I went to replace two old switches in my bathroom last night.
– 2 gang box with 2 switches
– 1 load wire
– 4 downstream wires
– wires are 14/2 copper on a 15 amp circuit
– The load wire had a single black pigtail going to the two light switches.
– One end of pigtail connected to load. The other end was connected to a switch.
Here is the odd part:
– In the middle of the pigtail wire, there was a small section with the insulation stripped off to bare copper.
– This section was wrapped around the brass screw on the second light switch
My house originally had aluminum wiring. Previous homeowners got freaked out after a house down the street burned down. They got the whole house rewired with copper. Homeowners didn’t even know how to reset a GFCI outlet so I’m pretty sure they hired an electrician.
Is the bare midsection in the wire a common practice? I always thought you needed 2 separate pigtails for each switch? If the switches were inspected as is, would they have passed inspection?
The amount of wires in the old shallow metal box was a concern too. Since I had the drywall removed, I put in a new deep, 3 gang box.
Replies
There is nothing in the code that controls this.
That is OK, but it usually easier to pigtails. And then you have a full length of the original wire when you make any changes in the future.
William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe
Very common to see that here for many years. Nothing wrong with it as I understand.
roger
I think you have the term "line" and "load" confused.
Evidenced by:
>>- One end of pigtail connected to load. The other end was connected to a switch. <<
This would translate to you have two loads connected to opposite end of the same wire -- there is no "line" (power supply) present, therefore whatever the switch was connected to ("load") would not work.
But to answer your question, I used to see a fair number of stripped sections in switch boxes -- not so much anymore.
Not positive if legal or not -- I don't do it because it is a PITA to service later and chances are that future service guy will be me.
Note: someone will mention that a 15A line is no longer legal in a bathroom which is true for the required outlet - sounds like this is a lighting circuit which is OK as 15A.
Didn't do any calcs, but it sounds like a good idea that you changed the box to a three gang -- IMHO, there is no such thing as "too much space" in a box.
Jim
EDIT: Everybody types faster than me!
Edited 9/29/2009 4:45 pm ET by JTC1
JTC1 - I probably did get the line/load terms reversed. When I said "load" I was referring to the wire that was carrying the current from the breaker panel to the box.Also, unfortunately, there are 3 rooms on that single 15 amp circuit. I plan on running a new circuit for a bath fan (so as not to add more draw on the existing 15 amp circuit). I will put the bathroom on the new circuit by itself.
>>....current from the breaker panel to the box.<<
That would be "line".
>>...there are 3 rooms on that single 15 amp circuit....<<
Don't feel bad, or like the Lone Ranger, when DW and I bought our first house (built 1929) there were two 15A fused circuits for the whole, 3 story, house - one fuse powered every ceiling light, other fuse powered every outlet.
Main OCPD was a single 30A screw-in fuse housed in a switched disconnect enclosure - no 240v available in the house. In a second box, the "main" split into two 15A lines........
That arrangement was gone before we ever moved in along with all of the old wiring -- well, some was still in the walls but not in service.
>> I plan on running a new circuit for a bath fan (so as not to add more draw on the existing 15 amp circuit). I will put the bathroom on the new circuit by itself.<<
Both good ideas! Sounds like you are headed in the right direction.
Jim Never underestimate the value of a sharp pencil or good light.
"Both good ideas! Sounds like you are headed in the right direction."I have this site and FHB magazine to thank for my "right direction". There was an article awhile back that spoke about load and the number of wires in a box.
I've seen that a couple of times, as well as doing the ground wire the same way. Older houses though, don't know what the current code says.
I was taught to use pigtails.
Common practice for many years. It was often used to keep the number of wires in the box. Box fill was sometimes a problem on rewires of older homes with old metal boxes.
What Bill said. It's very common and I've done it myself on occasion. Only thing is that it's more of a pain if you ever want to switch out the switch.