double switch for outside lights

[Man at B&Q]

Which flicks on and off every time someone, or an animal, walks by.

MBQ

[meow2222]

If you dont have a neutral accessible and aren't willing to use the earth as a return for a neon, there are other options.

1. Put an LED in series with the feed to the lights. It'll need both series and parallel Rs. Pick them so mean LED run current is 2-4mA, then the peak i at switch on wont be too far above the LED ratings.
2. Use a series resistor or diode plus some electronics anywhere suitable in the light circuit to detect current flow.
3. Place a very small mirror somewhere so you can see the light bulb from wherver you tend to sit.

NT

[Kevin]

depends on the sensor

[David Hansen]

On Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:05:14 +0000 someone who may be Mike wrote this:-

If one has a shed, garage or whatever it can be useful to turn lights on/off from two or more locations.

[dennis]

Yes. I use a remote controlled socket to do that. It works from anywhere in the house or garden. IIRC it was £15 for a remote and three sockets.

[Mike]

If it's that far away you can't see the light then you're probably breaking the rules regarding the equipotential zone.

[Mike]

Exactly.

[David Hansen]

On Thu, 20 Nov 2008 23:09:10 +0000 someone who may be Mike wrote this:-

Who said anything about not being able to see the light, of the house presumably?

As for the wiring regulations and equipotential zones, they can be complied with while still arranging switching from two or mo relocations.

[terry]

oddly) a "3 way switch", although there are only two switches, such as at the top and bottom of the stairs, to control a single light (or several) for those stairs!

Maybe it's reference to the fact there are often three wires between the two switches? Note 1.

In it's simplest form the live wire that is switched on and off by, normally a single ON/OFF switch, is routed via both switches. Which with the addition of that third wire allows one switch to be off and the other to be on; alternately.

Both switches have to be of the CHANGEOVER type which usually cost a little more (maybe 50cent to one dollar more each) than a regular ON/ OFF type.

Mounts in same wall box and requires a three conductor cable between switches. The three conductor costs a little more than two conductor (Including of course ground/earth). Thus, correctly wired, moving either changeover switch to the other position causes light to go either on or off. Have seen the same arrangement in UK homes.

In this Canadian house we use it for a staircase a bedroom passageway and also for some outside lights that are not motion sensor operated.

There is also another option that involves the use of a third special switch, (a switch that literally swaps over the two live wires going through it) which is located between the other two, mentioned. That allows a three switch (and I'm guessing one could have more than three?) operation of one set of lights! If basic diagram needed please email.

Cheers.

[Andy Wade]

Over here (UK) we call that an 'intermediate switch'. What are they called on your side of the pond?

Yes, you can have as many intermediates as you like, in between two

2-way (your 3-way) switches.

[George (dicegeorge)]

It would seem sensible to me to mount intermediate and corridor switches sideways, left to right, so people dont assume up is off and down is off.

Is there a regulation banning this or would it just look odd?

[Owain]

...

Yeah, we do that. The swapover switch is called an 'intermediate' and does indeed allow an unlimited number of control points.

Owain