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Kevin Ricks

wrote:
Okay, I'm sure this is not uncommon, but I can't find anything online
or in my wiring books to provide an example...

In my front entry I have 5 light switches in one box and they're all
on the same circuit. One cable coming in from the service panel
provides the power. I'm replacing the switch, the box, and probably
the wiring, so I want to do this the proper way.

It seems odd that six wires (one from each light plus the power wire)
get tied together in one wire nut. Right now they're soldered
together (50+ year-old house), but I know that this isn't code. What
would be the proper way?...Two groups of three linked by a heavier
gauge wire?

So I guess the question is: How do you connect 5 or more wires
together?

Mike

This is what I do for the hot sides of the switches (and outlets). I run
a single wire from switch to switch. I strip the insulation back at each
switch and wrap the wire around the screw terminal without cutting the
wire. Much less clutter in the box that way and you end up with only
one wire to connect to the power feed wire, or no wire nut connection at
all if the power feed wire is long enough. I sometimes do this with
ground connections as well.

You can put the 6 wires in 2 bunches if you want and it may be easier to
distribute the wires from one end of the box to the other. The
connecting wire need not be a larger gauge. Use 12 ga for 20 Amp
circuits and 14 ga (or 12 ga) for 15 Amp circuits.

One house I lived in had soldered connections which was a real pain. If
there is enough slack in the wires I just cut the solder joints out and
use wire nuts. If not enough slack you end up having to make pigtails
or unsolder and re-solder connections as it is almost impossible to put
wire nuts on previously soldered joints. Also heating the wires up
enough to clean the solder off, burns up or makes the insulation
brittle. Then there is that old gummy electrical tape to deal with.
I believe code still allows soldering.

Kevin