How are you all wiring your neutral light switches?

I have neutral wiring in my house but I donā€™t have a ā€œjumperā€ neutral to connect the existing neutral wiring to my new light switches. How is everyone else going about this? I tried google and seem to be the only one having this issue, lolā€¦

Are you all running out to the hardware store or Home Depot and getting extra white wire or what? I feel lost :grimacing:

I need extra white wire to add to the wire nut so that I can connect my switch to it.

Yep add an extra white to the white bundle behind. Same way as you add an extra ground. Buy some green and white solid copper spools from hd and also maybe some yellow and red wire nuts and probably a wire cutter/stripper and circuit tester.

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Most smart switches I've bought come with an extra wire for this

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The GE Z-Wave switches I buy come with a 4 or 5 inch length of white wire to connect to the neutral bundle. Your switches don't include that?

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If your hardware store does not have 14 gauge solid copper wire, they almost always have some 14 gauge (white) Romex. I keep some on hand and just strip the insulation off it to use the white neutral wire to make the neutral pigtail.

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This is why you never throw anything away. :grin:
Someone runs over an extension cord with a lawnmower, cut it into little pieces and store them in a box for 20 years, until one day... Woohoo, saved a trip to the store!

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Is it safe to assume I have 14g instead of 12g? I know these two are the most common. This is the one thing thatā€™s preventing me from going out and buying some. Not sure as to what gauge I have :sweat_smile:

12 gauge is thicker than 14 gauge, and both would work though 14 would be easier to handle (bend, etc.)

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So I can use either 12 or 14 when adding ā€œjumperā€ wires? I wasnā€™t aware of thisā€¦ if so, that definitely makes this less stressful lol.

if you have large wire bundles 12 guage is harder to work with.. but if it is high energy like switch for a heater use 12 otherwise i would use 14..

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backwards 14 is smaller and easier to bend.

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Any big-box store or corner hardware store will sell wire by the foot. Get white-sheathed #12 or #14 (#12 if the corresponding circuit is 20A [not very common for circuits involving lights, but definitely not unheard of], or #14 if it's on a 15A circuit).

Since I do my own electrical work, I have a bunch of romex scraps that I cannibalize as needed.

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In addition to wire, I highly recommend Wago nuts.

WAGO 221 Lever-Nuts 28pc Wire Connector Assortment Pocket Pack https://a.co/d/73rnUWo

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I use 14 gauge on the lighting circuits. 14 gauge is rated for 15 amps and is easier to handle than 12 gauge which is rated for 20 amps.

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From an Enbrighten switch.

edit: E328303 1015 VW-1 14awg

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Do not assume. Check the corresponding circuit breaker - if it says 15A, use #14. If it says 20A, use #12. Please don't ever make assumptions when doing electrical work - that's how fires start.

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Isn't that an aluminum wire? I feel like most switches that include a wire include an aluminum one. I thought it is not recommended to twist aluminum and copper together so I always use copper wire I purchase separately.

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I thought it was stranded copper, that has been pre-tinned with solder to keep the stripped ends from fraying. :thinking:

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here is the wire i use brand incljuded dont see white at the moment though
here is green for your grounds..
use black for power jumpers
and white for neutral jumpers..

https://www.amazon.com/Southwire-11583241-Gauge-Solid-Green/dp/B00PCHSA9E/ref=sr_1_37?crid=2GB89TQMBZ4MA

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Cerrowire-25-ft-14-Gauge-Green-Solid-THHN-Wire-112-1405A/303289119

https://www.homedepot.com/p/25-ft-14-Gauge-White-Solid-Copper-THHN-Wire-112-1402A/303289109

https://www.homedepot.com/p/25-ft-14-Gauge-Black-Solid-Copper-THHN-Wire-112-1401A/303289105

just my 2 cents..

here is the stripper i use.
also maybe get a cheap multimeter
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000302VP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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It very well could be. I was just going by appearance and assumed. :grinning:

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