Boy that's to funny. Over the weekend, I couldn't for the life of me, make
that circuit work, and like I said to mm, I was sure I'd done a master
switch setup on some floodlights a while back, but for some reason the brain
was not functioning. I feel stupid now that I'm looking at your diagram. The
mind is a terrible thing to loose





"Bud--" wrote in message
.. .
trbo20 wrote:
Hi All

I am getting ready to update my largish family room and am considering
how to approach the lighting. I'd like to install flush mounted
fluorescents, halogen task lights, wall sconces and a switched outlet
in three separate lighting zones so that the room can be lit according
to its use.

In my switch box, I'd also like to have one master switch that turns
all three zones on or off regardless of the state of any of the other
zones. For example, if zones 1 and 2 are off and 3 is on, flipping
the master would turn on all 3. Flipping the master again would turn
off all three. Then flipping zone 3 once more would turn it back on.
It's a 3-part 3-way if you will.

Can this be done? I'm having a hard time wrapping my puny non-
electrician brain around it. If this is done, what's it called so I
can search for the wiring diagram?


I don't think master-off can be done without relays (or X10).

Master-on can be easily done for all lights on a single circuit:
[view with a fixed width font]

3-way switches
H--+----------------+-----------------O
| | Z x------- hot to zone 1
| +-----------------------O
| | |
+--O O--+ |
M | |
| | ON
| +-----------------O
| | Z x------- hot to zone 2
+-----------------------O
| | OFF/MASTER
| |
| |
more zones

M is the master switch (single pole switch)
Z - add 4 way switches at this point for equivalent 3-way
multiposition control

--
bud--