Lighting question

[bentwrench54]

Got electric in the garage this week, a nice 60 amp box for lighting and a couple refridgerators and a freezer. I want to have the garage lights on two different switches, that way i can turn lights on by the garage door during the summer time, or at the entry door in the winter time.

How do i do it?

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[brad900]

3 way switch

 

[Rob_b]

Use a relay by setting it up using one of the bulb outputs to power the contacts and its own circuit to feed the relay from. From there, you could use a timer relay set for a preset amount of time. Its a bit involved but doable...

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Simple, common three way light circuit.

Charles

 

[Steevo]

What is funny about that drawing is that, although the switch wiring schematic is correct, with both switches in the positions shown, the light would be off, but the bulb is drawn as if it is lit.

 

[bentwrench54]

Simple, common three way light circuit.

Charles

Charles, thanks for the drawing! i have another question, though. where it calls for the three wire cable to go from switch to switch as a traveler, can i use regular 12/2 romex for this?

 

[Rob_b]

No, you can not. that would require the ground to be a conductor. You need to use a 12/3 or 14/3 as in the drawing.

 

[Rob_b]

Got electric in the garage this week, a nice 60 amp box for lighting and a couple refridgerators and a freezer. I want to have the garage lights on two different switches, that way i can turn lights on by the garage door during the summer time, or at the entry door in the winter time.

How do i do it?

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

I took that "garage door" as the large door, not the man door. Disregard my relay suggestion...I reread the question and laughed at myself...note to self...read the friggin question

 

[Charles (in GA)]

The white wire running between the switches, with the travelers, is being used as a hot in this diagram. Be sure and use a black or red marker to color the ends so someone realizes it is hot and not neutral. Also, code requires that a neutral be taken to every switch box now, but I think I would avoid or ignore that in this situation. The purpose of having a neutral in the switch boxes is in case, in the future, someone wanted to install an electronic switch that needed a neutral to function. Long shot in this case.

There are other three way diagrams, drawn differently depending on where the power enters the circuit, but they all work the same. Google search for images "3 way switch circuit" should get you started.

Charles

 

[marty_p]

OR...

Use one switch by your walk door, but namely an 'occupancy sensor' switch had with a $20 bill. You'll save install time, added wiring, and your sanity!

Here is one example:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/203202...&productId=203202128&R=203202128#.UZjpyR0tH3w