[BusterT]

Especially when people also double post. Do they think the exact same question posted twice in the same forum will get better results??? :icon_rolleyes:

The 2nd post was in anticipation of the first being removed by the moderator per an earlier comment. If removing the earlier post I entered on the other thread is something you can show me how to do, and the follow up posts that were added to it, I'd be grateful. Thanks for your help.

 

[BusterT]

Is this the way it was originally or is this what you created?

The original wiring description I gave is how the box was wired when I bought the house.

There are no black or red markings on the hot white wire.

The unused switch and the loose unused wires in the box that ran to the attic were presumably in an anticipation of a ceiling fan being installed, which I am now attempting. I want to believe that the box has all the necessary wiring to operate a ceiling fan, but I am now at a standstill.

I will see if I can determine what else may be on this circuit, maybe that will help. I know there's a GFCI outlet in the bathroom on this circuit as well, but connecting/disconnecting this outlet has no impact on the switch in question, so it appears not to be wired in series.

 

[electures]

There is no way that a hot wire could have been twisted together with neutrals. There would be a direct short and a blown breaker.

There are cases where a white wire can be hot, but it really should have some black tape on it to identify it as hot. An example is a switch leg, to a light fixture, where the hot wire is in the box supporting the light fixture. A standard 3-strand wire (white, black, ground) is used to send the hot wire down to the the switch. When I do it, I connect the white wire to the hot (black) in the fixture box, sending the hot side down to the switch with a white wire (which should have black tape near the end). The wire coming back up from the switch is black, so the fixture is connected to a black hot wire and a white neutral.

Two circuits in the same box is a no-no, unless it's a case of using a shared neutral. In that case, the breakers are linked together or a 2-pole is used, so both must be shut off at the same time. You can supply two circuits with a 12-3 or 14-3 wire, using only one neutral, as long as both the black and red wires are hooked to different phases. If that's not done, then the neutral would carry the amperage from both circuits and fry.

Where is that in the NEC?

Edit - Aah crap!! Just realized this is a two year old thread. Anyway.....,