New/Current Hubitat users and our switches !PLEASE READ!

Nail gun!

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Nailed it! Just kidding. I trimmed extra strands down to make it fit in the hole.

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Lol @Ma2J and @harjms you guys are cracking me up – thanks for the laugh this morning!

@MRobi – I didn’t initially catch your comment in this thread, but I was going back and reading them and saw that it was you. Man, you took the words that I wanted to say and said them – I was literally texting Courtney and Nathan while that thread was going down and was like, “dang, this MRobi guy is the man.” The electrician comment was my favorite, but looks like someone flagged it and it’s deleted. Anyway, thanks for having my back in there, that meant a lot!

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Manufacturers typically specify the maximum capacity of the switch in amps, not the maximum wire size. They also limit the size of the backstab connector to be in line with the amp capacity of the switch.

I’m not sure if Inovelli follows this, but others like Leviton do. A switch rated for 15A will typically be on a circuit using 14 gauge wire. So if you have a 20A circuit using 12 gauge wire, you’ll find that you won’t be able to backstab a 15 amp switch, as it won’t fit. That’s done intentionally.

So if Inovelli follows convention, I would only expect that you can backstab 14 guage.

Um, 8 gauge? Like 8-3? That would be for a 220V 45 amp circuit . . . like for a double oven. You’re not going to be switching that, lol.

I’m not an electrician either . . . but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night . . .

But did you save money by switching to geoco?

My favorite part of that crazy thread was when @Eric_Inovelli put a picture of the back of the switch… That literally had all the information he needed…

Nope as in 8/2 Romex.

If I were using 8/3, just use the second hole that Inovelli manufactured. Technically the printing on back doesn’t say NOT to do this.

Obviously I’m not an electrician, but I did watch YouTube for a few hours.

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I have a 30 amp 120 circuit on a large ups

No, but @harjms may need new homeowners insurance after wiring a 15A switch to a 55A circuit, lol. :roll_eyes:

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But if none of us are electricians how could we ever install a switch? I mean there are 3 wires there … It’s so confusing… :crazy_face:

I think the instructions need a warning… This is too difficult for you… Go hire an electrician… Then the electrician will complain that it is too difficult in the forums… So I guess we need a physicist…

Technically Washington state requires L&I to inspect each switch that has been replaced. :man_shrugging:t2:

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That’s ridiculous

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@Bry - I’ll have to dig into the code book, but usually you can go up in wire gauge to compensate for loss. I just have a lot of voltage drop. :grin:

Multi strand wire. Single strand is the only way to go. If you push hard enough, it will always fit.

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That’s what she said

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Personally, I like 2 gauge stranded. That way I can just use some of the strands and still backstab the switch. I also like how easily 2-2 folds in a box!

You can fit strands in both terminals then. I like where your head is at.

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Dang where’s Scott when we need him to keep these topics on track lol!

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Seriously though, you do a great job with your customers. I had to leave the radio business because I couldn’t handle dealing with people any longer. The afternoon host of my old station would always say, “This job would be great if weren’t for the listeners”.

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