I plan to connect 12 recessed ceiling lights to 4 switches (2 sets of 4 lights and 2 sets of 2 lights). I plan to use 12 ga wire (2400W). Can I run the 12 ga wire from the service to switch #1, then to switch #2, then to switch #3, then to switch #4 and from each of the switches run 14 ga wire to the lights as well as (for the 2 sets of 4 lights) to a 3-way switch?
That is as long as all 12 lights are less than 200 watts each, and I’m sure they are. The 12 ga wire is good for 2400 watts continuous. Just be sure to use a 20 amp breaker in the panel to power the circuit.
The code does not allow any down sizing of the wire for applications like this.
While it might not be a danger in this application I think that the reasoning is that at sometime in the future some one might try to extend the 20 amp circuit using #14 wire.
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