3 Way Help

[ewang]

I have my main power and two wires on a switch running from my house out to my shop. The previous use was to enable a flood light on the gable end of the shop, pointing out into the yard.

I would like to have the switch, and another shop mounted switch, be able to toggle the outdoor lights.

I'm accustomed to three-way switch wiring (easy to find online). I'm just wondering if there is some way I could make this work as a three way, without pulling another wire (highly doubt this is possible).

One thought was installing a relay in the shop, enabled from the house mounted switch. The two poles of the shop mounted relay would "emulate" a 3-way switch.

Over engineered, but perhaps an elegant solution... thoughts?

 

[fourjeepin]

What's the distance between the two switches? There are some wireless switches and some internet enabled ones, though these are somewhat spendy. I have used timers and motion lights in situations such as yours, but can understand your desire.

 

[cybrdyke]

Lutron Maestro wireless switch to replace the switch in the house and a Pico switch for the shop. Pico is handheld or can be wall mounted. I think 50' is the max distance. lutron.com
CD

 

[ewang]

The house is about 150-200ft away from the shop.

I might be able to build myself a small control panel with a relay for the cost of a "smart" system, that any electrician can troubleshoot or update... But thanks for the recommendations!

 

[teamextreme]

So you have "power", hot and neutral (2 wires), and 2 "switch" wires, for a total of 4 wires going from house to shop? If so, you can run a 3-way with what you have.

 

[ewang]

So you have "power", hot and neutral (2 wires), and 2 "switch" wires, for a total of 4 wires going from house to shop? If so, you can run a 3-way with what you have.

I have a sub panel in the shop that feeds my lights, outlets, etc, that is fed from the house panel. Also, I have a pair of wires that comes from a switch in my entry way.

PLEASE help me out here if you can figure out a way, to make the house switch, and a shop mounted switch, all act as three way switches for my flood lights!

 

[BFBOB]

If I understand your description correctly, you can do it with not much effort. Take your two switch wires and connect them to the traveler terminals of a three way switch at each end. At the house, connect the common switch terminal to the neutral that runs to the shop - you will need to run another wire to your panel in the house to pick it up. At the shop end, connect the common switch terminal to the shell of your light socket and connect the button of your light socket to the hot of a breaker.
This will work and will allow your main shop breaker to kill ALL power to the shop, but may not meet code. I don't understand all the requirements for neutrals and grounds feeding a detached building's sub-panel - maybe a REAL sparky can comment on this. But, this arrangement will accomplish the task without having to string another wire from house to shop.

I have a sub panel in the shop that feeds my lights, outlets, etc, that is fed from the house panel. Also, I have a pair of wires that comes from a switch in my entry way.

PLEASE help me out here if you can figure out a way, to make the house switch, and a shop mounted switch, all act as three way switches for my flood lights!

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Hard to give an answer without knowing what wire the OP has. But....what is needed is 3 -wires between shop and house- one hot feeding the common terminal on the house switch and 2 travellers between switches. The common terminal on the shop switch would connect to the light bulb base. You cant feed this circuit from a house circuit it has to be fed from the garage.

 

[volleyball]

For that distance changing your switch wire to go to a relay that has 2 contacts. Your inside wire would flip the relay.

 

[Mustang51js]

You don't have enough wires for a 3way set up assuming the feeder wire to the panel is bigger than the wires for the switch. How many wires do you have total, 3 for feeder and 2 plus ground for switch or do you have 4 wires for the switch plus the feeder wires

 

[woodzie]

I think lutron sells a system that can do a three way with 2 wires. a neutral and a power with data to control switching. I believe it is maestro like said previously but is all built in to the switches.

 

[BFBOB]

Here's a diagram of what I'm talking about. Obviously, I've simplified it by leaving out the breakers. If I understand your original post correctly, you do have enough wires between the buildings; you'd only have to add a neutral to the switch inside the house.

If that's very difficult, the added expense of the electronic solutions others have mentioned may be worth it.

 

[ewang]

Here's a diagram of what I'm talking about. Obviously, I've simplified it by leaving out the breakers. If I understand your original post correctly, you do have enough wires between the buildings; you'd only have to add a neutral to the switch inside the house.

If that's very difficult, the added expense of the electronic solutions others have mentioned may be worth it.

Got it. I'll see how practical that is, otherwise I'll have to go the relay route. Btw, your diagram is exactly my situation. Thank you very much!

 

[yeldogt]

Is the switch in the house by itself?

Since you are going to have to do some wiring in the garage. You could always just run a romex cable to the light and install a remcon relay. Then you would run a low volt wire to a new switch in the garage and use the wires back to the house for the low volt switch in the house.

The code says you can't mix high and low volt in the same box -- unless it is designed for it with a separator ... so in a ganged box technically this will not work.

I have a cabin and the whole place was wire with relays and low volt wires -- it was popular at one point. It allowed multi location switching from many locations without having to run heavy wire all over the place.

 

[ewang]

I'll use a 120v coil, sealed relay. No low voltage required.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Here's a diagram of what I'm talking about. Obviously, I've simplified it by leaving out the breakers. If I understand your original post correctly, you do have enough wires between the buildings; you'd only have to add a neutral to the switch inside the house.

If that's very difficult, the added expense of the electronic solutions others have mentioned may be worth it.

A neutral from where? Another house circuit? That wouldnt be to code bcause te power for th light needs to come from the garage panel.

 

[canbug]

That diagram will work but will not meet any electrical codes. To do it right you should have the hot and neutral fed from the same panel.

Tim.

 

[woodzie]

Code says you cant use a neutral for a control and you want to keep it separate from the neutral coming back from the garage so if you are working on the feed neutral with the power off, you dont get a shock from the 3 way cct. because it is still on and using that neutral.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

That diagram will work but will not meet any electrical codes. To do it right you should have the hot and neutral fed from the same panel.

Tim.

Not to mention its dangerous for the next guy who has to troubleshoot the mess and doesnt know the neutral is fed from a different circuit! DO it right or dont it at all!

 

[ewang]

I used a RIB 2401B relay and it worked!
Thanks for the help!