Outside Lighting

[dalriada]

Hi I have to wire timeclock two outside lights and two seperate switches to control lighting also, can i wire as two way switching back to timeclock switchwire or would there be a problem with backfeed..

 

[Marvo]

Why do you want automatic control from a timer as well as manual control from the switches? There's several ways you could wire this depending on how you want it to work.

 

[Andy™]

the relay in a timeclock is just a switch....

 

[dalriada]

client wants to switch lights on from two way switching and also the timeclock if needed there is no pir or photocell and wont need contactor as ther is not much load was just thinking of wiring as a two way switching the lighting switchwire at timeclock...

 

[steptoe]

Dalriada,

jeez, thats a norn iron name if I ever heard one, 

as for the Q,

just wire as normal 2way for the lights,

then perm live to clock [from same supply obviously] , and switched side of clock to lights along with sw wire from 2way switches.

 

[dalriada]

.Many thanks Steptoe I was just checking as this is the way i wired it and was doubting myself, glad you like my user name lol..

 

[Richard-the-Ninth]

Just wondering.

If it is wired as 2 way, suppose the switch is turned on , then some time later the time switch operates, would that not then turn the lights off?

 

[Pepparz]

Just wondering.

If it is wired as 2 way, suppose the switch is turned on , then some time later the time switch operates, would that not then turn the lights off?

the light wont be on unless the time clock is energised and one of the two way switches is closed, so if the clock isnt energised turning the switches on and off will have no effect on the light.

 

[Pepparz]

sorry read that wrong.

why have a time clock wired in parallel to switches?

 

[steptoe]

So you can over ride the clock 

 

[ProDave]

the light wont be on unless the time clock is energised and one of the two way switches is closed, so if the clock isnt energised turning the switches on and off will have no effect on the light.

What you have described there is 2 way switching in SERIES with the time switch.

So you won't be able to turn the lights on when the time switch is off.

Everyone else seems to be talking about the switches as an override to turn them on when the timer is off.

you need to be 100% sure which arrangement the customer actually wants. Or better still take the 2 way switching back to where the time clock is so you can reconfigure it from series to parallel when the customer comes back and says it does not operate the way they expected.

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

You can wire the clock / switch / lights in any manner you like...

BUT...

you need to double check you wire it in the correct logical way that the customer wants it to work...

e.g.  consider...

a/ 2-way switch in series with time clock; 

When time clock is ON you can manually control the lights from either of two positions.

When time clock is OFF you cannot turn lights on.

b/ 2-way switch in parallel with time clock;

When time clock is OFF the lights can be manually turned on / off

When the time clock is ON they will always be on, during which you cannot turn them off.

There is a risk with this method that the lights could get accidentally left permanently on..

e.g.  while the time clock is ON, if user presses one of the switches trying to turn the light off,

they could leave the 2-way in the ON position, then when time clock should turn lights off..

they remain ON via the 2-way switch.

c/ You could wire them with a change-over to select either time clock or manual  to ensure one or the other method is used?

etc..

Numerous combination of how you wire them,

but as said...

you need to confirm exactly how the customer expects it to work first!

Guinness

 

[Richard-the-Ninth]

the light wont be on unless the time clock is energised and one of the two way switches is closed, so if the clock isnt energised turning the switches on and off will have no effect on the light.

The way I read the question, that is not what the end user wants, hence my question.

client wants to switch lights on from two way switching and also the timeclock if needed

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

This question can not be answered with the info supplied so far.

Does the customer

A) Want the 2, 2 way switches & the time clock to operate all equally, ie 2 way & intermediate  (Which is not possible (but someone will probably work out a long convoluted way of doing this though )

B)  Want the time clock to operate the lights and the 2, 2 way switches to overide the clock to turn lights on when the clock is 'off'

C)  Want the time clock to operate the lights and the 2, 2 way switches to overide the clock to turn lights off when the clock is 'on'

 

[Marvo]

Same as Slipshod, I'm also still not sure what he's trying to achieve, there's various wiring possibilities depending on the desired outcome which is still ambiguous.