Basement Switches

[Jimmy7]

I've been asked by a customer to install some 4' LED strip lights in a portion of their unfinished basement (Single family home). I was going to wire the lights using romex, and changeover to emt when I come down the walls for the switches. In some locations I will be utilizing two gang mulberry covers (For 3-ways) with 4" squares. Due to transitioning to emt with multiple nm cables at these location I was going to mount 4" squares at the ceiling level. As a result, my question is " Will it be necessary to drop a neutral wire at the switch locations, or can I leave the neutrals in the 4" squares where I transitioned from romex to emt at the ceiling level?"

 

[James L]

I've been asked by a customer to install some 4' LED strip lights in a portion of their unfinished basement (Single family home). I was going to wire the lights using romex, and changeover to emt when I come down the walls for the switches. In some locations I will be utilizing two gang mulberry covers (For 3-ways) with 4" squares. Due to transitioning to emt with multiple nm cables at these location I was going to mount 4" squares at the ceiling level. As a result, my question is " Will it be necessary to drop a neutral wire at the switch locations, or can I leave the neutrals in the 4" squares where I transitioned from romex to emt at the ceiling level?"

What code cycle are you on?

 

[Jimmy7]

2020 Code

 

[Rick 0920]

The neutral will not be necessary in this location. See Art. 404.2 (C) The unfinished basement is not a habitable room.

 

[Jimmy7]

Would there be any concern with heating not having a neutral in the emt?

 

[roger]

Would there be any concern with heating not having a neutral in the emt?

No, current will be canceling between the hot and the switch leg.

 

[mopowr steve]

And why not just use throat bushings on EMT and just run your romex down the EMT instead of installing a junction box at the top

 

[Frank DuVal]

Also using EMT one can pull a neutral later if need be, so that also satisfies one of the neutral in switch location rules.