Inovelli/Honeywell(GE) switch wiring

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20200615_082335
20200615_0823351512×2016 479 KB
My hubitat hub gets delivered tomorrow after a 4 week fail with smartthings. I have a 4 gang box at my front door and a bundle of neutral wires that I can only safely twist one more wire in. Since space will be limited, Is there any reason I can't run the neutral with a jumper from switch to switch before terminating in my neutral bundle. It would make my install much easier and wouldn't involve me adding another bulky wire nut. Attached is a very poorly drawn wiring schematic illustrating what I want to do.

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That should be fine. I did this many times in some boxes I had. If it's just one group of neutrals then it should not be a problem.

I had a 3 gang box in my last house that had two bundles of neutrals. I assumed it didn't matter which group I used, but in that case it did. As one group was from one phase and the other group was from another. As soon as I would turn on the breaker it would trip, but it was a GFI breaker. Probably would not have been a problem with a standard breaker. Once I moved to the other group of neutrals it was fine.

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Maybe not, but still against code, and a very bad thing to do - combining neutrals between phases...

Furthermore, if they are on separate circuits (even same phase), code doesn't allow neutral sharing as you can't isolate voltage from the devices using a single circuit breaker - you have to turn them ALL off. So someday in the future some unsuspecting person shuts off one, but not both, breakers and ZAP. That's why it's against code.

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I agree, but I probably would not have know as the breaker would not have tripped.

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Maybe, depends on your panel and circuit breaker design. But that's exactly why people should use electricians if they don't know the electrical code...

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Maybe, "it wouldn't have been a problem" was not the best phrase to use. As it was a problem, I just may not have realized it for awhile.

Good advice, but that is why I tell this story when I see people asking about wiring switches and neutrals. Maybe someone won't make the same mistake I did.

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Understood! And it is great info to share. - I wasn't trying to disagree at all. :slight_smile:

Also agree that if they are already all in the same bundle twisted together, you are likely fine (unless some previous person combined multiple circuits - a voltage tester will show that quickly enough though).

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Thanks for the help. Code isn't an issue since all the switches are controlled by the same breaker. Just wanted to save myself the headache of adding a bunch of wires in an already cramped space and wanted to make sure I wasn't about to blow a switch or something.