that is true --- just a thought.
 
Dennis I see no harm in it, change the light fixture to a relay and it is specifically allowed by the exceptions.

But, it is IMO still a violation.
 
iwire said:
Dennis I see no harm in it, change the light fixture to a relay and it is specifically allowed by the exceptions.

But, it is IMO still a violation.
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I totally agree with you. Now that's scary...:D
 
Dennis Alwon said:
I have been thinking about this today and although I know nada about theory I cannot see what harm it will do. 310.4 is clear, however I bet that is really about trying to get a larger ampacity with 2 conductors. That is not the case here. Even if the current went on both paths would that be bad??

My only thought is that the current travelling on both neutrals may have an effect on the EMF's. I have no idea if that is true --- just a thought.
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Dennis-
after reviewing this thread,do you or anyone else see a major concern with this wiring method?to the point where these installations should be re-wired?
 
They should not have been wired that way in the first place . I have never heard of any electrical problems arising from that method. I guess if a person were worried they could draw up several worst case scenarios to see what might happen.
 
jflynn said:
Dennis-
after reviewing this thread,do you or anyone else see a major concern with this wiring method?to the point where these installations should be re-wired?
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I will sleep well at night. I will not continue to wire it that way but I really cannot see any harm in it. Perhaps someone can enlighten me.
 
iwire said:
I have never been locked into one way of doing them.
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Same here, and I take it even a step further when I have a young apprentice working with me, Ill almost always try to challenge them with a differnent set up than they are used to. I write on each wire what it does and leave it at that. Ill check their work when they are done. I love multiple four way set ups. Thats when they usually ask me for help.
 
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