Electrical Questions

Well, now that makes sense. not good sense mind you, but it does explain the situation that the OP must have. I pity the fool that plugs the vacuum into that outlet
  Quoted Text Here  

  Quoted Text Here  
Of course it affects the light: wiring a single wire to both travelers is exactly equivalent to shorting the travelers to each other. The light will always be on.
Draw yourself a diagram.

  Quoted Text Here  
I think the hot wire from the receptacle is connected to ONE traveler and the neutral wire from the receptacle is connected to the OTHER traveler (not one wire connected to both travelers). Is that right?
This wouldn't work with the 3-ways connected the "right" way, but would work if they were wired a different way (where hot and neutral are connected to both switches, and the light to the common terminals).
BTW, that was the first way I knew to connect 3-ways, but had not actually connected any that way before learning it was unsafe (the light can be off and hot).

  Quoted Text Here  
Not disputing you, just curious -- do you have a Code cite for that? I don't remember seeing that anywhere...

408.35
wrote:
  Quoted Text Here  

this)@optonline.net> wrote:
  Quoted Text Here  
Thanks -- I learned something new today.
  Quoted Text Here  

When Roger Shoaf first answered the question by saying " as many as will fit", should be a correct answer as panel manufacturers now, design the buss and rails to allow only a limited combination of breaker sizes in them, but many of the panels made in the sixties and seventies had nothing for preventing overloading . It seemed to me their main concern was keeping other manufactures breakers out of their panels
wrote:
  Quoted Text Here  

  Quoted Text Here  
I always wondered why my box has two different seatings; to keep excessive halves out.

RBM wrote:
  Quoted Text Here  
Panels and breakers have been "class CTL" (circuit limiting) for a long time. Half width breakers have a feature that limits the positions where they can be installed, which limits the maximum number of half sized breakers. There are still non-class CTL breakers available for older panels that fit in CTL panels that can allow more than the intended number of poles in the panel, so "as many as will fit" is not entirely right. Non-class CTL breakers will not be among those listed as acceptable on the panel label, making their installation a code violation.
Panels are designed and tested by UL for a maximum number of poles. Class CTL enforces the maximum number of poles that the panel was designed and tested for. I think the issue is heating in the panel.
Last I heard the 42 pole limit on panels is being eliminated in the 2008 NEC. UL will still have to change their standard and panels will have to be tested before panels with more than 42 poles appear.
-- bud--

On 4 Mar 2007 20:39:29 -0800, snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com wrote:
  Quoted Text Here  
How does it keep from shorting between the 2 travelers, preventing the light from turning off?
  Quoted Text Here  

snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com wrote:
  Quoted Text Here  
Yes.
That depends on the panel. Consult the manufacturer's label on the inside of the panel door.
  Quoted Text Here  
Allowable, yes. Smart, no -- since both travelers are connected to the same black wire, the 3-way switching function is disabled.
  Quoted Text Here  
Yes.