I've installed a dedicated 20 amp circuit for a heater/fan/night light/
light combo. Naturally, I used 12 gauge wire to deliver the power to
the unit. But I am faced with this problem. There are four sets of
wires that need to run from the switch box to the unit which means a
total of five sets of wires which the box just won't take.


Is it OK if the unit is connected to the switch with 14 gauge wire. Or
if I use 12 gauge for the heater part and 14 guage for the rest?


Many thanks in advance!


Aaron



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"pahidla" wrote in message
m...

I've installed a dedicated 20 amp circuit for a heater/fan/night light/
light combo. Naturally, I used 12 gauge wire to deliver the power to
the unit. But I am faced with this problem. There are four sets of
wires that need to run from the switch box to the unit which means a
total of five sets of wires which the box just won't take.


Is it OK if the unit is connected to the switch with 14 gauge wire. Or
if I use 12 gauge for the heater part and 14 guage for the rest?


Many thanks in advance!


Aaron



-------------------------------------




##-----------------------------------------------##
Delivered via http://www.thestuccocompany.com/
Building Construction and Maintenance Forum
Web and RSS access to your favorite newsgroup -
alt.home.repair - 291518 messages and counting!
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No, it's not OK, but you don't need four sets of wires, all you need is six
wires including ground. I would get a length of 1/2" greenfield and run it
from the switch box to the fixture

On May 23, 5:10*pm, "RBM" wrote:
"pahidla" wrote in message

m...







I've installed a dedicated 20 amp circuit for a heater/fan/night light/
light combo. Naturally, I used 12 gauge wire to deliver the power to
the unit. But I am faced with this problem. There are four sets of
wires that need to run from the switch box to the unit which means a
total of five sets of wires which the box just won't take.

Is it OK if the unit is connected to the switch with 14 gauge wire. Or
if I use 12 gauge for the heater part and 14 guage for the rest?

Many thanks in advance!

Aaron

-------------------------------------

##-----------------------------------------------##
Delivered via *http://www.thestuccocompany.com/
Building Construction and Maintenance Forum
Web and RSS access to your favorite newsgroup -
alt.home.repair - 291518 messages and counting!
##-----------------------------------------------##

No, it's not OK, but you don't need four sets of wires, all you need is six
wires including ground. I would get a length of 1/2" greenfield and run it
from the switch box to the fixture- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -


Thanks! (But what is "geenfield"?)

I've installed a dedicated 20 amp circuit for a heater/fan/night light/
light combo. Naturally, I used 12 gauge wire to deliver the power to
the unit. But I am faced with this problem. There are four sets of
wires that need to run from the switch box to the unit which means a
total of five sets of wires which the box just won't take.

Is it OK if the unit is connected to the switch with 14 gauge wire. Or
if I use 12 gauge for the heater part and 14 guage for the rest?

Many thanks in advance!

Aaron




No, it's not OK, but you don't need four sets of wires, all you need is
six
wires including ground. I would get a length of 1/2" greenfield and run it
from the switch box to the fixture-



Thanks! (But what is "geenfield"?)



Flexible metal conduit that you pull your own conductors through. It looks
similar to the armor on BX cable, but it comes in bigger diameters. I just
ordered some 1 1/2" Greenfield today for a job I'm doing. You will need to
pull four colored conductors (Other than white or green) plus one white and
one green. Use stranded wire as it is easier to pull through flex.

If the switchbox is too small you should change it. You could use a 4"
square x 2 1/8" box with a switch ring or a 4 11/16" square box that is 2
1/8" deep with a switch ring. There are more choices for boxes at an
electrical supply house than at Home Depot.

Each #12 conductor requires 2.25 cubic inches in the switchbox. For each
device such as a switch a deduction of two wires must be made. The
grounding conductor only counts as one. At the very minimum with one device
you will need space for 10 wires x 2.25 cu. inches = 22.5 cubic inches. If
you plan to have more than one switch you need 4.5 cubic inches for each
one.

Tables 314.16(A) & (B) should help.

"Aaron Fude" wrote in message
...
On May 23, 5:10 pm, "RBM" wrote:
"pahidla" wrote in message

m...







I've installed a dedicated 20 amp circuit for a heater/fan/night light/
light combo. Naturally, I used 12 gauge wire to deliver the power to
the unit. But I am faced with this problem. There are four sets of
wires that need to run from the switch box to the unit which means a
total of five sets of wires which the box just won't take.

Is it OK if the unit is connected to the switch with 14 gauge wire. Or
if I use 12 gauge for the heater part and 14 guage for the rest?

Many thanks in advance!

Aaron


No, it's not OK, but you don't need four sets of wires, all you need is
six
wires including ground. I would get a length of 1/2" greenfield and run it
from the switch box to the fixture- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -


Thanks! (But what is "geenfield"?)


Greenfield is bx cable without the wires .You pull your own wires in the
same way as pipe .Also I would think about using 3/4"as the #12 wire will be
tight.

wrote in message
...
On Fri, 23 May 2008 17:40:26 -0400, "John Grabowski"
wrote:


I've installed a dedicated 20 amp circuit for a heater/fan/night
light/
light combo. Naturally, I used 12 gauge wire to deliver the power to
the unit. But I am faced with this problem. There are four sets of
wires that need to run from the switch box to the unit which means a
total of five sets of wires which the box just won't take.

Is it OK if the unit is connected to the switch with 14 gauge wire. Or
if I use 12 gauge for the heater part and 14 guage for the rest?

Many thanks in advance!

Aaron




No, it's not OK, but you don't need four sets of wires, all you need is
six
wires including ground. I would get a length of 1/2" greenfield and run
it
from the switch box to the fixture-



Thanks! (But what is "geenfield"?)



Flexible metal conduit that you pull your own conductors through. It
looks
similar to the armor on BX cable, but it comes in bigger diameters.

Why would you use Greenfield in a residence?. Just use Smurf tube
(type ENT). That is the blue plastic stuff at the home store.

As a seasoned professional, I find it beneath me to use any product with the
word "smurf" in it's name

wrote in message
...
On Fri, 23 May 2008 17:40:26 -0400, "John Grabowski"
wrote:


I've installed a dedicated 20 amp circuit for a heater/fan/night
light/
light combo. Naturally, I used 12 gauge wire to deliver the power to
the unit. But I am faced with this problem. There are four sets of
wires that need to run from the switch box to the unit which means a
total of five sets of wires which the box just won't take.

Is it OK if the unit is connected to the switch with 14 gauge wire. Or
if I use 12 gauge for the heater part and 14 guage for the rest?

Many thanks in advance!

Aaron




No, it's not OK, but you don't need four sets of wires, all you need is
six
wires including ground. I would get a length of 1/2" greenfield and run
it
from the switch box to the fixture-



Thanks! (But what is "geenfield"?)



Flexible metal conduit that you pull your own conductors through. It
looks
similar to the armor on BX cable, but it comes in bigger diameters.

Why would you use Greenfield in a residence?. Just use Smurf tube
(type ENT). That is the blue plastic stuff at the home store.



In all of my years in the trade I have only seen one electrician use that
stuff. He was a very young guy and wired an entire house with that stuff.
I thought that it would have been faster to use cable such as Romex. I
remember seeing an ad for ENT a few years ago that had a picture of the
stuff being installed within a soon to be poured reinforced concrete decking
of some sort. The stuff was all over the place and I thought to myself that
it must be difficult to pull wires into it since it was bent every which
way.

I've installed a dedicated 20 amp circuit for a heater/fan/night light/
light combo. Naturally, I used 12 gauge wire to deliver the power to
the unit. But I am faced with this problem. There are four sets of
wires that need to run from the switch box to the unit which means a
total of five sets of wires which the box just won't take.

Is it OK if the unit is connected to the switch with 14 gauge wire. Or
if I use 12 gauge for the heater part and 14 guage for the rest?

Simple answer? No... If you have a 20amp breaker you cannot use ANY 14
gauge wiring in that circuit.

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Thanks for all the responses.

I have one more question about combining the neutrals from the
fixture. The fixture has 4 neutral wires, one for each of the
functions. If it were OK to combine those, why wouldn't they just give
you one neutral, why do have give you 4?

Thanks!