remote controlled light switch

[Snydley]

I want to control my garage's outside light from inside my house with a remote controlled RF light switch. The light is currently controlled with

2 - 3 way switches, one on both floors of the garage. The light was never wired to the house, and the only way to control it now is to walk out to the garage and turn it on or off. I'd like to be able to do this remotely from the house. Does anyone manufacture some kind of receiver/switch and remote control that you can wire into an existing 3 way circuit? Has anyone here ever done this? I appreciate any help you might bring. Thanks, Snyde

[Bob]

[SQLit]

X-10 and google

garage door opener type and google

[Joseph Meehan]

They have X-10 and RF Both should work for you. You also might want to take a look at the garage door openers that offer multi function operation

[Jeff Wisnia]

If you want to "do it raht" so that both the existing switches in the garage operate "normally" and the remote also switches the light on or off.....

Sounds like you're going to need a DPDT "alternate position" relay wired into the existing 3-way switch travelers and a momentary rf switch to pulse its coil and cause the relay to act like a local DPDT switch that's just been flipped.

HTH,

Jeff

P.S. Can someone give me a good reason why they call those SPDT switches "3-way switches"? Seems to me they only have TWO positions.

JW

[Joseph Meehan]

My guess is they usually involve three devices, one lamp and two switches. Four way's add one or more switches. Maybe it is because the switches have three wires connected (four ways have four wires.)

[Bud--]

A recent post somewhere said it goes back to the Edison days when 'openings' were counted for billing. A switch and a light were 2 openings or a 2-way. Two switches become a 3-way. 3 switches become a 4-way.

bud--

[Snydley]

I forgot to mention on my last post about this that the light I want to control is a mercury vapor security light if that makes any difference.