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Three way light switch

Wojo

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Oct 26, 2014
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Great Falls, Montana
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MagicMarker

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Aug 20, 2014
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NJ
I have a three way switch for the garage. Can I swap out the garage switch for a motion detector switch and leave the regular switch in the house alone?
 

xyster101

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Jul 3, 2013
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Upstate NY
Hello all. I have a couple questions for you electrical gurus. I have a 3 way light switch setup just like the image below. Is there any way to pull a constant hot outlet off the last light switch? The switch is right next to my drill press and it would minimize 40 ft of wiring if I could do so. Thanks for any help!

http://www.easy-do-it-yourself-home-improvements.com/images/Large-3-way-switch-5.jpg

In short. NO.

You could take power off the common on the last switch, but your drill press would only work when the light switch was turned on. If you do this, you also have to consider how many amps the light circuit is and if your drill press will pull too much power when used with the lights on that circuit.
 

xyster101

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Jul 3, 2013
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640
Location
Upstate NY
I have a three way switch for the garage. Can I swap out the garage switch for a motion detector switch and leave the regular switch in the house alone?

Yes, depending on your wiring you will have to wire nut 2 wires together on the switch in the house and then put the motion sensor in the garage. There are currently 3 wires (plus ground) run between the 2 switches. If the hot wire starts in the house you will have a hot, neutral, ground and then an un-used wire between them.

If the power starts in the garage, you will essentially disconnect the switch in the house and not use those three wires.

To better help you, Post up a schematic of your current set up for more precise help.
 
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Wojo

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Crapola. Ok. NeXT question then. And I have a feeling it's the same answer. I have a light I want to.to stick by my man door. Right next to the door is a light switch set up like the image below. I want the light to be on all the time and NOT controlled by the switch. Can I do that?

http://www.buildmyowncabin.com/electrical/power-into-light-wiring.gif

And also. What if I eliminated the switch at the end. I do NOT nor will not use the switch. It's just the way it was wired when I moved in. Then could I use it as a constant hot?
 

nmk_61802

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Mar 6, 2008
Messages
965
Location
Central IL
Crapola. Ok. NeXT question then. And I have a feeling it's the same answer. I have a light I want to.to stick by my man door. Right next to the door is a light switch set up like the image below. I want the light to be on all the time and NOT controlled by the switch. Can I do that?

http://www.buildmyowncabin.com/electrical/power-into-light-wiring.gif

And also. What if I eliminated the switch at the end. I do NOT nor will not use the switch. It's just the way it was wired when I moved in. Then could I use it as a constant hot?

If it is wired 100% as per the photo no. You have no neutral in the switch box to take to the new lamp. If you remove the switch and rewire the existing light to carry the neutral to the switch box, then you could extend it to your proposed new light as a constant hot wire. Your existing light would also be a constant hot.
 

rburke65

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Nov 10, 2007
Messages
12,349
Location
Canfield, Ohio
Pull the 120volts from the ceiling box where theta light is located. You need a hot and a neutral.
 
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