[BlueBSH]

I have a light under our steps where a closet is that was a pull switch light... then the power continues on from there into the rest of the basement...

I want to put a switch on the wall to control a better light instead of a pull switch one..

I read a few years ago that they wanted the NEC to require a neutral at the light switch now, not sure if that happened or not? if so, how would I go about doing this? The old way would of been just run 12/2 to the switch and have the white wire taped black to show its a hot wire switch..

would I need to run 12/3 now and have the hot/netural as they normally are and have the red be the light control like in the simple diagram below?

Or is the 12/2 way still accepted? thanks!

 

[frenchelectrican]

I have a light under our steps where a closet is that was a pull switch light... then the power continues on from there into the rest of the basement...

I want to put a switch on the wall to control a better light instead of a pull switch one..

I read a few years ago that they wanted the NEC to require a neutral at the light switch now, not sure if that happened or not? if so, how would I go about doing this? The old way would of been just run 12/2 to the switch and have the white wire taped black to show its a hot wire switch..

would I need to run 12/3 now and have the hot/netural as they normally are and have the red be the light control like in the simple diagram below?

Or is the 12/2 way still accepted? thanks!

If you have finshed wall then you will have to use the 12-3 but with exposed wall you may have a option to use the 12-2 now and change that to 12-3 later date.

But there is a other option is use the conduit run in 2 conductor plus ground ( if plastique ) and you always can add netural conductor when the time call for it if the motion switch or timer required the netural conductor. ( this can be used either with finshed wall or exposed wall )

The key issue reason why need netural conductor at the switch box due some of the motion sensor or timer will required netural to get function properly. ( check with your switch instruction to see if they do required netural conductor or not )

Merci,
Marc

 

[hammerlane]

the NEC to require a neutral at the light switch now, not sure if that happened or not? if so, how would I go about doing this?

check with your local code office and see if they have adopted the current version of the NEC barring any exceptions that may be noted as the frenchman has pointed out.