I have a switch in the foyer and another at the top of the stairs. Each
switch can control the light above the stairs. But when I enter the garage
(right at the location of the switch at the bottom of the stairs) I have no
control over the garage lights. So I end up walking across the garage in the
dark to turn the garage lights on. When done, I have to turn off the garage
lights, then walk through the dark back to the foyer.

Here's what I want: The two existing switches stay as they are (they work
great for the light above the foyer stairs). I want to add a light and
switch just inside the garage door as I enter the garage from the foyer.
This light and switch would be hooked into the existing system that has two
switches and one light. When I enter the garage I flick a switch to turn the
new light on. Then I can see my way to the other side of the garage to turn
the main garage lights on.

One problem - I had someone come in to hook it up and they said that when it
was hooked up 'one way' the lights went dim. When it was hooked up the
'other way' the lights didn't work. I don't know a lot about electricity but
when viewing a diagram of 'two switches controlling one light' (pulled off
the web) it seems to me to be impossible to do what I'm trying to do because
the new second light (with third switch) would always be in serial instead
of parallel to the existing light (my meager electrical knowledge says that
you don't hook lights up in serial).

So was this a dumb idea? Can it only be done by running electrical wire all
the way from the other side of the garage to the foyer? If on the surface of
garage drywall is a conduit required? And finally, does my renovator know
what he's doing (obviously not!).

Thanks in advance,

Tom Edelbrok

"Tom Edelbrok" wrote in message
news:u2KDd.7325$8l.3095@pd7tw1no...
I have a switch in the foyer and another at the top of the stairs. Each
switch can control the light above the stairs. But when I enter the garage
(right at the location of the switch at the bottom of the stairs) I have
no
control over the garage lights. So I end up walking across the garage in
the
dark to turn the garage lights on. When done, I have to turn off the
garage
lights, then walk through the dark back to the foyer.

Here's what I want: The two existing switches stay as they are (they work
great for the light above the foyer stairs). I want to add a light and
switch just inside the garage door as I enter the garage from the foyer.
This light and switch would be hooked into the existing system that has
two
switches and one light. When I enter the garage I flick a switch to turn
the
new light on. Then I can see my way to the other side of the garage to
turn
the main garage lights on.

One problem - I had someone come in to hook it up and they said that when
it
was hooked up 'one way' the lights went dim. When it was hooked up the
'other way' the lights didn't work. I don't know a lot about electricity
but
when viewing a diagram of 'two switches controlling one light' (pulled off
the web) it seems to me to be impossible to do what I'm trying to do
because
the new second light (with third switch) would always be in serial instead
of parallel to the existing light (my meager electrical knowledge says
that
you don't hook lights up in serial).

So was this a dumb idea? Can it only be done by running electrical wire
all
the way from the other side of the garage to the foyer? If on the surface
of
garage drywall is a conduit required? And finally, does my renovator know
what he's doing (obviously not!).

Thanks in advance,

Tom Edelbrok


I read this a couple of times and "think" what you should probably do is add
a 3 way switch in the garage by the door and replace the switch across the
garage with another 3 way switch. This way it will work like the switches at
the top and bottom of the stairs. This will require a third wire be run
between the switches called a traveler.
Here is a good site that explains it better....
http://www.handymanwire.com/articles/3wayswitch.html
It would probably be fairly inexpensive to just hire an electrician and have
him fish all the wire inside the wall and mount the switches. As for your
renovator, I think he must not be a licensed electrician if he is hooking
bulbs in series!!

....Good Luck, Ross

You could also do what I did. I bought one of those "motion sensor"
switches so when I entered my garage, the light would automatically
come on and stay on for whatever I program it for. It's easy to
install. Just take out the old switch, put in the new one, only 2
wires. The switch must have a clear "line of sight" for it's infrared
sensor so when you enter your garage, it will sense heat and motion so
the light can come on.

"Mikepier" wrote in message
ups.com...
You could also do what I did. I bought one of those "motion sensor"
switches so when I entered my garage, the light would automatically
come on and stay on for whatever I program it for. It's easy to
install. Just take out the old switch, put in the new one, only 2
wires. The switch must have a clear "line of sight" for it's infrared
sensor so when you enter your garage, it will sense heat and motion so
the light can come on.


I like that idea....I could have used it in my last house!...Ross

That is a cool idea I never thought of!!!


"Mikepier" wrote in message
ups.com...
You could also do what I did. I bought one of those "motion sensor"
switches so when I entered my garage, the light would automatically
come on and stay on for whatever I program it for. It's easy to
install. Just take out the old switch, put in the new one, only 2
wires. The switch must have a clear "line of sight" for it's infrared
sensor so when you enter your garage, it will sense heat and motion so
the light can come on.

Tom Edelbrok wrote:

That is a cool idea I never thought of!!!

"Mikepier" wrote in message
ups.com...
You could also do what I did. I bought one of those "motion sensor"
switches so when I entered my garage, the light would automatically
come on and stay on for whatever I program it for. It's easy to
install. Just take out the old switch, put in the new one, only 2
wires. The switch must have a clear "line of sight" for it's infrared
sensor so when you enter your garage, it will sense heat and motion so
the light can come on.


Similar sound-activated switches also exist if motion-sensing does
not work for your specific case.

Your renovator doesn't have a clue. You need to leave the existing three way
system alone. Add a three way switch to the new location, run a three wire
cable from it to the existing switch location in the garage and replace the
existing single pole switch in the garage with a three way switch. Probably
best done by an electrician
"Tom Edelbrok" wrote in message
news:u2KDd.7325$8l.3095@pd7tw1no...
I have a switch in the foyer and another at the top of the stairs. Each
switch can control the light above the stairs. But when I enter the garage
(right at the location of the switch at the bottom of the stairs) I have
no
control over the garage lights. So I end up walking across the garage in
the
dark to turn the garage lights on. When done, I have to turn off the
garage
lights, then walk through the dark back to the foyer.

Here's what I want: The two existing switches stay as they are (they work
great for the light above the foyer stairs). I want to add a light and
switch just inside the garage door as I enter the garage from the foyer.
This light and switch would be hooked into the existing system that has
two
switches and one light. When I enter the garage I flick a switch to turn
the
new light on. Then I can see my way to the other side of the garage to
turn
the main garage lights on.

One problem - I had someone come in to hook it up and they said that when
it
was hooked up 'one way' the lights went dim. When it was hooked up the
'other way' the lights didn't work. I don't know a lot about electricity
but
when viewing a diagram of 'two switches controlling one light' (pulled off
the web) it seems to me to be impossible to do what I'm trying to do
because
the new second light (with third switch) would always be in serial instead
of parallel to the existing light (my meager electrical knowledge says
that
you don't hook lights up in serial).

So was this a dumb idea? Can it only be done by running electrical wire
all
the way from the other side of the garage to the foyer? If on the surface
of
garage drywall is a conduit required? And finally, does my renovator know
what he's doing (obviously not!).

Thanks in advance,

Tom Edelbrok

Tom Edelbrok wrote:
I have a switch in the foyer and another at the top of the stairs.
Each switch can control the light above the stairs. But when I enter
the garage (right at the location of the switch at the bottom of the
stairs) I have no control over the garage lights. So I end up walking
across the garage in the dark to turn the garage lights on. When
done, I have to turn off the garage lights, then walk through the
dark back to the foyer.

Here's what I want: The two existing switches stay as they are (they
work great for the light above the foyer stairs). I want to add a
light and switch just inside the garage door as I enter the garage
from the foyer. This light and switch would be hooked into the
existing system that has two switches and one light. When I enter the
garage I flick a switch to turn the new light on. Then I can see my
way to the other side of the garage to turn the main garage lights on.

One problem - I had someone come in to hook it up and they said that
when it was hooked up 'one way' the lights went dim. When it was
hooked up the 'other way' the lights didn't work. I don't know a lot
about electricity but when viewing a diagram of 'two switches
controlling one light' (pulled off the web) it seems to me to be
impossible to do what I'm trying to do because the new second light
(with third switch) would always be in serial instead of parallel to
the existing light (my meager electrical knowledge says that you
don't hook lights up in serial).

So was this a dumb idea? Can it only be done by running electrical
wire all the way from the other side of the garage to the foyer? If
on the surface of garage drywall is a conduit required? And finally,
does my renovator know what he's doing (obviously not!).

Thanks in advance,

Tom Edelbrok

They did not hook it up correctly.

You need one four way switch in addition to the existing two three way
stitches. The four way switch will come with instructions as to how it is
wired. It may replace an existing three way, using that three way in the
garage or the new one may go in the garage whatever works out easiest to
wire.

The new light need to be wired in parallel with the existing light.

Note: don't ask your "someone" come back to do the wiring as they don't
know enough to do it. If you don't know enough to do it yourself hire
someone who does. Generally it is legal to do your own wiring work on your
own single unit home, but not someone else's. You also should contact your
local building people to find out what rules they have. This is really to
protect you and your insurance. Keep in mind that is something goes wrong
with this and it was not inspected and approved your insurance may not pay
off. That could be expensive.

--
Joseph Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

"Tom Edelbrok" wrote in message
news:u2KDd.7325$8l.3095@pd7tw1no...
I have a switch in the foyer and another at the top of the stairs. Each
switch can control the light above the stairs. But when I enter the garage
(right at the location of the switch at the bottom of the stairs) I have
no
control over the garage lights. So I end up walking across the garage in
the
dark to turn the garage lights on. When done, I have to turn off the
garage
lights, then walk through the dark back to the foyer.

Here's what I want: The two existing switches stay as they are (they work
great for the light above the foyer stairs). I want to add a light and
switch just inside the garage door as I enter the garage from the foyer.
This light and switch would be hooked into the existing system that has
two
switches and one light. When I enter the garage I flick a switch to turn
the
new light on. Then I can see my way to the other side of the garage to
turn
the main garage lights on.

Sometimes you can pull a feed from a 3 way switch box and sometimes you
can't. It depends on the initial source of the power to the circuit.

What you can do is add a wireless switch to the garage lights. When you are
there is works like a normal switch but you can mount a remote on the wall
by the stair doors. This works on the exact same principal as your garage
door opener. In fact you might be able to program those extra buttons on you
car remote to control the lights if you want to. Sears used to sell them. I
am sure a lot of places do.

Here's the only web link I could find quickly:

http://www.onestopshopcatalog.com/ho...-switches.html

These prices seemed a little on the high side. Shop a little before you
buy.

Radio Shack sells a wireless remote switch. Plug a receiver into a wall
outlet, fixture into the receiver. Just press the remote switch (similar to
a car remote) to turn the fixture off/on. Find a way to connect any light
to the receiver--and it will work just fine.
MLD
"Tom Edelbrok" wrote in message
news:u2KDd.7325$8l.3095@pd7tw1no...
I have a switch in the foyer and another at the top of the stairs. Each
switch can control the light above the stairs. But when I enter the garage
(right at the location of the switch at the bottom of the stairs) I have
no
control over the garage lights. So I end up walking across the garage in
the
dark to turn the garage lights on. When done, I have to turn off the
garage
lights, then walk through the dark back to the foyer.

Here's what I want: The two existing switches stay as they are (they work
great for the light above the foyer stairs). I want to add a light and
switch just inside the garage door as I enter the garage from the foyer.
This light and switch would be hooked into the existing system that has
two
switches and one light. When I enter the garage I flick a switch to turn
the
new light on. Then I can see my way to the other side of the garage to
turn
the main garage lights on.

One problem - I had someone come in to hook it up and they said that when
it
was hooked up 'one way' the lights went dim. When it was hooked up the
'other way' the lights didn't work. I don't know a lot about electricity
but
when viewing a diagram of 'two switches controlling one light' (pulled off
the web) it seems to me to be impossible to do what I'm trying to do
because
the new second light (with third switch) would always be in serial instead
of parallel to the existing light (my meager electrical knowledge says
that
you don't hook lights up in serial).

So was this a dumb idea? Can it only be done by running electrical wire
all
the way from the other side of the garage to the foyer? If on the surface
of
garage drywall is a conduit required? And finally, does my renovator know
what he's doing (obviously not!).

Thanks in advance,

Tom Edelbrok