On 7/3/2010 2:36 PM, J Burns wrote:
mm wrote:
On Sat, 03 Jul 2010 09:51:24 -0400, Nate Nagel
wrote:

On 07/03/2010 08:12 AM, Gordon Shumway wrote:
On Sat, 3 Jul 2010 01:35:13 -0700 (PDT), Michael
wrote:

Somewhat OT. I have a regular switch for my outside light that lights
when the outside light is on. The curious thing is that my
electrician put it in using existing wiring and there is no neutral in
the box. The house is 70 years old and there are only 2 wires in the
box and the box is not grounded.. How is that possible?
If there are only two wires in that box one wire is hot and one wire
is common. You have no ground in that box. That's the way houses
were wired 70 years ago.
or one wire is hot and one is a switch leg, which IMHO is more common.

nate

Either way, his question was how does the light switch light when the
outside light is on?

Clare mentions a neon light, but they light when the outside light is
off.
I can't answer Michael's question. Maybe someone can.

How about a PR2 flashlight bulb: 500ma at 2.38V. In series with a 60W
load, it would take 2% of the power.

To avoid exposing the flashlight bulb to the starting surge, you could
bypass it with a thermistor having a positive temperature coefficient.

If the load drew more current than the indicator bulb, you could bypass
the indicator bulb with a resistor. In that case, a thermistor with a
negative temperature coefficient in series with the bulb (but not the
resistor) would protect it from starting surges.

Another approach might be to use a step-up transformer with a low
primary impedance in series with the load to provide voltage for a neon
indicator across its secondary.

There are light switches that have a separate light. They fit a duplex
outlet plate and I believe the switches are available in three way.

http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/Pro...px?SKU=3212933

TDD

On Sat, 03 Jul 2010 20:13:24 -0500, The Daring Dufas
wrote:

On 7/3/2010 2:36 PM, J Burns wrote:
mm wrote:
On Sat, 03 Jul 2010 09:51:24 -0400, Nate Nagel
wrote:

On 07/03/2010 08:12 AM, Gordon Shumway wrote:
On Sat, 3 Jul 2010 01:35:13 -0700 (PDT), Michael
wrote:

Somewhat OT. I have a regular switch for my outside light that lights
when the outside light is on. The curious thing is that my
electrician put it in using existing wiring and there is no neutral in
the box. The house is 70 years old and there are only 2 wires in the
box and the box is not grounded.. How is that possible?
If there are only two wires in that box one wire is hot and one wire
is common. You have no ground in that box. That's the way houses
were wired 70 years ago.
or one wire is hot and one is a switch leg, which IMHO is more common.

nate

Either way, his question was how does the light switch light when the
outside light is on?

Clare mentions a neon light, but they light when the outside light is
off.
I can't answer Michael's question. Maybe someone can.

How about a PR2 flashlight bulb: 500ma at 2.38V. In series with a 60W
load, it would take 2% of the power.

To avoid exposing the flashlight bulb to the starting surge, you could
bypass it with a thermistor having a positive temperature coefficient.

If the load drew more current than the indicator bulb, you could bypass
the indicator bulb with a resistor. In that case, a thermistor with a
negative temperature coefficient in series with the bulb (but not the
resistor) would protect it from starting surges.

Another approach might be to use a step-up transformer with a low
primary impedance in series with the load to provide voltage for a neon
indicator across its secondary.

There are light switches that have a separate light. They fit a duplex
outlet plate and I believe the switches are available in three way.

http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/Pro...px?SKU=3212933

TDD


Cooper Wiring Devices 294LA-BOX Three Way Switch & Red Neon Pilot
Light

On Sat, 03 Jul 2010 20:13:24 -0500, The Daring Dufas
wrote:

On 7/3/2010 2:36 PM, J Burns wrote:
mm wrote:
On Sat, 03 Jul 2010 09:51:24 -0400, Nate Nagel
wrote:

On 07/03/2010 08:12 AM, Gordon Shumway wrote:
On Sat, 3 Jul 2010 01:35:13 -0700 (PDT), Michael
wrote:

Somewhat OT. I have a regular switch for my outside light that lights
when the outside light is on. The curious thing is that my
electrician put it in using existing wiring and there is no neutral in
the box. The house is 70 years old and there are only 2 wires in the
box and the box is not grounded.. How is that possible?
If there are only two wires in that box one wire is hot and one wire
is common. You have no ground in that box. That's the way houses
were wired 70 years ago.
or one wire is hot and one is a switch leg, which IMHO is more common.

nate

Either way, his question was how does the light switch light when the
outside light is on?

Clare mentions a neon light, but they light when the outside light is
off.
I can't answer Michael's question. Maybe someone can.

How about a PR2 flashlight bulb: 500ma at 2.38V. In series with a 60W
load, it would take 2% of the power.

To avoid exposing the flashlight bulb to the starting surge, you could
bypass it with a thermistor having a positive temperature coefficient.

If the load drew more current than the indicator bulb, you could bypass
the indicator bulb with a resistor. In that case, a thermistor with a
negative temperature coefficient in series with the bulb (but not the
resistor) would protect it from starting surges.

Another approach might be to use a step-up transformer with a low
primary impedance in series with the load to provide voltage for a neon
indicator across its secondary.

There are light switches that have a separate light. They fit a duplex
outlet plate and I believe the switches are available in three way.

http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/Pro...px?SKU=3212933

But isn't this two separate things on one strap and it's up to the
user to make sure it works the way he wants it to?

Three Way Switch & Red Neon Pilot Light No promises. No statement
that the neon light goes on when the circuit is on.

Break off provision for wiring on same circuit or separate circuits

TDD

The Daring Dufas wrote:
On 7/3/2010 2:36 PM, J Burns wrote:
mm wrote:
On Sat, 03 Jul 2010 09:51:24 -0400, Nate Nagel
wrote:

On 07/03/2010 08:12 AM, Gordon Shumway wrote:
On Sat, 3 Jul 2010 01:35:13 -0700 (PDT), Michael
wrote:

Somewhat OT. I have a regular switch for my outside light that lights
when the outside light is on. The curious thing is that my
electrician put it in using existing wiring and there is no
neutral in
the box. The house is 70 years old and there are only 2 wires in the
box and the box is not grounded.. How is that possible?
If there are only two wires in that box one wire is hot and one wire
is common. You have no ground in that box. That's the way houses
were wired 70 years ago.
or one wire is hot and one is a switch leg, which IMHO is more common.

nate

Either way, his question was how does the light switch light when the
outside light is on?

Clare mentions a neon light, but they light when the outside light is
off.
I can't answer Michael's question. Maybe someone can.

How about a PR2 flashlight bulb: 500ma at 2.38V. In series with a 60W
load, it would take 2% of the power.

To avoid exposing the flashlight bulb to the starting surge, you could
bypass it with a thermistor having a positive temperature coefficient.

If the load drew more current than the indicator bulb, you could bypass
the indicator bulb with a resistor. In that case, a thermistor with a
negative temperature coefficient in series with the bulb (but not the
resistor) would protect it from starting surges.

Another approach might be to use a step-up transformer with a low
primary impedance in series with the load to provide voltage for a neon
indicator across its secondary.

There are light switches that have a separate light. They fit a duplex
outlet plate and I believe the switches are available in three way.

http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/Pro...px?SKU=3212933

TDD

As quoted above, Michael says his switch box is not grounded and has
only two wires. He says the indicator light is on when the outdoor
light is on. With only a hot wire and a load wire, how would you
connect your neon indicator light to come on when the outdoor light came on?

On 7/4/2010 11:36 AM, J Burns wrote:
The Daring Dufas wrote:
On 7/3/2010 2:36 PM, J Burns wrote:
mm wrote:
On Sat, 03 Jul 2010 09:51:24 -0400, Nate Nagel
wrote:

On 07/03/2010 08:12 AM, Gordon Shumway wrote:
On Sat, 3 Jul 2010 01:35:13 -0700 (PDT), Michael
wrote:

Somewhat OT. I have a regular switch for my outside light that
lights
when the outside light is on. The curious thing is that my
electrician put it in using existing wiring and there is no
neutral in
the box. The house is 70 years old and there are only 2 wires in the
box and the box is not grounded.. How is that possible?
If there are only two wires in that box one wire is hot and one wire
is common. You have no ground in that box. That's the way houses
were wired 70 years ago.
or one wire is hot and one is a switch leg, which IMHO is more common.

nate

Either way, his question was how does the light switch light when the
outside light is on?

Clare mentions a neon light, but they light when the outside light is
off.
I can't answer Michael's question. Maybe someone can.

How about a PR2 flashlight bulb: 500ma at 2.38V. In series with a 60W
load, it would take 2% of the power.

To avoid exposing the flashlight bulb to the starting surge, you could
bypass it with a thermistor having a positive temperature coefficient.

If the load drew more current than the indicator bulb, you could bypass
the indicator bulb with a resistor. In that case, a thermistor with a
negative temperature coefficient in series with the bulb (but not the
resistor) would protect it from starting surges.

Another approach might be to use a step-up transformer with a low
primary impedance in series with the load to provide voltage for a neon
indicator across its secondary.

There are light switches that have a separate light. They fit a duplex
outlet plate and I believe the switches are available in three way.

http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/Pro...px?SKU=3212933

TDD

As quoted above, Michael says his switch box is not grounded and has
only two wires. He says the indicator light is on when the outdoor light
is on. With only a hot wire and a load wire, how would you connect your
neon indicator light to come on when the outdoor light came on?

Perhaps I'm suffering from premature postification again? 8-)

TDD