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Electrical Question- Receptacle wired to 3way

2K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  17671 
#1 ·
Just curious to know if anyone knows electrical code in BC for following situation...

I have a wall receptacle in a hall way which is wired to a three way switch for power. This 3 way is the load end so has a red and black coming from the other switch and a black to the lights it operates. Neutrals are present in the box as well.
Receptacle will only have power and operate when the lights are on as the power is coming from only one of the switches hot legs.

Is this contrary to any code?
 
#3 ·
Sometimes people have a specific use for a specific receptacle. For example, 27 years ago when I renovated, I had the contractor install a switch inside my kitchen that powers ½ of a receptacle in my garage. This was intended to be used in a conjunction with a car block heater. I would try to make any new home owner aware of the functionality because they would wonder what the switch is for and why ½ of a receptacle in the garage was wired in this manner

I had the same wiring in Calgary. When I came down to the kitchen for breakfast, I'd flick the switch and the car would be easier to start in the cold Calgary winters. I didn't use a timer because I needed the functionality at different times of the day. I found I don't need the receptacle in Toronto since the weather is typically much milder than Calgary in the winter. My recent cars don't even have a block heater, but the temperature in my attached garage rarely goes below zero, so it's never an issue.

I don't know why you'd wire a receptacle into the same circuit that also controls lights in a hallway, but perhaps the previous owner had a reason.
 
#5 ·
I agree, your wiring senario is very uncommon and more likely the person who roughed in the wiring screwed up, or the home owner had a very "odd" request and really wanted to have 3-way switches control an electrical socket.
 
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