I have 4 3way switches in a four gang box. They will be on the same 15 amp circuit. If I come in to this box with my power source what is the proper way to feed all four switches? Should there be pig tails to all four ? Or can I take one piece of black and loop it around the screws and tie it to the feed?
Wiring switches in same box
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Ok, one switch in this box gets its power at the other switch and feeds the light from this box. Do all the commons go together or should the one with power from other end be kept separate?
And on another set of switches there are two 3ways which feed two Lights from them and one single pole switch. Do all comonds and grounds tie together?
And on another set of switches there are two 3ways which feed two Lights from them and one single pole switch. Do all comonds and grounds tie together?
Do not put three way neutrals all under the same nut on the "feed out "end. It's okay for the "feed in" end but any neutral connection after that should be kept separate. In other words, you don't want multiple paths for your neutral between threeways.
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I don't understand your statement. The neutrals don't go to the other switches, they go to the loads. If you don't connect the neutrals to the loads to the supply neutral, the loads are open.
Whenever two cables bring raw power or switched power into a box, their neutrals need to be kept separate. You will see this situation at the "second box" in a 3 way setup consisting of "power to first switch to second switch to light" where there are two such 3 way setups for different lights but sharing the same switch locations. So you can have more than one bundle of white wires in the box
There must be exactly one possible path for neutral current from any point in a circuit back to the panel and (except for grandfathered wiring including some knob and tube wiring) the neutral conductors must accompany the "hot" conductor(s) for that circuit. Modern switch loops must have a neutral but the same piece of wire can be both the "out" and the "back" for the accompanying neutral.
The word "common" can cause confusion particularly when U.S. and non-U.S. persons are conversing together. A 3 way switch often has its dark terminal labeled "common" or "C". Neutrals are never connected to switch terminals.
One cable brings the power in for three of the switches. Its neutral is bundled with the neutrals for the continuing cables to lights related to these three switches.
Another cable brings power to the last switch. Its neutral and the continuing cable for that light make for another bundle of white wires.
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The light is dawning. Your statements are based on the 3 far end switches being in the same box. The 3 wires in the 3 wire cables each carry the 2 travelers and the neutral. Keep that neutral separate from the other 2 neutrals in the 3 wire cables.
This is not an issue if the far end switches are in different boxes.
All four are in same box. Three are fed here and the fourth is fed from other switch and feeds light from here. It is on a different circuit. I now have all white from first three bundled and the two whites from fourth bundled. ????
Referring to the box discussed in the very first post.
Now let's imagine and extrapolate that the matching 3 way switches for each of the four 3 way setups are all in the same 4 gang box somewhere else.
You will have four cables bringing power in; three 14-3 cables bringing in 3 way traveler power from the other box for 3 respective feed out switches and one 14-2 bringing in raw power for the feed in switch of the fourth 3 way setup. Plus other cables continuing on to lights, etc. You will have four bundles of white wires, one for each 3 way setup.
Quick and dirty definition of "extrapolate": Guess or conjecture what comes next, hopefully based on other facts or information on hand.
Yes, you got it right.
Now let's imagine and extrapolate that the matching 3 way switches for each of the four 3 way setups are all in the same 4 gang box somewhere else.
You will have four cables bringing power in; three 14-3 cables bringing in 3 way traveler power from the other box for 3 respective feed out switches and one 14-2 bringing in raw power for the feed in switch of the fourth 3 way setup. Plus other cables continuing on to lights, etc. You will have four bundles of white wires, one for each 3 way setup.
Quick and dirty definition of "extrapolate": Guess or conjecture what comes next, hopefully based on other facts or information on hand.
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