I have a 4 gang box where I’m trying to change all 4 dumb switches to black dimmers. The neutrals are all tied together in 2 separate groups. To connect the neutrals to the switch - do I need to untie them all and connect each neutral to its respective switch? Or can I just tap off any neutral that’s available?
Neither, maybe. Are all four switches on the same circuit breaker? How you proceed depends on how many circuits are involved.
Are these 2-way switch legs?
They’re all 3 way switches. I think there’s 3 different circuits in the box.
Neutrals from different circuits are not bundled. So if your switches are wired correctly and there are only two neutral bundles in that box, then they belong to a maximum of two circuits.
To answer your question, you need to identify and use the neutral from the circuit that you are switching. Pigtail from the appropriate neutral bundle to the switch. For additional switches ON THE SAME CIRCUIT, you can use additional pigtails as jumpers using the second hole for the neutral terminal.
Just double checked it…there’s 4 switches with 3 different circuits in the box. All of the neutrals are bundled together. I thought it was two groups of neutrals but they’re all bundled. Should I unbundle them all?
Just to clarify, you’re saying that to kill all the power to all four switches you must throw THREE circuit breakers in the breaker panel?
Yes, correct.
Ok, thanks. This isn’t an electrical wiring forum, but I’ll just say that at least currently, that’s a NEC violation in the US. It may not have been in the past, but the general rule is that the only place neutrals from different circuits are tied together is at the breaker panel.
I’ll just reiterate that your switch should be grounded with a neutral from the circuit that’s powering it. How you do that given your current configuration, I don’t know. If you unbundle and group, then you have to make sure you get both the incoming and outgoing conductors.
You may wish to consult with an electrician.
(NEC 300.3(B))
I don’t think you have 3 circuits coming from panel. you would have to many wires (3 sets in and 4 sets out that would be to many for the box and against NEC)
What you have 1 power feed that must be feeding 2 of the 3-way switches, these will be primary 3-ways switches and the neutrals from these switches should be connected together. The other 2 power feeds that you have coming in is power from other 3-way switches (red,white,black) and these should only be connected to the switch and light if that light is power from that box. If the light is not powered from that box then the lines are only connected to the switch and nothing else.
In short I think you have 2 switches that are on same circuit and could exist in 2 gang box by itself. The other 2 switches are completely independent and each switch could exists in its own 1 gang box.
BTW the last sentence is only to help you visualize this scenario, think about it as virtual electrical box. In your case 3 boxes (2 gang, 1 gang, 1 gang)
Hey Jerry - I do have 3 sets of wires coming in and 4 leaving. I have a three way living room light switch with a wire coming in from the first switch and this wire is powering both the light switch and a separate fan switch. Then wires leaving from each of those two switches to go the the lights and fan respectively. Then I have a three way dining room light switch with a wire coming in from the first switch and wire leaving to the dining room light. Then a three way switch bar light with a line coming in to power it and wire leaving towards the second switch. So 3 coming in and 4 leaving. The house was originally wired in '83 but remodel done 5 years ago where the previous homeowner added other lighting so maybe it wasn’t all done to code? I did unbundle all of the neutrals like Bry mentioned above and everything is now working correctly…just unsure if the box was done to code originally.
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