TransWikia.com

Can the neutral and hot be split like this?

Home Improvement Asked on August 12, 2021

The picture describes it better than I can, but here is the plan. Run a circuit off the panel (hot, neutral, ground) into a GFCI. Off the load side of the GFCI run wires into a light switch box that will control two sets of lights (all lights plugged into outlets). The hot will be pig tailed in the light switch box to feed both switches, while the neutral passes straight through to the first outlet box. In this outlet box I will pig tail the neutral (now have two hots and two neutrals in this box). These two sets of wires will supply two separate sets of lights.

Is this plan valid and safe?

proposed schematic

2 Answers

Looks good - you're not switching the neutral, the loads are all in parallel, and the conductors are kept together.

Thumbsup

Answered by batsplatsterson on August 12, 2021

Yeah, that looks fine. The only thing I'm not a fan of is having lights on GFCI. I would revisit Code to confirm that's really necessary in your district, avoid it altogether if possible.

If not possible, I would want separate GFCIs on each switch so that a GFCI trip doesn't plunge you into the pitch black. (I'm assuming they're all lighting a large room, garage, etc.) FWIW, they make GFCI switches in two form factors:

  • A GFCI 1-socket recep + a normal toggle switch
  • A GFCI deadfront whose Test and Reset buttons are the light switch (weird but effective, and yes, listed and labeled for that use).

Answered by Harper - Reinstate Monica on August 12, 2021

Add your own answers!

Ask a Question

Get help from others!

© 2024 TransWikia.com. All rights reserved. Sites we Love: PCI Database, UKBizDB, Menu Kuliner, Sharing RPP