Bathroom timer switch

1360 Views 2 Replies 3 Participants Last post by hammerlane, Dec 12, 2012

clydesdale

Discussion Starter · Dec 11, 2012

Replacing a standard single pole switch with an Intermatic Fan Timer in a bathroom.

Original wiring in the bathroom is all 12-2. Two circuits. One dedicated to the 2 outlets and one dedicated to the lighting and fan.

Connected all the wires on the switch as follows.
Red -> Black going to Fan
Black -> Hot
Ground -> Attached ground wire to box with grounding screw and pigtailed

Now all that is left to do is connect the White to the Neutral Bundle. There currently are 4-12 awg wires in that twist. The largest wire nut I have is only rated for 4-12 gauge awg. To make things a little more complex all the wires attached to the switch are stranded 14 awg.

What is the best way to approach to connecting the 5 neutral wires? If they make a large wire nut should I untwist the existing bundle and re-twist with the stranded wire included. Go to a push in connector that will take 4 12 awg wires and pigtail in the 14awg stranded wire?

Also one other question looming after getting this connected is should the 20amp breaker for the lighting circuit be changed a 15amp breaker now that the 14 awg stranded wiring for the fan switch has been introduced to the circuit?

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OmegaWS6

· #2 · Dec 12, 2012

There are wing nuts big enough for 5 #12's, or splitting the group and adding a jumper works too.

BTW, why are you not grounding the switches?

You have to match the feed wire size to the breaker. 20amp guy is only good for 12AWG wire, and 15A breaker is for 14AWG. I thought you had to stick with the feed wire gauge.. as in you can't change to 14AWG if you started with 12AWG.

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