Setting Up Wires for Switches in a 3 Gang Switch Box

Electric Pro Academy - Real Skills to make real money.
Residential New work 3 gang switch box wire setup
- Hot feed black wire is marked with colored tape (NOT white, grey, or green per code)
- All hot feed conductors are stripped extra long
- Make sure that the wiring for each switch postiion is located in the corresponding knockout in the box - don't zigzag or cross wires in the box if possible, it makes a mess.
Generally the first switch should be the main light, second switch the accessory lights, and third switch the ceiling fan.
- Start by routing all grounding conductors to a common location to be mechanically connected by twisting them in a clock-wise direction, then cutting and removing the excess and installing a green grounding wire nut with a hole in the top for passing the grounding pigtail. Keep twisting the wire nut until the grounding wires are well twisted.
- White conductors are not always neutral conductors - if they are not neutral they must be marked accordingly.
- Tuck the wires vertically into their corresponding switch positions and overlay the hot feed power line over the other conductors horizontally.
Got a question or ideas for a video leave and comment below and submit your idea here: forms.clickup.com/f/23xa9-70/...

[@bryanrudel9005]

Can you share the link to the next video after this one? I'll be wiring up a 3 switch box and this would be perfect

[@laurelglenn]

Thank you, great and very clear lesson

[@volkan_boston]

best video I have seen- thanks

[@brianhooper2452]

@electricproacademy need a follow up video to this. What’s the plan for black wires and ground? Daisy chain?

[@simond.9457]

Great video! Thanks!!!

[@duaneanderson6198]

Looking the internet over for this exact setup...thank you

[@ziggydiaz7601]

Loving the channel, quick question, why 14 gage and not 12 gage at least in the hot feeding the box?

[@suspicionofdeceit]

Because its a 15 amp circuit.

[@raphaeljr441]

Do u have a video for the next part connected the switch

[@joeycatropa3779]

Why don’t do separate hots and grounds for each switch? It makes it easier if there is a problem .

[@christopheralaniz5079]

how do you know witch one is the hot feed coming into the box ?? on a all ready installed outlet in a new home ??

[@ElectricProAcademy]

By code the black conductor _should_ be black, but a more thorough test would be pulling both wires off of a device and testing them separately. The hot will have a voltage ~120, while the other should only have nominal voltage ~10-20

[@NathanHarrison7]

When do you attach the white neutral wire to the silver screw on the switch? If ever.

[@ElectricProAcademy]

It's generally best practice to connect ground to green screw, then neutral to silver, then hot to brass last

[@keebineer]

I have some 3-gang boxes in my house with all grounds connected with a wire nut, but there are no pigtails for grounding each of the switches. Is it ok to daisy-chain a single ground wire between all three switches, instead of using individual ground pigtails? My concern is that there is very little space left to add three individual ground pigtails. Is this ok and code-compliant? Seems like it's ok to do since a single ground is coming out of that grounding wire nut.

[@ElectricProAcademy]

Yep, totally fine! Good check.

[@keebineer]

@@ElectricProAcademy awesome, I appreciate the prompt response!

[@keebineer]

@@ElectricProAcademy I thought I’d ask another questions while I’m at it 😀 I have a GFCI in my garage with no other outlet or switch on that circuit. I want to install a floodlight, can I source power from the GFCI load side? All GFCIs in my house are by themselves on individual CBs, I don’t know if that’s a code requirement or not (I’m in NY).

[@jlewis1091]

@@keebineerthat’s where I would source it from if it were me.

[@keebineer]

@@jlewis1091that’s what I ended up doing :)

[@vivaalbania1]

you should pigtail the wires its more simple and more secure

[@matttyler390]

Just have to mention that romex going into blue boxes must be stapled within 8 inches , 12 inch rule applies when you have a 2-screw NM connector like you would use on metal boxes because they actually grab the romex correctly

[@josterpi]

@@ElectricProAcademy I suspect that Matt is thinking about the exception to 314.17(C), where it states that where the cable is fastened within 8 in, securing the cable to the box shall not be required. There are blue boxes that have knockouts instead of integral clamps, but the one you used here does have clamps.

[@987stang]

Hello do you have an email I can send you a pic and question?

[@ElectricProAcademy]

Hit us up on Facebook or Instagram

[@ElectricProAcademy]

Or [e-mail]

[@surferdude642]

What's the plan for the hot wire and the ground? It looks like you will jump the ground wire from switch to switch and if so I can understand and accept that. The hot wire should be pigtailed to each switch imo. The flange on the box must be supported by using another stud. Letting it hang there unattached is unacceptable. Overall, I'm not thrilled, you can do better than this, Joel.

[@davidmorrow2589]

Never wired any switches. Ggggrrrrr

[@jesseestrada4290]

Why only one ground pig tail when you need 3 ? AND Why not just make up the bx already if ure already touch in it, I'm not a fan in touching things twice, if I see someone wasting time like that I'll fire them because there costing money to the company in being inefficient, touch it once leave it ready for trim-out and get out...!!

[@aurvaroy6670]

First of all, that's not a ground pigtail. In fact, he didn't do any pigtails at all, which is why he folded all the hot wires after joining that. Him or his other members will do the pigtails later when the walls are up and the switches are ready to be connected in the box. So I guess his method of bonding grounds is to use a green wire nut to leave one long wire which would then be pigtailed or connect all three switches. Second of all, this is his work, not yours. He's the CEO of his company, so the fact that you think so low of him really worries me. If you like to pigtail before trim-out then do so. But don't expect others online, especially a master electrician/CEO to follow everything you do

[@juniorsalas3687]

Horrible!!!!

[@collygomez219]

Too much sheathing in box you only need at least quarter inch son