Is this wiring correct??

slipgate

I am putting in a new kitchen for my inlaws. I ran all of the electric this weekend. I am putting in under-cabinet lighting. I got 3 dimmable xenon lights that will all be controlled by the same dimmer switch. This is the way I ran them:

ran homeruns for all 3 lights into the same box
tied together all neutrals (white) at the dimmer switch box (4 wires - 3 lights and source power))
tied all grounds at the dimmer switch box (5 wires - 3 lights, input power, switch)
tied all switched hot (black) at the dimmer switch box dimmer output (4 wires - 3 lights, switch output)
tied input power (black) to dimmer input (2 wires)

Essentially I ran this like you'd run 1 light fixture accept I tied all three together. I did this to avoid having any burried junction boxes (against code) by running the wires from switch to switch.

Is this wiring scheme ok? I could not test since none of the power is tied into the breaker box yet.

Jim Port

I am concerned about the size of the junction box you have installed. Even if you installed #14 wires you would need a 22 cubic inch box as a minimum. If you installed #12 it would need to be 27.5 cubic inches.

You may have trouble trying to fit the dimmer into the box too.

__________________
Answers based on the National Electrical Code. Local amendments may apply. Check with your local building officials.

slipgate

Everything fits great in the box. It is a 2 gang box that has the dimmer switch and a GFI outlet. It is one of those blue plastic boxes fairly deep.

Is the wiring scheme acceptable/code?

Jim Port

Your wiring scheme sounds fine. I was just worried about the box size.

The grounds from both circuits need to be spliced together and go to both the GFI and dimmer.

__________________
Answers based on the National Electrical Code. Local amendments may apply. Check with your local building officials.

slipgate

Thanks Jim - The GFI and the dimmer share 1 20 amp circuit using 12/2 wire. The wire comes into the GFI and the dimmer gets power from the "load" terminals of the GFI outlet. Is that ok? These are the only 2 things on this circuit (GFI and 3 xenon lights).

Jim Port

If this is a 20 amp small appliance circuit in the kitchen you cannot supply anything except receptacle loads. The lighting would need to be fed from another circuit.

__________________
Answers based on the National Electrical Code. Local amendments may apply. Check with your local building officials.

slipgate

Well that sucks. Is this a safety issue/code? I knew that you weren't supposed to run lights and outlets on the same circuit but I thought this was just "best practices" and not code.

Jim Port

This is a code issue. Certain circuits like small appliance kitchen, bathrooms and laundry circuits are more restricted than other general use circuits.

__________________
Answers based on the National Electrical Code. Local amendments may apply. Check with your local building officials.