remote switching shop lights?

[saf-t scissors]

I've got a detached shop building with a subpanel off the house's main panel.

I'd like to be able to switch on the shop's exterior lights from the house.

My understanding of the code is that you can't just run a separate circuit from the house to power those lights, since the shop power should all be on one breaker in the main panel.

Assuming that's the case, what are the other options? I've looked the X-10 type wireless stuff, and it's all kinda hokey. If the code would allow it, I was thinking a wall switch in the house could control a 12VDC transformer, run low-voltage wiring out to the shop, and a relay could switch the lights from a 110V circuit on the shop's subpanel.

I'm not concerned about being able to switch the lights in the shop, just one switch at the house.

[EMG7895]

Your idea would probably be fine, on mine the previous owners ran a single 15amp circuit out to the garage so when I upgraded I left that for the lights and put a switch by the house door and put the outside lights on timers/sensors on the new panel. I would have a switch that controls an j box mounted transformer like for a doorbell.

[bigun]

Why not just mount some motion sensor lights?
There are switches you can buy that will send a signal on the house line to a receiver telling it to turn on, both must have 110v connected to them. Unfortuantly I am drawing a blank on who makes them at this time.

[snowshoebrue]

why not just put a 3-way switch in house and garage. then just pull the power off of the shop panel. then you could turn it off at the garage or at the house. just pull a 3 wire to the house black, red for the travelers and backfeed the switch leg on the white wire.

[saf-t scissors]

why not just put a 3-way switch in house and garage. then just pull the power off of the shop panel. then you could turn it off at the garage or at the house. just pull a 3 wire to the house black, red for the travelers and backfeed the switch leg on the white wire.

Well.... that technically answers my question, but doesn't solve my problem. I oversimplified a bit when I described what I was trying to do.

As for motion sensing lights, they suck. I don't like them. Seems like they won't come on when you want, but flip on in the middle of the night for the neighbor's cat. Not quite what I'm looking for, either way.

The trick now is finding the parts I need to do the low-voltage switching.

[Travis Waldher]

Assuming that's the case, what are the other options? I've looked the X-10 type wireless stuff, and it's all kinda hokey.

It may be hokey, but it works.

Sounds like you are attempting to overcomplicate your solution. If you don't have a range problem, I'de just put in an X10 wall switch in the shop, and a remote in the house. Less than $50 and 10 minutes of your time.

[fullygruntled]

I just leave the shop light switch on at all times, and switch main power to the shop from its breaker in the house. Probably far less elegant than you were hoping for.

[yager]

i think you should use a pull string and some pullys to a switch lever inside. That way you'd be isolated and it would be cool :)

[DRM]

i think you should use a pull string and some pullys to a switch lever inside. That way you'd be isolated and it would be cool :)

I was thinking something more like this:

http://www.tracysdolls.com/mousetrapopen.jpg


But seriously... an X10 remote switch sounds like the best option.

[PTSchram]

I used to work for a fella who had strings running all over the shop to ligth switches. It sounds cool, but it's a pain in the ass.

[PAToyota]

No idea how these work, but came across it awhile back and meant to try it due to a similar situation: http://www.prestostore.com/cgi-bin/pro17.pl?ref=lightningonlineorder1867&rdf=go

[CanuckJeeper]

If the intention is to run the lights mostly from dusk-til-dawn or whenever, you could use one of these switches in the shop:

http://www.smarthome.com/images/4257Wbig.jpg
http://www.smarthome.com/4257W.html

I use one for my front door lights, and I've got it set up to run from dusk 'til 2am.

JP

[The Joker]

They have ceiling fans that you can turn on with a remote, there has to be someway to make that work for a light not connected to a fan.

[saf-t scissors]

What I'm trying to do is have one switch in the house that turns on exterior lights on the house *and* on the shop all at the same time. I oversimplified a bit when I described it the first time.

I realize there are lots of ways to do it that don't *quite* accomplish all of those things at the same time. I could have a separate switch at the house to control the garage lights. It could be on a separate switch loop like snowshoebrue or somebody described, or you could do the X10 thing. I don't really like the X10 stuff. That's just me.

What I've come up with so far is to use a cube relay in a j-box at the garage with a transformer in the house and a low-voltage (24VDC) line in between.

The cube relays are $3-4/ea, the relay bases are about the same, and a 24VDC transformer should be about $10-15, I think. That compares pretty favorably to the wireless switches.

Cube relay:
http://pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=258723&d=1155659129
Base:
http://pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=258724&d=1155659129

[DRM]

I guess you just like making things harder on yourself, and running more wires :shrug:

[saf-t scissors]

Nah, not hard at all. The conduit is already there, the small wire will be easy to pull, and it's all commercial grade parts, so I'll never have to touch it again.

Oh, and one switch will control it all.... which should be kinda nice, too.

[pmurf1]

If you already have the conduit channel to the house, run some t-stat wire and use that to power the relays or contactor (depends on how many amps the lights are pulling). In theory, you're not supposed to run high and low voltage stuff in the same conduit, but it works. If you have all the lights power cords run to the same area where you could tie the relay/contactor in, it's an easy circuit. I'd set a 12x12 or so j-box and put the two contactors and transformer in it. Power the 110v to 24v transformer, get one with a breaker already or at least put a spade fuse inline with the secondary side just in case something shorts. It's cheaper to replace a fuse than a transformer. Run the common 24v leg (usually blue)to one side of the coil on the contactors. Run 24v positive (usually red) inside through your conduit to the house. Set a remodel box in the wall where you want the switches and use a double stacked single switch or two switches, one for outside, one for inside shop lights. Pick two colors of the low voltage wire and run each one back to the shop to the appropriate contactor. Then it's just a matter of just breaking the power from the existing line to the light with each side of the contactor. Under $100 to do it if you already have the conduit run underground.

[Pook]

garage door remote...and controller.

[EMG7895]

Your plan will work, go to a plumbing supply store and get a zone valve transformer, you wont need much power to activate the relay so get a small one.

[saf-t scissors]

use a double stacked single switch or two switches

So can I assume that mixing low-voltage and 110V circuits at the same switch won't cause issues? Code or otherwise? The conduit I'd use for the low-voltage lines is a spare, so no worries there.

I hadn't thought about putting the transformer in the garage, but that would actually allow me to switch several different circuits with one low-voltage source, which could be useful.

Good call on the secondary side fuse.

[pmurf1]

There's no need to even bring 110 into the house, just use either the stacked single gang switches or side by side double box ones to switch the low voltage that turns on either of the contactors. If your spare conduit to the house is empty, then you're golden. If you use something like a 40va transformer, you could run a ton of relays/contactors. Run some 16 gauge 8 conductor stat wire and you could turn on/off 7 things if you really wanted to. The switches you're going to put in the house couldn't care less if they're powering 110v lights/outlets or a 24v circuit.

Just mount the j box in the garage where you can easily tie in all the circuits you want to control. You could even use one of the light circuits to power up the transformer.

[TLCObsession]

You could also use one of the extra pairs to power an LED so that you know when the lights are on.