This circuit should run at no more than 16 amps. Let's say you're using a 20 amp breaker with 12 gauge wire. The maximum "design capacity" is 80% of that. Most home wiring is either 12 or 14 gauge, corresponding to either a 20 amp or a 15 amp circuit, respectively. This method is called wiring in parallel, so if one light blows, the current can still continue to the other lights to light them up. At the last light, just connect the incoming black wire to 1 terminal on the light, and then connect the white wire to the other one. If there is a ground terminal on the light, do that as well, otherwise just connect the incoming and outgoing ground wires together. At each light you'll connect the entering and exiting black wires together, as well as 1 terminal on the light. Each light will have a cable "entering" (from the switch) and "exiting" (away from the switch). The ground wire should also be connected together in this manner, but to the ground terminal on the switch. You connect the 2 white wires together, and then connect the other terminal on the switch to the black wire of the cable leaving this junction box towards the first light. You connect the black wire to the switch. You run another 12/2 or 14/2 cable from the top of the switch box to the first light. This will take the form of 12/2 or 14/2 cable. You run a black and white wire in from the bottom of the switch box (from the panel). The white neutral wire in the new switch box complies with NEC 2011 requirements.Basically, you want to start with a switch. With this arrangement, all the other receptacles are wired directly to the hot source and the switch controls the middle outlet only. The neutral wire in the new switch box is capped with a wire nut unless it's needed for a smart switch or timer. The red wire from the switch loop is connected directly to the hot terminal on the outlet.Īt the switch, the black wire is connected to one terminal and the red wire is connected to the other. Likewise, the new ground wire is spliced into the circuit at the receptacle. The source neutral remains pigtailed to the neutral on the receptacle and the new neutral wire is added to the splice. The hot source at the outlet is spliced to the black wire running to the switch and the hot wires running to the other outlets in the circuit. The switch takes the hot from the middle receptacle here and 3-wire cable runs from there to the new switch location. Here a switch has been added to control an existing receptacle. A neutral connection like this is now required in most new switch boxes as of the NEC code changes in 2011. Here the source neutral is spliced to the receptacle and to the white wire running through to the switch box where it can be used to connect a switch that requires a neutral such as a smart dimmer or timer. This is an updated diagram for the previous circuit. With this arrangement the top half of the duplex is controlled with the switch and the bottom half is always hot. The black on the switch loop runs from the switch to the top half of the receptacle. The white wire on the switch loop is used to carry current from the source to the switch and it is marked with black tape or paint to label it as hot. The source neutral is connected to one of the neutral terminals on the receptacle. The tab connecting the hot terminals on the receptacle is removed and the source hot is connected to the bottom half. This diagram illustrates the wiring for a split half outlet controlled with a switch loop. Wiring a Split Switched Outlet with a Switch Loop
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