I'm about to wire up a simple wall-mounted on-off switch, which will control a multi-outlet 120v box in the ceiling. (my two air cleaners)
The source of the electricity is also on the ceiling, so it would be cumbersome to simply put the switch "in line." To do that, I'd have to run romex all the way down to the switch, then another run all the way back up to the outlet box.
I'm not sure exactly what method is to code, so I did a little Googling, and now I'm confused.
I've done it a few times in the past, as shown here. Just one 14g romex going to the switch, (the switch grounded, of course) and the white and black wires in that romex simply interrupting the hot lead to the outlet box:
Switch Wiring diagram.jpg
But today I read something about the codes changing in 2011, and that now you need a separate neutral wire at the switch. - But it wasn't clear if that was for every situation. So, is that true? In other words, do I have to run two lengths of Romex, to and from the switch, after all?
Two other questions that always bugged me:
1: In this particular diagram, they used a separate junction box for the romex feed to the switch. Isn't it OK to simply run it from the outlet box? (Or the box for a light, if that was what you were switching?)
I know there's some code about maximum number of wires in one box, but this doesn't seem excessive.
2: Are you supposed to wire the return white wire, which is of course hot, red? I've never seen this done, but it seems reasonable given it's always red in the diagrams. Would you use red heat shrink? Or not bother?
Thanks.