CallMeVilla

OK, maybe I am just tired. Here is the problem:

I have a house where the outside low volt lights are controlled by a timer in the garage. The 110V gets stepped down at a transformer then the LV wires distribute to the LEDs in the yard.

The porch light is on its own switch and not attached to the timer.

We are adding a new light near the sidewalk which will be 110v.

The owner wants to sidealk light to be on the timer OR controlled by the switch that activates the porch light.

How do I wire this? Attached is a rough picture of the layout . . . I see myself running 14-2 NB from the sidewalk light back to the exterior box where the timer is feeding power out to the yard. (dashed line) but the confusion is in the optional activation from the porch light switch OR the timer.

Thoughts? Bright answers?

kok328

Your drawing is incorrect based on your description and desired outcome. The yard light is 110V and is shown to be attached to the LV transformer which is not 110V output. Wire the new yard light to the porch light circuit which will be controlled by the porch light switch.

CallMeVilla

The porch light is on a separate switch. If I connect the 110v yard light to the feed from the timer, it will only actuate when the timer comes on. That meets 1/2 the requirement.

The owner wants the yard light to come on when the timer comes on . . . and wants to be able to switch it on when they light the porch light.

The drawing is one idea of how I could get power to the yard light at the j-box which also powers the low volt transformer. (dashed line) What I am not seeing is how to allow for the separte switching which includes the porch light and NOT the timer.

Hope somebody has wisdom to share.

nealtw

From the timer if it is 120 volt to a switch at the door and on to the light, so they could turn it off but when they turn it on, would only come on when the timer turns on.

JoeD

You can not do what the owner wants. The new light is 120 volts it can not attach to the timer. If you use a 12 volt light for the new yard light then you can attach it to the timer but you will not be able to attach it to the switch.

You can NOT combine the two different voltages into one circuit. You must choose one or the other or install two lights, one 12 volt light controlled by the timer and one 120 volt light controlled by the switch.

CallMeVilla

Thanks JoeD . . . I came to the same conclusion. The only way to make this work is to junction the 110v between the timer and the transformer. This powers the yard light at 110v PLUS powers the transformer for the low volt loghts . . . but ONLY when the timer kicks on.

The porch light will always remain separately switched.

The dashed line in my diagram was probably misleading. Sorry.

JoeD

It will work if the timer is 120 volts. Many of those units have a timer integrated and do not switch the 120 volts. They only switch the 12 volts.

CallMeVilla

You guys are gonna love this . . . as I was about to button up the new wiring, the architect dropped by. The original reason for the 110v was the lack of a low volt fixture that was "pretty enough." They found done, so the 110v line was cancelled and the low volt wiring was substituted. Oh, and forget the separate switching too.

Don't you love projects on the fly?

Thanks for y'all giving me advice.