Wiring a switch

[Jason Miller]

Hello,

 

Hope you guys aren't tired of all my questions yet! Thanks so much for all the help. I currently have quite a bit of progress made on my home automation setup. Nearly all outdoor lights are on the ISY and a few things inside. Tackling them slowly but surely.

 

Here goes my question ... on my last outdoor light it's an outdoor light above the patio in the garden. Directly above this light is a floodlight that can detect motion and turn on to spotlight. My goal is to have the only switch that controls this patio light on an Insteon switch so I can configure my schedules, etc.

 

Upon looking into this, I've discovered something I am simply not familiar with. Below is a picture:

 

 

 

So it's one unit, with two switches. Top controls the patio light and bottom controls the other sensor light. Anyway I can have something in place so keep the switch for the sensor light and a switch for the patio light?

 

My guess as to how this might work .. and the only way .. eliminate this unit with a single switch. Hardwire the sensor light into it where 1 switch controls both. If patio light is on, sensor light is on. Drawback .. if I want the patio light off and the sensor light on, that wouldn't happen. So I like having a switch to control (sometimes folks come over and I want sensor light OFF but patio light on).

 

Thoughts?

[EricK]

Hi,

Consider posting this with pics in the smarthome.com/forum where the mods give excellent device and wiring help. Consider an in-line linc in one of the fixtures to control it. Then install a keypad 6 or 8 button with the load control for the other switch. Then use one of the secondary keypad buttons to control the in-line linc. Use the other buttons to control other scenes or devices. I have mostly 8 button KPLs, however, the 6 button mimics a regular decora style switch, top on, bottom off. (To keep the off button LED off on the 6 button when the load is off press and hold the off button until it beeps, do that a second time, then a third time). Not sure a micro module would work without a switch for it.

Eric

 

Consider then changing out the other switches to decora style to match. You will have to handle the other double switch.

[oberkc]

The solution is likely predicated on what you WANT the lights to do after you incorporate them into the insteon world. Solutions include using a keypad at the existing switch location and use micro modules (or inlinelincs) at each fixture location. If you desire manual control of only one fixture, you could skip the keypad and install a single switch.

 

Make sure you have a neutral at the switch box location that is on the same circuit as the hot that feeds the existing switch.

[apostolakisl]

One option is like Oberkc said and wire the light hot all the time and put an inline linc at the light.

 

Another would be tear out the box and put a 5'er in.

[madcodger]

Personally, I like idea of putting in a KPL instead of just a Switchlinc, with patio light on the KPL load. Then an inline linc for the motion sensor light, linked to a button on the KPL. That KPL button would likely be on most of the time (as it controls a motion sensor light) but could be turned off if desired.