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Light switch help

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maccwall
Reg. May 2004
Posted 2009-01-12 12:18 PM (#97342)
Subject: Light switch help



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Location: Lone Oak, Tx
As usuall I'm confused. I am in the process of trying to wire in another switch in the horse compartment so I can walk out my walkthru door and turn the horse compartment lights on with out having to go outside and use that switch. The switch on the outside is has 2 prongs (one from power and one to lights) so I'm assuming that would be a SPST (single pole single throw) switch. I am thinking I need a DPST (double pole single throw) switch to do what I'd like to do. That would be run power to the DPST, run the wire(s) from the lights to the DPST and then another wire to from the DPST to the SPST. See whay I am confused. If I have this right someone please tell me. Of course if I don't have it right I appreciate if someone would tell me to.

Thanks in advance!

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hosspuller
Reg. Oct 2003
Posted 2009-01-12 5:26 PM (#97373 - in reply to #97342)
Subject: RE: Light switch help


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You'll need (two) single pole double throw switches and three wires between them.  ( If you're adding the second switch remote from the original switch make it four wires between switches.  one of the wires will carry power to the new switch)

In The previous post "three way switch help"

Whinnyman posts a very enlightening explaination..

Power to center on one switch, light to center on other switch, other 2 terminals wired from one switch to the other, ( travellers), top to top, bottom to bottom, or top to bottom, no matter. Sounds like you have lighjt connected to a "traveller" wire, Of course the other light wire connected to a good ground to complete the circuit. The switches are "single pole double throw". In theory each switch will connect the center terminal to one or the other outside terminal, with the battery connected to one switch it will power one of the two travellers depending on switch position, the other switch connected to the light will power the light from the energised traveller or no power will flow if switched to the unpowered one. Hope you can visualise this circuit.

Whinneyman    

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maccwall
Reg. May 2004
Posted 2009-01-12 6:52 PM (#97382 - in reply to #97373)
Subject: RE: Light switch help



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Thanks hosspuller,

So basically I need to replace the SPST switch with another SPDT switch if I'm reading you right, correct?

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whinneyman
Reg. Oct 2007
Posted 2009-01-13 5:45 AM (#97403 - in reply to #97342)
Subject: RE: Light switch help


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The Double Pole Duble Throw has to be wired between the single pole double thtow switches, if it is physically between it makes wiring simpler and saves wire. Visualise the folowing, you have the circuit for the two spst switches, the dpdt switch gets jumpered on the outside terminals like an "X" cut into the travellers and connect the ones from one spdt switch to the two center terminals and connect the other two going to the other spdt switch to the outside terminals on one end or the other. Visualise when this switch is thrown the travellers are reversed so the one powered or not from the first spdt isconnected or not to the light at the other spdt switch.  If the dpdt switch is not physically between the spdt switches then of course you will need to run four conductors . Probably this is clear as mud, kinda hard to 'splain on paper without drawing the circuit.

Whinneyman  

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whinneyman
Reg. Oct 2007
Posted 2009-01-13 5:52 AM (#97404 - in reply to #97342)
Subject: RE: Light switch help


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I need reading lessons! The post I just put up is for controling the light from three or more locations, you can put in a boatload of dpdt switches if you want, just wire them into the travellers. I blame the pain meds, just had a hernia repaired.

Whinneyman 

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hosspuller
Reg. Oct 2003
Posted 2009-01-13 12:32 PM (#97432 - in reply to #97342)
Subject: RE: Light switch help


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Ow! my head hurts thinking about this !

I was wrong about the four wires... Let's try again.

 

The original switch is a single pole single throw (spst) The hot wire (12 volts) goes to the switch then to the light. (the light is grounded at the fixture so only one wire is required)

Replace the original switch with a single pole double throw (spdt), from there, run three wires to the new switch location (color code them, red, white and black)

connect the hot wire at the original switch location to the red wire only. 

At the new location using a another spdt switch, connect the red wire to the center terminal (pole) black & white to the respective outer terminals (throw)

At the original location, connect the light to the center terminal.  The black & white to the respective outer terminals.

Whinnyman... is this correct??

 

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whinneyman
Reg. Oct 2007
Posted 2009-01-13 12:45 PM (#97433 - in reply to #97342)
Subject: RE: Light switch help


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Location: Mi.

Yupperdoodle,that makes use of the existing wiring, my explanation was theory so you could get the concept and then use it in a specific situation. The wiring is the same as 110 volt circuits except the neutral is now a ground circuit on a battery setup.

Good Luck 

Whinneyman

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maccwall
Reg. May 2004
Posted 2009-01-13 5:58 PM (#97455 - in reply to #97433)
Subject: RE: Light switch help



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Would this be correct. Remember, I'm more of a visual kinda person. That's why this stuf confuses me... LOL. Thanks for all the help.

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hosspuller
Reg. Oct 2003
Posted 2009-01-13 7:47 PM (#97456 - in reply to #97455)
Subject: RE: Light switch help


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Originally written by maccwall on 2009-01-13 3:58 AM

Would this be correct. Remember, I'm more of a visual kinda person. That's why this stuf confuses me... LOL. Thanks for all the help.

The switches are correct, but the lamps should be wired in parallel. You've drawn them wired in series. (unless that was intentional)

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maccwall
Reg. May 2004
Posted 2009-01-13 7:50 PM (#97457 - in reply to #97456)
Subject: RE: Light switch help



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500
Location: Lone Oak, Tx
Yes, they are parallel. I just did that diagram quick. Actually I'm testing you... LOL. Thanks abunch. I have bought a new switch to replace the original SPST, but it's an on, off, on. Is that going to matter? The other switch I have is an on, off SPDT.



Edited by maccwall 2009-01-13 7:51 PM
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hosspuller
Reg. Oct 2003
Posted 2009-01-13 10:59 PM (#97462 - in reply to #97457)
Subject: RE: Light switch help


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Originally written by maccwall on 2009-01-13 5:50 AM

Yes, they are parallel. I just did that diagram quick. Actually I'm testing you... LOL. Thanks abunch. I have bought a new switch to replace the original SPST, but it's an on, off, on. Is that going to matter? The other switch I have is an on, off SPDT.

For the (on,off,on) switch to work properly it will have to be in either "on" position.  If you leave it in the off position, the whole system stays off since that switch's pole is isolated in the center position.  You can consider it to be the master switch. 

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maccwall
Reg. May 2004
Posted 2009-01-14 7:33 PM (#97527 - in reply to #97462)
Subject: RE: Light switch help



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Posts: 524
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Location: Lone Oak, Tx
Okie Dokie,

Got it wired up like my diagram shows and nothing happens. No lights. I've checked with my test light to see if I have power and it glows so I have power, but I got to thinking as I was coming into work, I have one of the lights hanging, without the ground wire attached. I believe that this is the culprit and will fix that when I get home. The other switch has an LED that glows red when in the off position and green when it's on although I think I can tell when it's on... DUH, but I hsve no color to either on that switch. I did leave the other switch "on" (up) but still nothing and I tried switching the wire configuration on the other switch around as well... nothing. So I'm figuring that with that ground unattached ,it's leaving me with an open circuit so I'm not getting anything to the lights. Please correct me if I'm wrong. You guys have been great and thanks for all the help

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hosspuller
Reg. Oct 2003
Posted 2009-01-14 10:37 PM (#97536 - in reply to #97527)
Subject: RE: Light switch help


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Location: North Carolina

Originally written by maccwall on 2009-01-14 5:33 AM

Okie Dokie, Got it wired up like my diagram shows and nothing happens. No lights. I've checked with my test light to see if I have power and it glows so I have power, but I got to thinking as I was coming into work, I have one of the lights hanging, without the ground wire attached. I believe that this is the culprit and will fix that when I get home. The other switch has an LED that glows red when in the off position and green when it's on although I think I can tell when it's on... DUH, but I hsve no color to either on that switch. I did leave the other switch "on" (up) but still nothing and I tried switching the wire configuration on the other switch around as well... nothing. So I'm figuring that with that ground unattached ,it's leaving me with an open circuit so I'm not getting anything to the lights. Please correct me if I'm wrong. You guys have been great and thanks for all the help

As a quick test of the lamps. jumper the whole new switch system. touch a lead between the power wire and the wire to the lights.  They should power up.  If they don't, fix that problem before messin with the switches.  Then ...

Your test light will find the switch issue quickest if you follow this sequence.

Check for power between ground at:

Original wire to switch.

End of red wire at new switch

Determine which traveler wire has power at the new switch.  (Black or white)

above wire color at the original switch location.

at center terminal of above switch.

 

 

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