ELA
Senior Member
- Occupation
- Electrical Test Engineer
I would agree that requiring a neutral at all switch locations may seem a little extreme. However I do feel that some changes to UL and NEC are required to address this situation. They must be explicit as to what is acceptable and under what conditions.
New technology is providing many new control options for convenience and energy savings at the control level. I have installed a number of automation switches in my home.
I was happy and felt lucky when I found the switch location included the neutral the device required.
I felt let down when the switch location did not have the required neutral.
I was not about to tear into the wall to run the missing neutral but I would not use the EGC as a return either.
I like the idea of a compromise of allowing low level EGC currents (less than ~50ua if that were practical).
If no level of supply current is to be allowed to flow on the EGC then I might favor mandating the neutral at each switch location.
I think we should be providing some good method for supporting the new technologies, at least in newer buildings.
If you take the residential example. Do a lot of higher end homes require the neutral at the switch in anticipation of automation technologies?
I would guess that budget homes would not include the neutral? It might be nice if it were mandated by NEC so that all could have it available.
New technology is providing many new control options for convenience and energy savings at the control level. I have installed a number of automation switches in my home.
I was happy and felt lucky when I found the switch location included the neutral the device required.
I felt let down when the switch location did not have the required neutral.
I was not about to tear into the wall to run the missing neutral but I would not use the EGC as a return either.
I like the idea of a compromise of allowing low level EGC currents (less than ~50ua if that were practical).
If no level of supply current is to be allowed to flow on the EGC then I might favor mandating the neutral at each switch location.
I think we should be providing some good method for supporting the new technologies, at least in newer buildings.
If you take the residential example. Do a lot of higher end homes require the neutral at the switch in anticipation of automation technologies?
I would guess that budget homes would not include the neutral? It might be nice if it were mandated by NEC so that all could have it available.