I’ve got a bathroom jbox I’ve inherited. I assume is up to code given the age and amount of work that’s been done on this house (“it should have/likely would have been caught by now if it was against the rules”), is a 4gang with the expected GFCI then 3 SPSTs. I’d estimate it’s something like 90 cubic inches (relevant for “how many wires can you have?”), something like this box. A small handful of downstream loads were merged together, so here’s what the wiring is now , assigning 1 through 4 from left-to-right for gang slots:
GFCI
100w incandescent max light fixture for a bathroom ceiling vent fan
50CFM vent fan and the 1300watt heater element w/small blower and a single 150w recessed can in the ceiling
A 6 x 40watt incandescent vanity bulb rail above the sink
I estimate there are about 1890watts running through the box. It works fine, doesn’t get remotely hot, etc. I don’t know if it’s actually up to code but let’s not get derailed by that part of the conversation. I think it is likely having 2 or 3 devices with acceptable load levels and a large enough box can be wired through a single-gang-width switch that has dimming capability, which is the core hardware feature I’m looking for (multiple load handling dimmer switches in a single US switch width).
My overall goal is to maintain switch-controllability for each item (not requiring smarthome) and to gain independent control of each item. I’ve already converted everything to LED and installed a new fan that has one extra item (night-vs-regular lighting). Here’s what I want:
GFCI
“fan controls”
TOP vent fan
BOT heater
“fan’s LED lighting controls”
TOP fan main light (LED)
BOT fan nightlight (LED)
“preexisting bath light controls” I’d love a dimmer here
So you want local load control for each of the 6 Device is currently controlled by the three right most switches in your picture?
Receptacle
Are you going to stick with a dumb GFCI receptacle for the leftmost slot? There aren’t any Z wave or Zigbee receptacles that also have GFCI because the purpose of the GFCI‘s to cut all current going through the device and smart Devices need to have some current for the radio.
In some jurisdictions you’re allowed to put the GFCI cut off further upstream so you could have a smart receptacle, but not all. Otherwise people typically use a GFCI dumb outlet with a smart pocket socket plugged into it.
The switches
Would you be OK with local RF control, like Z wave direct association or a Zigbee bind? These would still work even if the hub died.
Or do you want “cut the circuit“ local control for each of these devices?
I want local control for the 6 devices. I don’t need (or want) any smarts for the GFCI. I’m looking for a multiswitch that can handle on/off and, beyond that, a multiswitch that can handle on/dim/off.
Note that my dimmer has LED load so we need modern dimming circuitry. My resistive and inductive loads are just on/off (I don’t want to “dim the vent fan” or anything wonky like that), so a simpler task but still noteworthy as the smartswitch will need to be happy with complex downstream loads (I’ve actually got a DC motor fan which can get weird).
