Re: remote controlled light switch

[Charles Sullivan <cwsulliv@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Sun, 29 Jan 2006 18:41:19 +0000, Snydley wrote:

> I want to control my garage's outside light from inside my house with a
> remote controlled RF light switch. The light is currently controlled with
> 2 -  3 way switches, one on both floors of the garage. The light was never
> wired to the house, and the only way to control it now is to walk out to the
> garage and turn it on or off. I'd like to be able to do this remotely from
> the house.
> Does anyone manufacture some kind of receiver/switch and remote control that
> you can wire into an existing 3 way circuit?
> Has anyone here ever done this? I appreciate any help you might bring.
> Thanks,
> Snyde

I'm assuming that although a garage light switch was never wired
to the house, the garage is powered from the same breaker box as
the house.

I have an X10 system at my house which started out simply with the
same requirement as yours, but which has now been expanded to
control over 20 lights in various remote locations.

You could use the following set of X10 components from
 <http://www.x10.com/catalog/cat_automation.htm>

  WS4777 or WS12A 3-way Wall Switch module (includes master + slave)
  TM751 RF Transceiver
  SS13A or SS15A Slimline Wireless Wall Switch (or any other
    x10 RF transmitter)

Or you could use a plug-in X10 Controller like the MC460
Mini-Controller along with the 3-way wall switch module
and forget the RF transmitter and transceiver.  (Basic X10
operates by sending control signals over the AC power lines.)