multiple switches same circuit

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If I am reading eveything correctly it sounds like a violation, based on past experience. I had a situation several years ago where most of the house was wired and of course the add ons came. I had 2 sets of 3-ways at front door and back door for two sets of porch lights, all on the same circuit. Resulting 3-wire cables had 2 travelers/1 hot and 2 travelers/1 neutral. Later HO added a flood light switched at the box with no power cable. Being both creative and lazy (not necessarily in that order) I robbed the hot and neutral from each cable to feed new switch and flood light.

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I recently had a discussion with an inspector during a code class and was informed this was not legal because hot and neutral were not in the same cable/raceway.
 
360Youth said:
I recently had a discussion with an inspector during a code class and was informed this was not legal because hot and neutral were not in the same cable/raceway.
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They don't have to be. I have no qualms about treating two non-metallic cables, run side-by-side and entering the same boxes at both ends, as a single cable.
 
stickboy1375 said:
Did you read 300.3 (B)(3)?
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300.3(B) says, in part..." Conductors in wiring methods with a nonmetallic or other nonmagnetic sheath, where run in different raceways, auxiliary gutters, cable trays, trenches, cables, or cords, ...."

The 'in different' part is very important. We're not running the cables in different raceways, etc. We're running them side-by-side.
 
stickboy1375 said:
Did you read 300.3 (B)(3)?
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Doesn't that just refer you to 300.20(B) in order to qualify as an exception (I know we are not talking "exceptions" but it was the only word I could muster.)

480sparky said:
We're not running the cables in different raceways, etc. We're running them side-by-side.
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I would like that to be the case because I was rather proud of my ingenuity at the time :) but I the NM is a raceway, correct? The question seems to be whether the neutral conductor and the hot conductor being located in two different pieces of NM is an illegal install. 300.3 B "...all conductors shall be contained within the same...cable...." The concept wouldn't be subjecto to interpretation, now would it? :roll: :grin:
 
360Youth said:
If I am reading eveything correctly it sounds like a violation, based on past experience.
I recently had a discussion with an inspector during a code class and was informed this was not legal because hot and neutral were not in the same cable/raceway.
Click to expand...
I believe I have to agree with you here. After reading 300.3(B)(3) numerous times today and discussing this with several other electricians in our shop the general consensus is exactly what
360Youth said:
300.3 B "...all conductors shall be contained within the same...cable...."
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And
480sparky said:
300.3(B) says, in part..." Conductors in wiring methods with a nonmetallic or other nonmagnetic sheath, where run in different raceways, auxiliary gutters, cable trays, trenches, cables, or cords, ...."
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The key words here are CABLE IN our way of thinking 2 12-3 cabels run side by side does not make it 1 race way it is 2 sepearate cables. There for it is a code violation. I have a meeting tomarrow with the inspector for another inspection on a diferent job so im gona pick his brain on this after the inspection. I will post back what his thoughts are on this.
 
300.3(B) requires that all conductors be in the same raceway, unless the installation falls within the bounds of paragraphs (1)-(4)

300.3(B)(3) explicitly permits the use of conductors in different _non metallic_ wiring methods. However to use this permission, the requirements of 300.20 need to be met.

300.3 deals with the cables; 300.20 deals with the boxes. If you use NM cable, and metallic boxes, and want to use 'side by side' cables to run your circuit, then both cables need to enter the box through the same hole, or you must otherwise deal with the inducted heating issue.

-Jon
 
For those who call NM a raceway: After you install it, how and when do you pull the conductors into it? Can you legally install an NM 'raceway' into another raceway, such as EMT or GRC?

Also, look up the definition of a raceway.
 
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