Switch loop

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The electron man

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A 2 wire switch loop is no longer legal since you must have a neutral in every switch box, now you must use a 12/3

My questions is would I connect the neutral in the 12/3 with the fixture neutral plus the neutral coming from the panel ? Or do I just leave it under a wire nut in the light box ?
 
Two wire switch loops are still allowed. There are many myths about the requirement to be able to provide a neutral at a switch location. You can pull a neutral to the switch location however, if there are practical ways to install one later all is well.
 
The electron man said:
A 2 wire switch loop is no longer legal since you must have a neutral in every switch box, now you must use a 12/3

My questions is would I connect the neutral in the 12/3 with the fixture neutral plus the neutral coming from the panel ? Or do I just leave it under a wire nut in the light box ?
Click to expand...

Do us all a favor if using NM and make all the neutral connections as if the devices you were installing to control the lighting required a neutral to operate,
and,
Cap it off in the box if it doesn't require one.


Jap>
 
Hardly a need for a switch loop in new construction. Most residential wiring the power and neutral is ran to the box anyway. 3-way switches is about the only dead end you might need to have. But if there is a neutral in the other end box, and you can see the lighted area from both locations, no neutral is needed in the dead end box.
 
You guys are making me go read the code! There seems to be a Minimum of three verbal exceptions (if I can technically say that).

These all seems so different than the application of having an active neutral in any switch box. (new construction)
 
Little Bill said:
Hardly a need for a switch loop in new construction. Most residential wiring the power and neutral is ran to the box anyway. 3-way switches is about the only dead end you might need to have. But if there is a neutral in the other end box, and you can see the lighted area from both locations, no neutral is needed in the dead end box.
Click to expand...
But if there is a neutral in the other end box, and you can see the lighted area from both locations, no neutral is needed in the dead end box.

Not understanding what you said here
 
LarryFine said:
That only one switch location of a set of 3- and/or 4-way switches need have the neutral, as long as it's within the area of the controlled light, to enable use of an occupancy sensor, for example.
Click to expand...
Yup, another example of the idiocy of the language of the NEC. Just require a neutral in every switch box unless a raceway is used where one can be added later. :rolleyes:
 
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