Combining 2 Switches into 1

[tgasgarth]

I need help combining 2 switches into one. One switch controls the main garage lighting, and on controls a single light above the stairs to the garage. The main lighting has 2 other switches, while the light above the stairs is controlled by just the one switch.

How would I go about combining them? I have no prior experience with electrical stuff, but I can follow directions. Is this simple enough, or should I have an electrician do it? Also they are on the same breaker.

 

[slow]

what is the end goal? stairs light on whenever the garage lights are on?

 

[tgasgarth]

what is the end goal? stairs light on whenever the garage lights are on?

Yes exactly that. So no matter what switch I use for the main light the stair light comes on also.

 

[walta]

The first question is, are both lights powered from the same circuit breaker?



Walta

 

[tgasgarth]

The first question is, are both lights powered from the same circuit breaker?



Walta

They’re on the same breaker.

 

[PCustoms]

Oops

 

[tgasgarth]

Cap the hot to the left switch.

Tie the feed off the left switch to the traveler on the right switch. This get s but goofy because that's a 4 way....

i can't tell exactly how that's all wired, I'm not an electrician and I've been drinking so this advice is worth what you paid for it.

dont zap yourself or burn **** down.

Hmm. Might be calling the electrician

 

[The Cobbler]

pull the switches out & take more pics of the wiring .

 

[PCustoms]

Hmm. Might be calling the electrician

Yeah, disregard what I wrote.

I could figure it out in person, but not over the web.

The 4 way and where it is all fed from make this a bit complicated.

 

[Neggy]

delete.... got the answer from original post

 

[tgasgarth]

pull the switches out & take more pics of the wiring .

Sorry for the tight pics they didn’t want to come out. To be clear the left switch I want gone and that light put with the right switches lights.

 

[The Cobbler]

looks like the switch on the right is a 2 pole switch? is that the one that controls the garage lighting?

 

[tgasgarth]

looks like the switch on the right is a 2 pole switch? is that the one that controls the garage lighting?

Yes right controls garage lighting, left the solo light above the stairs. So I’m trying to integrate the solo light (left) into the garage lights (right switch)

 

[PCustoms]

looks like the switch on the right is a 2 pole switch? is that the one that controls the garage lighting?

That's a 4 way switch.

The OP says 2 other locations control that set of lights.

 

[The Cobbler]

4 way switches that I've seen have different coloured screws for the travellers

ahh. right

as said it wont be easy to do over the internet, and it 's probably not doable in that box

 

[Bert_]

With one being a 4 way I doubt you can do it without running another wire.

Is there attic above? Might be easier to just run a wire between the lights if you've got access.

 

[tgasgarth]

With one being a 4 way I doubt you can do it without running another wire.

Is there attic above? Might be easier to just run a wire between the lights if you've got access.

No it’s also finished space above. Do you think an electrician would be able to handle it?

 

[Bert_]

No it’s also finished space above. Do you think an electrician would be able to handle it?

Of course it can be done. How much will it cost is the real question.

 

[The Cobbler]

It will most likely mean fishing wires, so if you're prepared for that.....

 

[tgasgarth]

It will most likely mean fishing wires, so if you're prepared for that.....

Might just be living with a stupid *** light switch then

 

[walta]

Since they are on the same breaker there is some glimmer of hope it could be done in the box but it is still a maybe and someone would need to take the time to understand what and how everything is wired and that seems more than we can do over the net.

Would it be possible to run a new wire between the two lights? It seems simple enough to connect to the working garage light and use the new wire to power the hall light.



Walta

 

[tgasgarth]

Since they are on the same breaker there is some glimmer of hope it could be done in the box but it is still a maybe and someone would need to take the time to understand what and how everything is wired and that seems more than we can do over the net.

Would it be possible to run a new wire between the two lights? It seems simple enough to connect to the working garage light and use the new wire to power the hall light.



Walta

The area above the lights is all finished space. What I’m thinking of doing is running conduit to the light when I replace all the lights with proper fixtures. Then just deleting that switch.

 

[KnurledNut]

You cant tap power for a separate leg from a four way switch.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

the 4-way switch has travelers. if you use one of them to power the other light, it wont always work right since theyre switched by the 2 3 ways in the circuit.

 

[exranger06]

Assuming this staircase has at least 6 steps, the current setup actually isn't up to code. You should have at least 2 switches for the staircase light: one at the top of the stairs, and one at the bottom. NEC 210.70(A)(2)(3).
So if you do combine the staircase light with the garage lights, you should still have a switch that controls all of the lights from the top of the stairs.

 

[Milton Shaw]

That gray single pole switch is a back stab switch. That is the kind that eventually those connections overheat and is why the NEC requires arc-fault breakers to stop fires. You need to check other switches and outlets and eliminate those back stabs from everything I have seen and numerous posts on this forum.
Maybe you could do what you want if that wire to the single pole comes from one of the other three way switches, if it comes from the three way switch that is powered for that circuit then you cannot do it. It would need to be connected to the other three way that powers the lights, switching current through the travelers. .

 

[tgasgarth]

That gray single pole switch is a back stab switch. That is the kind that eventually those connections overheat and is why the NEC requires arc-fault breakers to stop fires. You need to check other switches and outlets and eliminate those back stabs from everything I have seen and numerous posts on this forum.
Maybe you could do what you want if that wire to the single pole comes from one of the other three way switches, if it comes from the three way switch that is powered for that circuit then you cannot do it. It would need to be connected to the other three way that powers the lights, switching current through the travelers. .

The house was recently built as in finished 6 months ago. Is this something I should call up the electricians about and have them fix?

 

[tgasgarth]

Assuming this staircase has at least 6 steps, the current setup actually isn't up to code. You should have at least 2 switches for the staircase light: one at the top of the stairs, and one at the bottom. NEC 210.70(A)(2)(3).
So if you do combine the staircase light with the garage lights, you should still have a switch that controls all of the lights from the top of the stairs.

It's 3 steps I think, like a 2 foot drop.

 

[TractorJeff]

That gray single pole switch is a back stab switch. That is the kind that eventually those connections overheat and is why the NEC requires arc-fault breakers to stop fires. You need to check other switches and outlets and eliminate those back stabs from everything I have seen and numerous posts on this forum.
Maybe you could do what you want if that wire to the single pole comes from one of the other three way switches, if it comes from the three way switch that is powered for that circuit then you cannot do it. It would need to be connected to the other three way that powers the lights, switching current through the travelers. .

I saw that right away!
Surprised this Thread went so long without someone else picking that up! If it was recently built/finished, I definitely would be checking all outlets and switches.
As far as the original question, OP states both switches are on the same Breaker. There is probably a junction in the box of one of the other 3 way switches?

 

[DJF3]

I'm new to this electrical stuff, but.....the OP says he wants the left switch gone. That's the single pole. Couldn't you just pigtail the two blacks from the single pole into the switched side of the three way? I don't know the best way to explain it. Seeing it in person would be much better. I'll bet a proper electrician could fix that in about 5 mins.

 

[TurnipTruck]

How about wiring the stairs light permanently ON?

 

[radrush]

Combining these two switches can be done very simply and efficiently by swapping out both switches out for Lutron Cassette smart switches.

Once installed, the Cassette switches can be controlled simultaneously one of several ways...

1. A Lutron Cassette "remote" can be programed (with Lutron app on your smart phone) to control both switches at once. Additional "remotes" can be used with wall-adapters and placed anywhere that you find convenient.

2. With the Lutron Cassette app on your smart phone, you can use Alexa or Hey Google to voice control the switches simultaneously as well.

3. Control the switches with the Lutron app on your smart phone.

 

[Shiftless]

How about wiring the stairs light permanently ON?

That’s not a bad idea.
With LED lights you could get a bulb using only a few watts. The cost to run that light would be negligible. Depending on your rates it might be less than $2.00 per year to run a 5 watt bulb 24/7.