1

I'm installing a Wink relay that has two switches for lights. The double gang box I want to install it in also has two switches that are operating lights only. My problem is that each light is on a different circuit breaker.

The Wink relay has only one line in and two loads out. Can I switch one of the lights to the other's circuit and leave a hot line in the box with a wire nut?

Improve this question
1
  • 1
    Probably, but might depend on how the lights are wired. Please post a clear photo of the box or a sketch of the connections.
    – isherwood
    Commented Mar 27, 2018 at 14:11

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
1

It is always safe to leave a hot wire capped off with a wire nut. However (as Harper says), you must also disconnect and cap off the corresponding neutral wire.

Find and remove the wire nut connecting the neutral that you want to discontinue. Having separated the wires, cap off the one leading to the circuit breaker. Connect the one from the light to the neutral wire nut that will remain in use.

modification for Wink 2-load control fig.1a, left: Existing circuits; fig.1b, right: Modification for Wink 2-load control.

You should add up the total loads on each of the two circuit breakers, and power the switch from the one with the lighter load. The illustration assumes that the power feed on the right was from the more heavily loaded breaker.

You might consider leaving a label "no longer needed" taped to the wires, but that is not required, and any future maintainer who sees the two loads and the double gang box will not be horribly confused by what you did.

Improve this answer
2
  • 1
    Not a single wire, if he wants to deprecate a connection, he needs to do the same with both hot and neutral. if you are not religious about that, you will inevitably create a crossed-neutral situation with potential for fire and maddening incompatibility with AFCI or GFCI.
    – Harper - Reinstate Monica
    Commented Mar 27, 2018 at 16:53
  • 1
    @Harper: You are correct. This is a serious omission. I will modify my answer.
    – A. I. Breveleri
    Commented Mar 28, 2018 at 4:52

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.