UPB Swithes for Bathroom Update

[Jim Doolittle]

I am remodelling a bathroom. I have to run new wires to a combo fan and light kit because it will be a PITA to work with existing wiring which is very close to roofline and I am not that skinny/flexible anymore .

The existing box on the wall near the doorway a 4" box with a double switch and a switch/outlet (not GFCI! - not good). I am at the stage where I could expand this and add/extend box.

I would like to go with UPB. Any recommendations on how what I should use to provide:

• switch for ceiling light
• switch for ceiling exhaust fan
• switch for vanity lights
• GFCI outlet for hairdryer/curling iron (not for me )

I plan on adding a one-wire humidity sensor while I am up in the attic and will use an application I wrote to ensure fan is on if humidity is high and off if humidity is low.

 

[TCassio]

Does 1 Wire also make a "Foul odor sensor"?? For the fan.

Sorry couldn't resist.

:lol:

 

[Jim Doolittle]

Well, that is another reason for running a fan. Maybe I will only ensure fan is on via humidity and let occupant decide on whether there is a need to turn the fan on...or light a match :lol:.

I bet I could find a methane sensor...

 

[Jim Doolittle]

I found a sensor at http://listserv.repp.org/pipermail/gasific...ary/000854.html but it requires the sensor to be at 600°C :lol: .

 

[kwilcox]

Is that box 2 gang or 3 gang?

 

[Jim Doolittle]

Existing is 2 gang but I can make it 3 gang. I am replacing some of the drywall so I can make the change...if I had to...

 

[Jim Doolittle]

So far. My search of available UPB hardware and some posts on this board indicates that I will either need to use a GFCI outlet upstream from the one that will be in the bathroom or use GFCI circuit breaker.

 

[kwilcox]

Well, you need to control 3 loads and have a GFCI too. I'm assuming you want the overhead and vanity on seperate switches. You could do it with two SAI switches and put a dual rocker faceplate on one to control the lights. Use the other switch to control the fan. Then a wire-in module in either the vanity or overhead controlled by the second rocker on the dual switch. Tie the switch leg for the UPB controlled light into hot/neutral in the 3-gang box and place the wire-in module at the other end. The only disadvantage here is that the dual rocker switch will only have one LED.

Or... go 4 gang.

 

[kwilcox]

As far as an upstream GFCI goes, I don't see that as being necessary. Tie hot to the GFCI and the switches. There's no need to GFCI protect the switches themselves by connecting their hots to the GFCI downstream connection. IMO, the GFCI plug is there to prevent ground shorts from plugged in devices when they're near water.

 

[Jim Doolittle]

I forgot about LEDs. Before I was considering UPB, I had bought a multi-switch that controls 3 loads and was thinking of a GFCI 2 receptacle outlet. This would fill up the double gang box. But that is no fun :lol: .

So, I could go with a SAI US2-40 with 4 rocker faceplace and control one load directly and two loads via links to wired-in modules? If I handle the GFCI as a separate issue then I could use a UPB outlet. This would all fit in the existing double gang box.

I do not have to go with a controlled outlet but the kids sometimes leave the curling iron on. I suppose I could make them buy a curling iron with an auto shutoff but I am tolds that those do not "curl the best".

 

[Jim Doolittle]

Upstream GFCI was only if I wanted UPB controlled outlet for reason mentioned in previous post.

 

[Jim Doolittle]

Time for bed. Thanks for your help so far.

 

[kwilcox]

yep... a UPB controlled outlet in your bathroom will need to be fed from an upstream GFCI somewhere.

Unless....

You could run hot for the GFCI through a wire-in UPB module somewhere and use a regular GFCI in the box. This could be tricky to pull off though as you'd have to find a box for the module and then run a seperate hot from there to the GFCI. Not too many ways to do that and still be code compliant.... At very least, an electrician performing any subsequent work would mutter something along the lines of "another DIYer job"... I'd probably go with a standard GFCI and just go off on a good rant every time the curling iron was left on :lol:

 

[Jim Doolittle]

OK. Think I will go with a US2-40, a wire-in lighting module, and a wired-in appliance (module) for fan. I will go with regular GFCI outlet to keep cost and complexity down plus, in retrospect, I have not seen curling iron left on in a long time (hey...maybe I am getting through to them!).

I would like get a four rocker faceplace with top left controlling load which would be ceiling light. Top right would control vanity lights via link . Bottom left would control fan via link. Bottom right would provide all on / all off via link.

Thanks.

 

[kwilcox]

Since you said you were running new wires to the fan/light combo, you might want to consider direct connecting the US2-40's local load to the fan so you can have push & hold speed control via the US2-40 dimmer.