Need electrical advice....

[ReefnQueens]

so my mother-in-law has three seperate flood lights in her backyard on three seperate switches(in a 3 gang box), during the summer she goes away often and wants all three set on a timer to turn on and off at certain times.... i know i can connect all three lights to one switch but i dont want to get into changing the tripple box into a single box and plastrer and paint and all that fun stuff, i know i can exchange the switch with a timer/switch and do that to all three of them and itll work , my question is - is there a way to set up one timer to control all three switches?

 

[Reef Fixations]

Only if u can intercept the feed wire if they are on the same circuit.

Maybe u can do it from the basement if the wires are exposed in an open unfinished ceiling.


Another option is to get a "switch over switch" to gain a spot and use the new spot to install the timer. Make sure that the timer can accept the amount of watts that the bulbs are rated for.

Once u have that open spot, u can use the feed wire to go to the timer also. The feed wire has to go to.the timer and also each switch. The load side has to have a wire that is daisy chained to each switch's load side.

 

[garys reef]

U can also install a photo cell to have the lights come on at dark and off during day

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

 

[ReefnQueens]

Only if u can intercept the feed wire if they are on the same circuit.

Maybe u can do it from the basement if the wires are exposed in an open unfinished ceiling.


Another option is to get a "switch over switch" to gain a spot and use the new spot to install the timer. Make sure that the timer can accept the amount of watts that the bulbs are rated for.

Once u have that open spot, u can use the feed wire to go to the timer also. The feed wire has to go to.the timer and also each switch. The load side has to have a wire that is daisy chained to each switch's load side.

They do have a drop ceiling in the basement but I doubt those lights are on its own line it's probably tapped off some thing behind the wall but I'm def going to look into that, and as far as the switch over switch im trying not to cut another hole in the wall and make it into more of a project unless maybe I can turn 2 switches into a single double switch then a regular switch then the timer to control all 3 hmmm.....

U can also install a photo cell to have the lights come on at dark and off during day

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

One of the lights is underneath a big awning and the light will always stay on

 

[garys reef]

U can mount the photo cell anywhere u want

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Reef Fixations]

You don't have to cut a hole for a "switch over switch".

A "switch over switch" is 2 switches (one over the other) in the same space as 1 switch. Just like a deplex receptacle (outlet) has 2 outlets.

So in your 3-gang box you will remove 2 existing switches, add a "duplex switch" and have an empty space for the timer.

A photo cell is a great option too but make sure you get one that stays on in the dark without a timer or one that the timer can be turned off so that you can have it on the entire time as in dusk to dawn. In that case all of the switches would stay in the on position 24/7.

 

[ReefnQueens]

You don't have to cut a hole for a "switch over switch".

A "switch over switch" is 2 switches (one over the other) in the same space as 1 switch. Just like a deplex receptacle (outlet) has 2 outlets.

So in your 3-gang box you will remove 2 existing switches, add a "duplex switch" and have an empty space for the timer.

A photo cell is a great option too but make sure you get one that stays on in the dark without a timer or one that the timer can be turned off so that you can have it on the entire time as in dusk to dawn. In that case all of the switches would stay in the on position 24/7.

I got ya I'll let u know how it goes tomorrow thank you guys very much for the input... I love this site lol

 

[Reef Fixations]

They do have a drop ceiling in the basement but I doubt those lights are on its own line it's probably tapped off some thing behind the wall but I'm def going to look into that, and as far as the switch over switch im trying not to cut another hole in the wall and make it into more of a project unless maybe I can turn 2 switches into a single double switch then a regular switch then the timer to control all 3 hmmm.....


It doesn't necessarily have to be it's own circuit so long as the those switches are the only things on that "leg" of the circuit. So for argument sake, if you severed that line in the ceiling (with the power off), once you turn the power back on, the only things that should be off should be those lights.

You can have a circuit that splits off many times or you can have it in series. If you can see if that circuit splits off and only does those lights it's great but if that wire in the basement goes from those switches and is wired in series to power other lights in the house than once you incorporate a timer down there, all of the lights on that leg will be operated by the timer.

 

[TimberTDI]