1 Porch Light, 2 Switches!

[chorizon]

Hello everybody.

I just read this excellent thread on "3-Way Switches"
http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=25257&highlight=3+switch

It was very informative, and I even slapped my forehead (ala the V-8 commercials) when I realized how simple the circuit was.

My question is this; do porch lights come with a SPDT switch or would I have to put one in somehow?

[Dale M.]

Typically most fixtures only come with a spst (single pole single throw) off/on switches. Many fixtures come without switches....

You will probably have to provide the correct switches SPDT to make the lighting scheme work for your application....

Dale

[Micro469]

Hello everybody.

I just read this excellent thread on "3-Way Switches"
http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=25257&highlight=3+switch

It was very informative, and I even slapped my forehead (ala the V-8 commercials) when I realized how simple the circuit was.

My question is this; do porch lights come with a SPDT switch or would I have to put one in somehow?

You really want to have some fun? Try two porch lights... and cabin light...two switches on each side of the tear, one turn the porch lights on or off from either side, and one to turn cabin light on or off from either side......

[starleen2]

This one uses two three way switches commonly found in homes:

[Larwyn]

When I wired my wood shop I put in 3 way switches for each of 5 different lights. Four florescent switched individually and an incandescent on each end of the shop switched together. I did not run the neutrals through the switch boxes but routed it directly to the lights. I used THHN in EMT conduit which made it easy to get the right number of the right color wires to the right place. It is nice to be able to turn on just enough light at whichever door at either end of the shop. But it was a bit of a task to keep all those wires sorted to end up with all 10 switches paired up in the same order on both ends of the shop. I find it interesting that on the few occasions that my wife comes out to the shop she will fiddle with the light switches so that when all the lights are off, all the switches are in the down position. I usually just leave them random, whats the point of 3 way switches if you have to turn it off from the same location that you turned it on?.....

[wlooper89]

We went with 2 lights and 2 switches that turn the lights on or off individually.

Edit: A post below shows some pics from my album.

Bill

[bobhenry]

yep his and her's light and switches. No 3 way switch needed.

[Geron]

When I wired my wood shop I put in 3 way switches for each of 5 different lights. Four florescent switched individually and an incandescent on each end of the shop switched together. I did not run the neutrals through the switch boxes but routed it directly to the lights. I used THHN in EMT conduit which made it easy to get the right number of the right color wires to the right place. It is nice to be able to turn on just enough light at whichever door at either end of the shop. But it was a bit of a task to keep all those wires sorted to end up with all 10 switches paired up in the same order on both ends of the shop. I find it interesting that on the few occasions that my wife comes out to the shop she will fiddle with the light switches so that when all the lights are off, all the switches are in the down position. I usually just leave them random, whats the point of 3 way switches if you have to turn it off from the same location that you turned it on?.....

OCD . . . I CAN'T HELP IT. It bothers me when the lights are off and the switch is UP. I let it stay up but can't sleep nights!

[chorizon]

I borrowed this from the linked thread up above. Brian best described my thoughts on why I'd like to do this:

This would be a clever setup for an outside light.

Some small travel trailers have an outside "porch" light which has a switch only on the light itself; this is not good because they are occasionally maliciously turned on (running the battery down), and because the door needs to be opened to turn them on from inside - not good when using the light to investigate scary noises in the dark.

The better and more common setup is a single switch inside, but if you arrive at the trailer in the dark and want the light to help with the door lock or step (okay, maybe no step on a teardrop), there's no way to turn it on.

An ON-ON SPDT switch (the normal "three way") outside, plus an ON-OFF-ON SPDT switch inside (which could be used to defeat the outside switch as Larwyn mentioned) would be a nice setup.

Thanks Starleen for the diagram, I haven't seen that one yet. I like to see different renditions and solutions for the same problem because it helps me see the different ways people use to tackle them. And more importantly the similarities as well.

Thanks for everyone's replies, you all know what you're talking about and I knew I came to the right place!

Typically most fixtures only come with a spst (single pole single throw) off/on switches. Many fixtures come without switches....

You will probably have to provide the correct switches SPDT to make the lighting scheme work for your application....

Dale

Thanks, Dale I figured as much, I knew I couldn't get that lucky! So now my next question...

Should I buy a porch light with a switch, even though I'm going to replace it, or should I get one without a switch and add it onto the housing (somehow)?

[bobhenry]

I think I will put a proxcimity switch ( motion sensor) on mine. Then when I walk up it will awaken and greet me. They can be set for the duration you want a couple of minutes to full on.

[wlooper89]

We went with a light on each side and a switch on each side just inside the doors. We can easily reach the switches from inside or outside, although we need to open the trailer door to turn a light on or off from outside the trailer. I did not think we needed to control both lights with either switch so they turn on or off individually. The lights we have are available with or without a switch on the housing. We got the ones with no switch to use as porch lights. In the galley we use the same lights with a built-in switch. The first photo shows one of our porch light switches (Radio Shack). The face plates are standard ones from Home Depot with a blank insert. A round hole is drilled in the insert for mounting the switch, a simple on-off arrangement.

\

Next is a photo of the wiring. The light is just outside the vertical raceway on the trailer wall. The shorter vertical raceway contains wires for one of the galley lights.



This is a shot of one of the lights.



Bill

PS This link shows one of the galley lights. It is the same as the porch lights except there is a switch in the bottom of the housing. Originally besides the trailer running lights the only electrical items on our Little Guy were three lights like the one shown in the middle of the galley, powered by AA batteries.
http://tnttt.com/album_ ... c_id=37829