push-to-start timer with two way switch

[cbdeja]

We have an outside passage light which is controlled by an outside switch and an indoor switch - it can be switched on or off by either switch - I think this is called a 2-way switch?

I'm fed up with the number of times the outside light is left on all night.

Is it possible to get a switch which you can push to switch the light on, and which will automatically switch off say 5 minutes later. I'm sure I saw something like this many years ago - it was a circular button which you pushed in and it slowly moved outwards and switched the light off again after a couple of minutes.

This sort of thing would be ideal, but I'm not sure if they are still available. And more importantly I'm not sure how this would work with 2 switches controling the same light.

Any ideas?

[Grumpy owd man]

Columbus time lag switch

available for flu's and std lamps

Wiring diagram usually enclosed [you just change wiring connections] IIRC Each switch then just works as 'push on...timed off'

HTH

[Bob Eager]

You can still get these; they're pneumatic. There are also electronic versions.

Two way is tricky, but if they're going to go off in 5 minutes, just wire them in parallel. The existing cabling will be able to handle that, with a wire to spare.

The other issue is weatherproofing. I haven't seen one suitable for real 'outside'.

[JohnDW]

Like this?

Two such switches in parallel means either one can be pushed to switch on. Both will then have to have timed-out to the off position for the light to go off. Alternatively, you can have a standard 1-way switch inside (or re-use your 2-way as a

1-way) that will override the outside push switch to provide a permanent-on. Again, both have to be off for the light to be off.

[Owain]

Pneumatic and electronic versions.

click on energy management

The pneumatic ones you just wire across the strapping wires connected to L1 and L2 at the switches. The elkay brochure has useful wiring diagrams

Owain

[Peter Andrews]

TLC is your friend:

Peter

[Chris Hodges]

screwfix still do pneumatic ones, RS & Farnell no longer do, but they do offer electronic "equivalents". It _might_ be possible to add another button (suitably IP rated and mounted outside) to one of these - without pullign one apart I couldn't be sure.

C

[Bob Eager]

Strange that Farnell don't, because CPC do...the pneumatic ones are PL400A.

[robgraham]

Had you thought of changing the system to using a PIR set such that it senses you coming in and out and switches off with it's internal timer.- eg Screwfix 11291

Rob

[Chris Hodges]

There's a few things that you can get from CPC but not farnell - unless you've got both catalogues and a purchasing department.

[colin.browell]

Thanks for the pointers everyone. I'll take a look at them. The PIR is an interesting suggestion but we would want to be able to switch the lamp on from BOTH ends of a passage.

[Chris Hodges]

It is possible to use 2 PIRs - in the office we'v got 2 zones with 2-3 PIRs per zone.

Chris