Electrical Wiring – Can a New Single Conductor Be Pulled Alongside Existing 14/2 Wire?

electricalwiring

In my bathroom, I have a 2-gang switch box. One switch controls the light bar above the sink, and one controls the fan. I have a new fan, which includes a light. I want to wire the light on the fan to be on the same switch as the light bar, and so this requires 2 switched hots in the fan box; I only have 1.

Do I need to pull a new 14/3 wire from the switch box to the fan box, or can I just pull a new single conductor and use it alongside the existing 14/2?

Located near Houston, TX, not sure what version of the NEC we have to follow.

Best Answer

Not under the code.

NEC 300.3 (B) - All conductors of the same circuit ... shall be contained within the same raceway ... [or] cable ...

The additional hot you need is a conductor that must be in the same cable or raceway as the neutral for that circuit.

Additionally, in general, you cannot run single/solo wires that are not in a cable, a raceway, conduit, or some similarly approved protective covering.

NEC 300.3 (A) - Single conductors ... shall only be installed where part of a recognized wiring method described in Chapter 3.