Complicate (for me) Home wiring project.

[Andrew]

I have a home wiring project that I need help with. Actually I need
to find a device that can control a light, using power from another
light socket, and still letting a light be in that socket.

Ok. I will explain.

I have a garage door opener with a light in it. I have 2 lights
outside my garage. The builder only installed 1 switch to these
lights, so the first thing is to put another switch in an easier
location to access. I can figure out the 2 way switch.

But I want for these outdoor lights to come on when the garage door
opener's light comes on, -ie when the opener is in motion. There is
no auxilary control for this on the opener, but I think this could be
accomplished by using the power to the garage door opener's light to
control power to the outdoor lights.

I would like for this feature to override the 2 light switches, so I
would want them connected in series.

Any ideas? Is there a device that could do this for me available on
the market? Or is one easy to build? I have moderate electrical
knowledge.

Thanks

 

[Rein Wiehler]

I have a home wiring project that I need help with. Actually I need
to find a device that can control a light, using power from another
light socket, and still letting a light be in that socket.

Ok. I will explain.

I have a garage door opener with a light in it. I have 2 lights
outside my garage. The builder only installed 1 switch to these
lights, so the first thing is to put another switch in an easier
location to access. I can figure out the 2 way switch.

But I want for these outdoor lights to come on when the garage door
opener's light comes on, -ie when the opener is in motion. There is
no auxilary control for this on the opener, but I think this could be
accomplished by using the power to the garage door opener's light to
control power to the outdoor lights.

I would like for this feature to override the 2 light switches, so I
would want them connected in series.

Any ideas? Is there a device that could do this for me available on
the market? Or is one easy to build? I have moderate electrical
knowledge.

Thanks

An outdoor light assembly with built-in motion detector?
but then you would have to leave the switch always on.
rw

 

[Doordoc]

I have a home wiring project that I need help with. Actually I need
to find a device that can control a light, using power from another
light socket, and still letting a light be in that socket.

Ok. I will explain.

I have a garage door opener with a light in it. I have 2 lights
outside my garage. The builder only installed 1 switch to these
lights, so the first thing is to put another switch in an easier
location to access. I can figure out the 2 way switch.

But I want for these outdoor lights to come on when the garage door
opener's light comes on, -ie when the opener is in motion. There is
no auxilary control for this on the opener, but I think this could be
accomplished by using the power to the garage door opener's light to
control power to the outdoor lights.

I would like for this feature to override the 2 light switches, so I
would want them connected in series.

Any ideas? Is there a device that could do this for me available on
the market? Or is one easy to build? I have moderate electrical
knowledge.

Thanks

Not aware of anything made as you describe although Chamberlain does
make a light switch that can be turned on & off with a transmitter. It
is a light switch that has a built in receiver and would replace your
existing light switch. However, the opener lights & other lights would
need to be controlled w/ separate buttons from a multi-button
transmitter.
What you are describing could easily be done w/ an external relay but
I do not know if wiring lights in that manner would meet electrical
codes.

Doordoc
www.DoorsAndOpeners.com

 

[happyhobit]

Hi Andrew,

First, to control a light or two from 2 different switches require 2 3-way
switches. To control the lights from 3 locations will require 2 3-way and a
4-way switch. I've seen many people have problems doing this, including
electricians (not good electricians, but electricians).

The correct name for the 'plug' on the end of an extension cord is a 'CAP'.
The name for the 'socket' on the end of a cord is a 'BODY'.

****************************************************************************
**************************
Everything in this section is Illegal. Reasonably safe, but ILLEGAL. If your
garage burned down your insurance company could deny your clam and refuse to
pay

You could wire a pigtail (a heavy 3 wire cord) (two wire with ground), with
a BODY on the end into the garage door opener. You should use a cord grip or
strain relief where the pigtail comes out of the opener to protect it.

For just the outside light just plug it in. For the inside lights you could
have the pigtail operate a relay to turn everything on and off.

****************************************************************************
********************************

To keep it legal you should use Greenfield or Sealtite instead of cord and
enclose everything in an electrical box.

Good Luck

Jay

 

[happyhobit]

Hi Andrew,

I realized last night that I may not have been clear.

The Greenfield is required between the 'Door Opener' and an electrical box.
After that you could use Romex (non-metallic sheathed cable).

The 3-way / 4-way switches require a 3-wire, with ground, cable between
them. (2-hot, 1- common, 1-ground)

A 3-pole Double throw relay, mounted in an electrical box would what you
want. 2 of the poles work as a 4-way switch to turn the inside lights on and
the other pole for the outside light.

There I feel better.

Jay

 

[Robert S. Ely (Bob)]

I have a home wiring project that I need help with. Actually I need
to find a device that can control a light, using power from another
light socket, and still letting a light be in that socket.

Ok. I will explain.

I have a garage door opener with a light in it. I have 2 lights
outside my garage. The builder only installed 1 switch to these
lights, so the first thing is to put another switch in an easier
location to access. I can figure out the 2 way switch.

But I want for these outdoor lights to come on when the garage door
opener's light comes on, -ie when the opener is in motion. There is
no auxilary control for this on the opener, but I think this could be
accomplished by using the power to the garage door opener's light to
control power to the outdoor lights.

I would like for this feature to override the 2 light switches, so I
would want them connected in series.

Any ideas? Is there a device that could do this for me available on
the market? Or is one easy to build? I have moderate electrical
knowledge.

Thanks

Andrew,
Since this is an electronics group, we may be able to do this with a simple project.
First off does you garage door opener have lights that come on when you open/close the door. I will assume it does. (I am also
assuming you are in the US) For this project you need a lighting contactor (relay) 120v single pole relay with a 24V coil. Turn

off the power to the light circuit.

View the following with a fixed space font. I hope line wrapping doesn't destroy it.

I'm only showing t lines, but this only means that it is the wire as a whole. Assume hot, neutral and ground are in this wire.



(0)=====================\\
|| || Opener light (0) *)==||
|| || Light
(0)==// || Activated
Outside lights || Switch
|| ||
|| ||
|| ||
|| ||
|| Contactor ||
o| --------o--- Contacts ||
Light Switch /| /--o--/ ||
o| ------| ==================||
|| // Contactor coil 24VAC
||====---)||(--+ +--)||
|| | )||( )||
|| \__)||(-------)||
|| 120VAC 24VAC
|| Bell transformer
||
|| Power line


The Light Activated switch circuit:
9VDC+
|
+---------------------+
| |
|/ Photo transistor |
|\>\ |/ 2N2222
+----+-----------------|\> ___o N/C
| < | \--o---------
| > 100K ohm 0|| ___o—-N/O----
+--->< 0|| Relay 24VAC line to control

0|| 500 ohm the contactor coil

+-------------------+ coil 6-9V
|
9VDC -

Shield the sensor so it only sees the opener’s light. Place this circuit in a plastic box and place it at the opener so it can
see the light. Regular 24 or 22AWG bell wire can be used for this part of the circuit (legally). The contactor needs to be
enclosed in a NEMA enclosure and installed according to you local electrical codes. You may want a licensed electrician to
install this system for you, but the circuit can be built by you.
This circuit was taken from the Radio Shack Engineer’s Mini-Notebook series Optoelectronic Circuits by Forrest Mims. Page 28.



--

Robert S. Ely (Bob)
[email protected] [email protected]
New Lisbon Developmental Center Communications Systems Technician-3
Work Phone: 1-609-894-4057 Work FAX: 1-609-726-0357
ICQ: 33390750 Yahoo Messenger: rsely74
MSN Messenger: [email protected]

Check out my photos:
http://www.shuttercity.com/ShowGallery.cfm?AcctID=4359

I'm E. F. Mutton. When E. F. Mutton Speaks NOBODY listens!

 

[Overlord]

Put a microswitch in the garage door track or on a spring arm in
contact with the bottom of the door.

When the door comes up, the lights come on;
"when the opener is in motion"

Put the microswitch in parallel with the light switch and it will
bypass them. You might need a relay if the switch won't carry the
current but it should.
You can figure any number of different setups.
Your specs are incomplete. Do you want a timer to turn the lights off
after you drive away?
Do you want the lights to go on when the door comes up and go off when
it has gone all the way back down? Put a microswitch at the top limit
of the garage door's movement

Are you just trying to light things up when you go in and out of the
garage? Put a little motion detector plate where the switch is now.
It would automatically turn the lights on when you pulled in or out of
the garage and keep them on for several minutes giving you time to
drive away in the light, then turn them off. The present switch would
have to be in an extremely restricted spot not to see you in the
garage. You can still be in control of the outside lights as those
motion detector switchplates have options to turn ON or OFF or motion
detector with delay.

I have a home wiring project that I need help with. Actually I need
to find a device that can control a light, using power from another
light socket, and still letting a light be in that socket.

Ok. I will explain.

I have a garage door opener with a light in it. I have 2 lights
outside my garage. The builder only installed 1 switch to these
lights, so the first thing is to put another switch in an easier
location to access. I can figure out the 2 way switch.

But I want for these outdoor lights to come on when the garage door
opener's light comes on, -ie when the opener is in motion. There is
no auxilary control for this on the opener, but I think this could be
accomplished by using the power to the garage door opener's light to
control power to the outdoor lights.

I would like for this feature to override the 2 light switches, so I
would want them connected in series.

Any ideas? Is there a device that could do this for me available on
the market? Or is one easy to build? I have moderate electrical
knowledge.

Thanks

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postmaster@localhost
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postmaster@[127.0.0.1]
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Remove "spamless" to email me.

 

[Lydokane]

I have to laugh a little when I see a person giving advice on a home
improvement project and this person's signature is a quote from Red
Green (the undisputed king of duct tape).

***

"And remember, if the women don't find you hansome at least they'll
find you handy."

OR

"And remember, any tool is the right tool."

***

PR

 

[happyhobit]

You forgot;


Duct tape is like the Force:
light on one side,
dark on the other,
it holds the universe together,
and if not handled properly, becomes a sticky mess.


Duct Tape can hold anything together!
(and if it doesn't, you didn't use it right, or you didn't use enough!)


Duct tape is like the Force - it holds the Universe together.
The only difference is that "May the Force be with you" sounds much better
than
"May you be covered in Duct Tape"


"Spare the ducttape, spoil the job." - Red Green
(In other words, don't spare the duct tape, just get more!)


"This calls for the handyman's secret weapon: Duct Tape." - Red Green


"It's amazing what you can accomplish with a little imagination
and a wad of duct tape." -Red Green


"Now, you could weld on a couple of hinges,
or bolt on some sort of pulley system;
but I prefer the Handyman's Secret Weapon...
....Duct tape."
-Red Green


One needs only two things in life;
WD-40 to make things go,
and Duct Tape to make them stop.




I would have used a quote from Tim "The Toolman" Taylor, but I didn't think
"More Power", would apply. Neither would "{grunt}, {grunt}, {grunt}"




And what's wrong with duct tape, except it's no good for taping ducts.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Just doing what we can with what we got", Bert Gummer
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
There, happy.

Jay

..
..

 

[Andrew]

Thanks Bob. This is exactly what I am looking for. I don't have that
Radio Shack book, but I may pick it up. Are both schematics in there?
Even so, could you email that schematic to me? I couldn't follow the
ASCII graphics too well. I understand most of the circuit, but am a
little confused by the connections around the 24V wire, relay, and
transformer. I assume the transformer steps down the 120V powerline,
and sends power to the photo sensor circuit, and then to the relay,
which switches the 120VAC powerline.

The photo circuit is a little harder to read. Apparantly the photo
sensor must have a 9V battery connected to it? Is their a way to use
the power from the 24VAC contactor line to power this circuit?

Andrew

 

[[email protected]]

Cut into hot wire feeding lightbulb (the swithleg from opener), add
wire, then wire-nut these 3 wires together and use the newly added
wire to fire off a relay w/120v coil. Take hot wire feeding 3way
switch and tap off of it and use to feed n/o dry contacts of relay.
Switched side of relay contact now needs to go over to your other 3way
switch and double up with its outside lighting switch-leg. This
creates a parallel path so relay can turn lights on even if power
isn't comming through snap-switches (relay overrides 3ways).

 

[Jasen Betts]

I have a home wiring project that I need help with. Actually I need
to find a device that can control a light, using power from another
light socket, and still letting a light be in that socket.

using electricity to control electricity - sounds like a task for
a relay.

Ok. I will explain.

I have a garage door opener with a light in it. I have 2 lights
outside my garage. The builder only installed 1 switch to these
lights, so the first thing is to put another switch in an easier
location to access. I can figure out the 2 way switch.

. . . . . . .
lamp in . . <--- mains powered relay
---------+-----~~~3||| . try an electrical
opener (X) . 3||| . wholesaler
---------+-----___3||| . - a place that supplies
. | . electricians
+----------_| -----------+
| . ~- . |
| . . . . . . . |
| |
| ____________ |
L--------+-___ \____--+-----+----+
\____________ (X) (X)
N---------------------------------------+----+
2-way switch setup outdoor lammps

in this way the the outside lamps will light when the opener light is on
or when the manual 2-way switch is on.


you'll need to open the opener and connect wires to the back of the lamp
socket and run them out of the opener and to the relay. these wires won't
carry a high current so lighting cable is fine.



Bye.
Jasen

 

[JeffM]

On 19 Sep 2005 robnmikey @ netzero.com wrote:
Cut into hot wire feeding lightbulb

What's up with responding to posts that are 2 years old?
Are you bored? ..or don't you "get" Usenet?
..
..
In addition, post BELOW the post to which you are responding.
Feel free to trim that post;
there is rarely a need to repost ALL of it.