Here's the problem:

I live in a 3 story house with a two car garage and workshop down on the
ground floor. The living space begins on the second floor. I am in and
out of the garage all day long and generally enter the house through there.

Going downstairs, I often open the door only to find I've left the
lights on (sometimes overnight).

I was thinking: is there any sort of fiber optic thing that would mount
on the door and allow me to see the light on the other side of the door?
The stairwell is dark when I turn off its light from upstairs but I
would be able to see I'd forgotten something without having to
physically check.

I am open to other ideas... just want the lights out when I leave and
I'm too unaware to do it through memory. I've got the dread CRS disease.



Jay

On Aug 12, 1:28*pm, Jay Hanig wrote:
Here's the problem:

I live in a 3 story house with a two car garage and workshop down on the
ground floor. *The living space begins on the second floor. *I am in and
out of the garage all day long and generally enter the house through there.

Going downstairs, I often open the door only to find I've left the
lights on (sometimes overnight).

I was thinking: is there any sort of fiber optic thing that would mount
on the door and allow me to see the light on the other side of the door?
* The stairwell is dark when I turn off its light from upstairs but I
would be able to see I'd forgotten something without having to
physically check.

I am open to other ideas... just want the lights out when I leave and
I'm too unaware to do it through memory. *I've got the dread CRS disease.

Install a motion sensor light switch. Easiest thing to do.

R

RicodJour wrote:

On Aug 12, 1:28*pm, Jay Hanig wrote:
Here's the problem:

I live in a 3 story house with a two car garage and workshop down on the
ground floor. *The living space begins on the second floor. *I am in and
out of the garage all day long and generally enter the house through there.
-snip-

Install a motion sensor light switch. Easiest thing to do.

I'm thinking you're right. Added benefit for me would be that after I
pause for 'a moment or two' to ponder my next step, the sudden
darkness would jolt me back to reality.g

Do those things have 15-20 minute timers on them?

Jim

On Aug 12, 1:58*pm, Jim Elbrecht wrote:
RicodJour wrote:
On Aug 12, 1:28*pm, Jay Hanig wrote:
Here's the problem:

I live in a 3 story house with a two car garage and workshop down on the
ground floor. *The living space begins on the second floor. *I am in and
out of the garage all day long and generally enter the house through there.
-snip-

Install a motion sensor light switch. *Easiest thing to do.

I'm thinking you're right. *Added benefit for me would be that after I
pause for 'a moment or two' to ponder my next step, the sudden
darkness would jolt me back to reality.g

Do those things have 15-20 minute timers on them?

They are adjustable. Different ones have time setting ranges and some
have adjustable field of view ranges so they're not accidentally
triggered by movement outside the area to be lit.. For use in
California I believe you have to have one that you have to turn on,
but automatically turns off - not sure what's up with that. Most are
automatic both ways.

R

On 8/12/2010 11:05 AM RicodJour spake thus:

On Aug 12, 1:58 pm, Jim Elbrecht wrote:

RicodJour wrote:

On Aug 12, 1:28 pm, Jay Hanig wrote:

Here's the problem:

I live in a 3 story house with a two car garage and workshop down on the
ground floor. The living space begins on the second floor. I am in and
out of the garage all day long and generally enter the house through there.

-snip-

Install a motion sensor light switch. Easiest thing to do.

I'm thinking you're right. Added benefit for me would be that after I
pause for 'a moment or two' to ponder my next step, the sudden
darkness would jolt me back to reality.g

Do those things have 15-20 minute timers on them?

They are adjustable. Different ones have time setting ranges and some
have adjustable field of view ranges so they're not accidentally
triggered by movement outside the area to be lit.. For use in
California I believe you have to have one that you have to turn on,
but automatically turns off - not sure what's up with that.

Regarding that last thing, what are you talking about? I'm in
California, have installed *lots* of motion-activated lights, and none
of them work the way you described (at least I don't think so, based on
your description)--they all work the conventional way, turned on by
motion, turn off automatically, though they *can* be turned on manually
by flicking a switch connected to them, which I assume is true of all
similar lights sold across the U.S.

Regarding the adjustable on time, almost all of the ones I've installed
(Heath-Zenith, the only ones you can get anywhere, it seems) have only
1-2-5 minute choices, nowhere near 15-20 minutes.


--
The fashion in killing has an insouciant, flirty style this spring,
with the flaunting of well-defined muscle, wrapped in flags.

- Comment from an article on Antiwar.com (http://antiwar.com)

On 8/12/2010 11:17 AM David Nebenzahl spake thus:

Regarding the adjustable on time, almost all of the ones I've installed
(Heath-Zenith, the only ones you can get anywhere, it seems) have only
1-2-5 minute choices, nowhere near 15-20 minutes.

My bad; I just checked a couple of old ones I pulled from service, and
they're both 1-5-10 minutes. I think that's the standard.


--
The fashion in killing has an insouciant, flirty style this spring,
with the flaunting of well-defined muscle, wrapped in flags.

- Comment from an article on Antiwar.com (http://antiwar.com)

On Aug 12, 2:17*pm, David Nebenzahl wrote:
On 8/12/2010 11:05 AM RicodJour spake thus:
On Aug 12, 1:58 pm, Jim Elbrecht wrote:

Do those things have 15-20 minute timers on them?

They are adjustable. *Different ones have time setting ranges and some
have adjustable field of view ranges so they're not accidentally
triggered by movement outside the area to be lit.. *For use in
California I believe you have to have one that you have to turn on,
but automatically turns off - not sure what's up with that.

Regarding that last thing, what are you talking about? I'm in
California, have installed *lots* of motion-activated lights, and none
of them work the way you described (at least I don't think so, based on
your description)--they all work the conventional way, turned on by
motion, turn off automatically, though they *can* be turned on manually
by flicking a switch connected to them, which I assume is true of all
similar lights sold across the U.S.

I just grabbed this, you can DAGS on your own and see if you've been
compliant or not:

"Standalone Motion Detecting Lighting Controls
These devices mount in a wallbox and turn your lights on and off based
on motion detected in the room. (Occupancy sensing.)
Be sure the device you purchase has the mode you want. (For instance:
Automatic On, Timed off.) Devices made for California Title 24 do not
have an option for "automatic on." That feature is not allowed under
Title 24. The motion detector's only function is to turn the light off
once the room is vacated."

R

On 8/12/2010 1:05 PM, RicodJour wrote:
On Aug 12, 1:58 pm, Jim wrote:
wrote:
On Aug 12, 1:28 pm, Jay wrote:
Here's the problem:

I live in a 3 story house with a two car garage and workshop down on the
ground floor. The living space begins on the second floor. I am in and
out of the garage all day long and generally enter the house through there.
-snip-

Install a motion sensor light switch. Easiest thing to do.

I'm thinking you're right. Added benefit for me would be that after I
pause for 'a moment or two' to ponder my next step, the sudden
darkness would jolt me back to reality.g

Do those things have 15-20 minute timers on them?

They are adjustable. Different ones have time setting ranges and some
have adjustable field of view ranges so they're not accidentally
triggered by movement outside the area to be lit.. For use in
California I believe you have to have one that you have to turn on,
but automatically turns off - not sure what's up with that. Most are
automatic both ways.

R

I despise motion activated lights in restrooms. When I'm dropping a load
of ready-mix, the light always goes out when I'm half done. That's why
I always have a flashlight or two in my possession at all times. 8-)

TDD

"The Daring Dufas" wrote in message
...
On 8/12/2010 1:05 PM, RicodJour wrote:
On Aug 12, 1:58 pm, Jim wrote:
wrote:
On Aug 12, 1:28 pm, Jay wrote:
Here's the problem:

I live in a 3 story house with a two car garage and workshop down on
the
ground floor. The living space begins on the second floor. I am in
and
out of the garage all day long and generally enter the house through
there.
-snip-

Install a motion sensor light switch. Easiest thing to do.

I'm thinking you're right. Added benefit for me would be that after I
pause for 'a moment or two' to ponder my next step, the sudden
darkness would jolt me back to reality.g

Do those things have 15-20 minute timers on them?

They are adjustable. Different ones have time setting ranges and some
have adjustable field of view ranges so they're not accidentally
triggered by movement outside the area to be lit.. For use in
California I believe you have to have one that you have to turn on,
but automatically turns off - not sure what's up with that. Most are
automatic both ways.

R

I despise motion activated lights in restrooms. When I'm dropping a load
of ready-mix, the light always goes out when I'm half done. That's why
I always have a flashlight or two in my possession at all times. 8-)

TDD

You not the only one ha ha he he

Just wave an arm, and the light comes back on.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"Jim Elbrecht" wrote in message
...
RicodJour wrote:

On Aug 12, 1:28 pm, Jay Hanig wrote:
Here's the problem:

I live in a 3 story house with a two car garage and workshop down
on the
ground floor. The living space begins on the second floor. I am in
and
out of the garage all day long and generally enter the house
through there.
-snip-

Install a motion sensor light switch. Easiest thing to do.

I'm thinking you're right. Added benefit for me would be that after I
pause for 'a moment or two' to ponder my next step, the sudden
darkness would jolt me back to reality.g

Do those things have 15-20 minute timers on them?

Jim

"RicodJour" wrote in message
...
On Aug 12, 1:28 pm, Jay Hanig wrote:
Here's the problem:

I live in a 3 story house with a two car garage and workshop down on the
ground floor. The living space begins on the second floor. I am in and
out of the garage all day long and generally enter the house through
there.

Going downstairs, I often open the door only to find I've left the
lights on (sometimes overnight).

I was thinking: is there any sort of fiber optic thing that would mount
on the door and allow me to see the light on the other side of the door?
The stairwell is dark when I turn off its light from upstairs but I
would be able to see I'd forgotten something without having to
physically check.

I am open to other ideas... just want the lights out when I leave and
I'm too unaware to do it through memory. I've got the dread CRS disease.

Install a motion sensor light switch. Easiest thing to do.

Or add another light in parallel on other side of door
you don't need rocket scientist for that

R

"RicodJour" wrote in message
...
On Aug 12, 1:28 pm, Jay Hanig wrote:
Here's the problem:

I live in a 3 story house with a two car garage and workshop down on the
ground floor. The living space begins on the second floor. I am in and
out of the garage all day long and generally enter the house through
there.

Going downstairs, I often open the door only to find I've left the
lights on (sometimes overnight).

I was thinking: is there any sort of fiber optic thing that would mount
on the door and allow me to see the light on the other side of the door?
The stairwell is dark when I turn off its light from upstairs but I
would be able to see I'd forgotten something without having to
physically check.

I am open to other ideas... just want the lights out when I leave and
I'm too unaware to do it through memory. I've got the dread CRS disease.

Install a motion sensor light switch. Easiest thing to do.

I use one of these in my garage. Works great.

http://preview.tinyurl.com/2exfqhg

Jay Hanig wrote:
Here's the problem:

I live in a 3 story house with a two car garage and workshop down on the
ground floor. The living space begins on the second floor. I am in and
out of the garage all day long and generally enter the house through there.

Going downstairs, I often open the door only to find I've left the
lights on (sometimes overnight).

I was thinking: is there any sort of fiber optic thing that would mount
on the door and allow me to see the light on the other side of the door?
The stairwell is dark when I turn off its light from upstairs but I
would be able to see I'd forgotten something without having to
physically check.

I am open to other ideas... just want the lights out when I leave and
I'm too unaware to do it through memory. I've got the dread CRS disease.



Jay

If the light switch for the garage is on the garage wall just inside the
garage near that door you want to "see through" it would likely be a
simple job to put in a box and pilot lamp on the house side of that door
and wire it so it's lit when the garage lights are on.

That's eggsackly what I did in our home over 20 years ago. I used a neon
pilot lamp and it's lasted well all that time.



A couple of tips I use to help overcome the effects of my own CRS a

If SWMBO asks me to pick up something en route home from work I take my
wris****ch off its usual position on my left wrist and move it to my
right wrist. Every time I look to see what time it is I'm remided of
what it is I have to do.

If I need to take something out of the fridge and bring it into work (or
bring something home from the office fridge.) I put my car keys on top
of it. No way am I going to start driving until I've been to that fridge.

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10e12 furlongs per fortnight.

On 8/12/2010 1:58 PM, jeff_wisnia wrote:
If the light switch for the garage is on the garage wall just inside the
garage near that door you want to "see through" it would likely be a
simple job to put in a box and pilot lamp on the house side of that door
and wire it so it's lit when the garage lights are on.



This appeals to me more than motion sensors... the lights are
fluorescent. The complication is that they've got more than one switch
location. I can turn them on from just inside the front door (between
the two garage doors), from inside the workshop (next room in) and
finally from inside the stairwell behind that door.

The stairwell door is the only place I'd need an indicator light.




Jay

On 8/12/2010 11:14 AM Jay Hanig spake thus:

On 8/12/2010 1:58 PM, jeff_wisnia wrote:

If the light switch for the garage is on the garage wall just inside the
garage near that door you want to "see through" it would likely be a
simple job to put in a box and pilot lamp on the house side of that door
and wire it so it's lit when the garage lights are on.

This appeals to me more than motion sensors... the lights are
fluorescent. The complication is that they've got more than one switch
location. I can turn them on from just inside the front door (between
the two garage doors), from inside the workshop (next room in) and
finally from inside the stairwell behind that door.

The stairwell door is the only place I'd need an indicator light.

Sounds like an interesting experiment. Why don't you get a short piece
of fiber-optic cable and just try it? Could experiment just on a piece
of wood: drill a hole for the cable, get a couple of small plastic caps
(maybe from a craft supply place, jewelry pieces, whatever) and epoxy
them onto the cable. Might just work. (Though I suspect it'll have to be
fairly dark on the other side of the door for you to be able to see if
the light is on or not.)


--
The fashion in killing has an insouciant, flirty style this spring,
with the flaunting of well-defined muscle, wrapped in flags.

- Comment from an article on Antiwar.com (http://antiwar.com)

On 8/12/2010 2:33 PM, David Nebenzahl wrote:
On 8/12/2010 11:14 AM Jay Hanig spake thus:
Sounds like an interesting experiment. Why don't you get a short piece
of fiber-optic cable and just try it? Could experiment just on a piece
of wood: drill a hole for the cable, get a couple of small plastic caps
(maybe from a craft supply place, jewelry pieces, whatever) and epoxy
them onto the cable. Might just work. (Though I suspect it'll have to be
fairly dark on the other side of the door for you to be able to see if
the light is on or not.)




I had another thought: does anybody make a four way wall switch that
would have an indicator light on it that might light when the circuit is
hot? Knowing the power is going to the light would be the same as
knowing the light was left on.

I've still preferring to steer clear of motion sensors. They always
seem to click off in the middle of things. I've used one (for another
purpose) in the garage in the last place I lived and wasn't satisfied
with it. That one turned on a floodlight within the garage when anybody
moved in there but it wasn't suitable for general lighting. I have
banks of 8' fluorescent tubes on both sides of my garage as well as in
the workshop in the next room. I need to control all of the tubes; not
just a single bulb.

The idea is not to leave the lights on when I'm not in the garage. But
with the machinery I have within my workshop, it'd be dangerous for the
lights to go out during the middle of an operation. Table saw, etc...




Jay

On Aug 12, 3:06*pm, Jay Hanig wrote:
On 8/12/2010 2:33 PM, David Nebenzahl wrote:

On 8/12/2010 11:14 AM Jay Hanig spake thus:
Sounds like an interesting experiment. Why don't you get a short piece
of fiber-optic cable and just try it? Could experiment just on a piece
of wood: drill a hole for the cable, get a couple of small plastic caps
(maybe from a craft supply place, jewelry pieces, whatever) and epoxy
them onto the cable. Might just work. (Though I suspect it'll have to be
fairly dark on the other side of the door for you to be able to see if
the light is on or not.)

I had another thought: *does anybody make a four way wall switch that
would have an indicator light on it that might light when the circuit is
hot? *Knowing the power is going to the light would be the same as
knowing the light was left on.

I've still preferring to steer clear of motion sensors. *They always
seem to click off in the middle of things. *I've used one (for another
purpose) in the garage in the last place I lived and wasn't satisfied
with it. *That one turned on a floodlight within the garage when anybody
moved in there but it wasn't suitable for general lighting. *I have
banks of 8' fluorescent tubes on both sides of my garage as well as in
the workshop in the next room. *I need to control all of the tubes; not
just a single bulb.

The idea is not to leave the lights on when I'm not in the garage. *But
with the machinery I have within my workshop, it'd be dangerous for the
lights to go out during the middle of an operation. *Table saw, etc...

No, a motion sensor switch does not make sense in a workshop with
dangerous tools running. It's important to at least try to ask a
question and give sufficient information so you don't waste people's
time...including yours.

Just buy the standard door peep hole. Cheap and installs in five
minutes.

R

Jay Hanig wrote:

I had another thought: does anybody make a four way wall switch that
would have an indicator light on it that might light when the circuit is
hot? Knowing the power is going to the light would be the same as
knowing the light was left on.

Any 3-way or 4-way switch can be replaced with a "pilot light" or
"illuminated" version. "Illuminated" switches light up when the load is
off. "Pilot light" switches light up when the load is on, and a neutral
is probably required (not always available at a switch box). In both
versions the handle lights up and is not real bright. There needs to be
a load (a switched receptacle with no load won't work). May not work
with some electronic loads (CFLs?). Incandescent lamps and magnetic
ballasts would certainly work. May be the easiest solution.

--
bud--

On Aug 12, 2:14*pm, Jay Hanig wrote:
On 8/12/2010 1:58 PM, jeff_wisnia wrote:

If the light switch for the garage is on the garage wall just inside the
garage near that door you want to "see through" it would likely be a
simple job to put in a box and pilot lamp on the house side of that door
and wire it so it's lit when the garage lights are on.

This appeals to me more than motion sensors... the lights are
fluorescent. *The complication is that they've got more than one switch
location. *I can turn them on from just inside the front door (between
the two garage doors), from inside the workshop (next room in) and
finally from inside the stairwell behind that door.

Fluorescent bulbs doesn't change things - they're switches, not
dimmers, and they make them in three way switches. They're not budget
busters.
http://www.amazon.com/Leviton-PR180-...38390&sr =8-6

Doing the fiber optic thing, or an indicator on the other side of the
door will cost you more money and time, and you'll still have to go
into the garage to turn off the light.

R

Jay Hanig wrote:
On 8/12/2010 1:58 PM, jeff_wisnia wrote:

If the light switch for the garage is on the garage wall just inside the
garage near that door you want to "see through" it would likely be a
simple job to put in a box and pilot lamp on the house side of that door
and wire it so it's lit when the garage lights are on.




This appeals to me more than motion sensors... the lights are
fluorescent. The complication is that they've got more than one switch
location. I can turn them on from just inside the front door (between
the two garage doors), from inside the workshop (next room in) and
finally from inside the stairwell behind that door.

The stairwell door is the only place I'd need an indicator light.




Jay



I'm reading into what you just said that the flourescent fixtures are
either all on or all off, but controlled from three different switch
locations.

If that's not the case, ignore what's below.

How about picking up a small solar panel, placing it quite near the
closest flourescent fixture to the stairwell door and running a low
voltage line to a small (flashlight) bulb you can see from the other
side of that door?

Here's a panel that might do it for only $12.95:

http://store.sundancesolar.com/minsolpan15v.html

One advantage is you wouldn't have to mess with line voltage wiring and
electrical code stuff to install it.

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10e12 furlongs per fortnight.

On Aug 12, 2:14*pm, Jay Hanig wrote:
On 8/12/2010 1:58 PM, jeff_wisnia wrote:

If the light switch for the garage is on the garage wall just inside the
garage near that door you want to "see through" it would likely be a
simple job to put in a box and pilot lamp on the house side of that door
and wire it so it's lit when the garage lights are on.

This appeals to me more than motion sensors... the lights are
fluorescent. *The complication is that they've got more than one switch
location. *I can turn them on from just inside the front door (between
the two garage doors), from inside the workshop (next room in) and
finally from inside the stairwell behind that door.

The stairwell door is the only place I'd need an indicator light.

Jay


Do you know which of the three switches in your four-way loop
is next to the doorway going upstairs ?

You are going to have a feed side where the power comes in,
a four way switch in the middle and a load side to your loop...
You can switch the lights from additional locations by adding
additional four way switches to the middle of the loop...

The "pilot light" needs to be fed from the load side of the loop
and requires a neutral connection... You might have to run
an additional wire to install such a light if you aren't lucky to
have the right end of the loop in the box already in the wall
you want to install the pilot light in...

~~ Evan

On Aug 12, 1:58*pm, jeff_wisnia
wrote:

If I need to take something out of the fridge and bring it into work (or
bring something home from the office fridge.) I put my car keys on top
of it. No way am I going to start driving until I've been to that fridge.

I'm relieved to know I'm not the only person who does that.

I always have a little concern that I'll forget I put my keys in the
fridge
and have some kind of panicky meltdown in front of my co-workers,
but it has never happened (yet).

Cindy Hamilton

Years ago, Google had some fun with that concept.

TinyURL was created!
The following URL:

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=....mydigitallife
.info/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/my-****ing-keys.jpg&imgrefu
rl=http://www.mydigitallife.info/2007/06/06/google-lets-you-
know-where-are-my-****ing-keys-in-20-years/&usg=__zvUM_YXAst
D4xcDmgpjfh-vhlkQ=&h=374&w=400&sz=27&hl=en&start=0&tbnid=3DD
7Jxj01QPr4M:&tbnh=137&tbnw=147&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmy%2B****i
ng%2Bkeys%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D780% 26bih%3D43
3%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=126&vpy=7 2&dur=3982
&hovh=217&hovw=232&tx=142&ty=121&ei=2JVkTI_BOoH98A a-8rDACA&o
ei=2JVkTI_BOoH98Aa-8rDACA&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=7&ved=1t:429,r:0
,s:0

has a length of 604 characters and resulted in the following TinyURL
which has a length of 26 characters:
http://tinyurl.com/2f9zlpx

Can you find your keys?

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"jeff_wisnia" wrote in message
...

If I need to take something out of the fridge and bring it into work
(or
bring something home from the office fridge.) I put my car keys on top
of it. No way am I going to start driving until I've been to that
fridge.

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10e12 furlongs per fortnight.

My Dad did something similar, using the lamp in the garage door
opener. Wired to a blue pilot light.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"jeff_wisnia" wrote in message
...


If the light switch for the garage is on the garage wall just inside
the
garage near that door you want to "see through" it would likely be a
simple job to put in a box and pilot lamp on the house side of that
door
and wire it so it's lit when the garage lights are on.

That's eggsackly what I did in our home over 20 years ago. I used a
neon
pilot lamp and it's lasted well all that time.

On 8/12/2010 12:28 PM, Jay Hanig wrote:
Here's the problem:

I live in a 3 story house with a two car garage and workshop down on the
ground floor. The living space begins on the second floor. I am in and
out of the garage all day long and generally enter the house through there.

Going downstairs, I often open the door only to find I've left the
lights on (sometimes overnight).

I was thinking: is there any sort of fiber optic thing that would mount
on the door and allow me to see the light on the other side of the door?
The stairwell is dark when I turn off its light from upstairs but I
would be able to see I'd forgotten something without having to
physically check.

I am open to other ideas... just want the lights out when I leave and
I'm too unaware to do it through memory. I've got the dread CRS disease.



Jay

Edmund Scientific sells some fiber optic fiber 3' long and I think it's
plastic for $12.95 which may do the trick. It can be cut and bundled
together for more light transmission.

http://scientificsonline.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_3053301

TDD

"Jay Hanig" wrote:

I live in a 3 story house with a two car garage and
workshop down on the ground floor. ...

My solution to a similar, but not identical, problem was to
take an old radio and power it through the light socket.
Light on, radio plays my favorite station loud enough to
hear it upstairs; light off, radio off.

One fellow I knew, used a motion detector light in the yard, to power
a radio in his bedroom. No bulb, just an adaptor, and cord to the
radio. So he'd know if someone was in the yard. Clever.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"CWLee" wrote in message
m...


"Jay Hanig" wrote:

I live in a 3 story house with a two car garage and
workshop down on the ground floor. ...

My solution to a similar, but not identical, problem was to
take an old radio and power it through the light socket.
Light on, radio plays my favorite station loud enough to
hear it upstairs; light off, radio off.

On Aug 13, 12:01*am, "CWLee" wrote:
My solution to a similar, but not identical, problem was to
take an old radio and power it through the light socket.
Light on, radio plays my favorite station loud enough to
hear it upstairs; light off, radio off.

Many fancy options in this thread, but I think this points to a cheap
way. Just extend the light circuit up from the basement to a single
(new or existing) fixture in the 2nd floor. If that light is on, the
basement light is on. If you just wire an outlet, you can stick
something low power like a nightlight that won't waste a lot of power
while you're working in the garage.

Henry

On Thu, 12 Aug 2010 13:28:24 -0400, Jay Hanig
wrote:

Here's the problem:

I live in a 3 story house with a two car garage and workshop down on the
ground floor. The living space begins on the second floor. I am in and
out of the garage all day long and generally enter the house through there.

Going downstairs, I often open the door only to find I've left the
lights on (sometimes overnight).

Does the garage door have windows? If so, since I'm sure you need the
electric light during the day sometimes, it will be hard to tell the
daylight from electric light.

But you could connect a bell, like a fire alarm bell, to the light, so
that whenever the light was on, the bell would ring.

On 8/13/2010 4:59 AM, mm wrote:
On Thu, 12 Aug 2010 13:28:24 -0400, Jay
wrote:

Here's the problem:

I live in a 3 story house with a two car garage and workshop down on the
ground floor. The living space begins on the second floor. I am in and
out of the garage all day long and generally enter the house through there.

Going downstairs, I often open the door only to find I've left the
lights on (sometimes overnight).

Does the garage door have windows? If so, since I'm sure you need the
electric light during the day sometimes, it will be hard to tell the
daylight from electric light.

But you could connect a bell, like a fire alarm bell, to the light, so
that whenever the light was on, the bell would ring.



I don't think you understand the layout:

This first shot is what I see from upstairs looking down. There
obviously is a light at the base of the stairs but it usually is off.

http://www.imagenerd.com/uploads/garage_1-uQgYI.jpg


The second shot is from the other side of that door into the garage from
the living area. The door in the background is into the driveway.

http://www.imagenerd.com/uploads/garage_2-fA6WR.jpg


The third shot is of the back wall of the garage from the other side of
the central shaft (where the stairwell is). This back wall parallels
the entire back side of the house and separates the garage from my
workshop. The workshop has its own lighting which is not controllable
from any other place.

http://www.imagenerd.com/uploads/garage_3-zjSQP.jpg


The last shot is of the garage from the front. Picture #1 would be on
the inside on the right side of the image; picture #3 would be on the
left and the stairwell is directly behind the center door but is
accessed from the right hand bay.

http://www.imagenerd.com/uploads/garage_4-1HrcR.jpg

So the problem was that when I was looking down the stairwell in picture
#1, I couldn't tell if the lights were on in the garage with that door
closed to the stairwell. Don't worry about any of the exterior
entrances to the house; I know upstairs if any of them is open.

Anyway, there is a light switch on the inside of the stairwell at the
bottom; another just inside that front door to the outside; and a third
just inside the workshop next to the doorway into the garage. All of
those switches can control the overhead fluorescent lights in the
garage. Those overhead lights are the ones I'm concerned with; the ones
I sometimes forget to turn off.

Was this clearer?

In any case, I'm going to try a peephole as earlier suggested since
they're only about $4 at Lowes.



Jay

Jay,

Get a Lucite rod from .25 to .75 inches in diameter and however long it
needs to be to pass through the wall or door.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poly(methyl_methacrylate)

Cut one end at a 45 degree angle and polish with sandpaper. Insert into a
hole between the garage and the stairwell. Position the angle cut end so
that the flat faces the "viewing point" and it will pipe the light from the
garage into the rod where it will be quite visible from the other side.

http://www.google.com/search?q=buy+lucite+rods

Or, you can try to local a cheap "ship's prism" somewhe

http://www.bracesinfo.com/store/SHIP...461455773.html

--
Bobby G.

On 8/14/2010 3:54 PM, Robert Green wrote:
Jay,

Get a Lucite rod from .25 to .75 inches in diameter and however long it
needs to be to pass through the wall or door.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poly(methyl_methacrylate)

Cut one end at a 45 degree angle and polish with sandpaper. Insert into a
hole between the garage and the stairwell. Position the angle cut end so
that the flat faces the "viewing point" and it will pipe the light from the
garage into the rod where it will be quite visible from the other side.

http://www.google.com/search?q=buy+lucite+rods

Or, you can try to local a cheap "ship's prism" somewhe

http://www.bracesinfo.com/store/SHIP...461455773.html



I tried the peephole and it's unsatisfactory. I'll take a look at what
you've suggested.



Jay

On Aug 15, 1:51*am, Jay Hanig wrote:
On 8/14/2010 3:54 PM, Robert Green wrote:



Jay,

Get a Lucite rod from .25 to .75 inches in diameter and however long it
needs to be to pass through the wall or door.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poly(methyl_methacrylate)

Cut one end at a 45 degree angle and polish with sandpaper. *Insert into a
hole between the garage and the stairwell. *Position the angle cut end so
that the flat faces the "viewing point" and it will pipe the light from the
garage into the rod where it will be quite visible from the other side.

http://www.google.com/search?q=buy+lucite+rods

Or, you can try to local a cheap "ship's prism" somewhe

http://www.bracesinfo.com/store/SHIP...461455773.html

I tried the peephole and it's unsatisfactory. *I'll take a look at what
you've suggested.

Did you put a red reflector lens over it? The color will stand out a
lot more. Use a kids bike reflector. I don't know where your lights
are in relation to the door, and whether the lights have deflectors or
are recessed so not much light is being thrown laterally, but you
could try putting a mirror (concave is too much to ask) in the garage
and bounce light onto the peephole. If that doesn't work, I think you
might be looking at running some wiring. Or running a radio in the
garage that's plugged in on the light circuit, and set up an intercom.

Hmmm....I just had a thought. Maybe you could go through the house
electrical system, install an X-10 module or something like that, and
have a remote switch upstairs. There are also wireless things for
stuff like that, but I've never installed any such.

Oh, and I had one last question - do the doors in your garage have
windows? I can look out my second floor window and see the light
coming out of the garage windows even though I can't see the windows
directly.

R