Switch a light that goes directly to a panel

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Redrum

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Location
Western New York
Hi;

I could use a good idea. I am not a professional, but am experienced and have permitted my work with inspections passed. Just so you know.....

I am rewiring a seasonal camp (cabin) that is down a hill, with about a 100' walk up to the top where a garage is located and cars are parked. It is in the woods in northern new york, so nightime is very dark. When people leave after dark, we walk them up the hill with flashlights.

The previous owner installed a mercury vapor light at the top of the hill for the parking area and travel up and down the hill. They ran the power for the light from the power mast into pole mounted to a tree. I am unsure of the cable type, but it looks like two individual black sheathed conductors wound around a cable (guy wire), very similar to the power feed.

They ran the feed to the light directly to a breaker in the panel, i.e. to turn on the light, you need to turn on the breaker. I imagine the reasoning is to leave it on all of the time.

Believe it or not, the association for the area would like us to limit "light pollution" at night, and I have to agree when out at a fire, star watching, etc, pitch black is pretty cool. So, I don't want to have the light on all night. I would like to change the light over to a LED on/off 2 head security light, and wire to a switch near the entrance to the camp for people who leave after dark.

The problem I could use ideas on is how to terminate the wire to the switch. Obviously, the wire to the light runs into the panel through the conduit that the power feed runs through, and is short once in the box. I suppose I could attach a junction box to the panel via very short conduit, feed the field wired into it,run a wire to the switch location, then pull the breaker feed into the junction box and connect.

so, the connection is the JB would be: feed from breaker (from panel), hot/switched hot (from switch box), light wiring (from panel).

Any other thoughts or is this the way to do it?

Not to confuse things but there is one other option I would appreciate an opinion on. I have a security light located on the garage at the top of the hill, switched from inside the garage. I do have pull wires in the conduit from the camp to the garage. The other option would be to eliminate the light in the tree, and switch the garage security light on/off from the camp. That would serve the same purpose. I realize that I would pull 14/3 through the conduit and use a 3 way switch, but would prefer it if maybe there is a remote switch available that I could control with low voltage wiring that I would pull????

Thanks;
Jim
 

charlie b

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I am closing this thread in accordance with forum rules. This forum is intended for use by electricians and electrical contractors, inspectors, engineers, and vendors with their job-related duties. We are not allowed to provide how-to advice to persons who are not employed in this industry, or persons who do not perform electrical installation or maintenance as part of their jobs. Engineers are welcome to participate, but only if their questions do not involve attempts to perform their own electrical installation, troubleshooting, or maintenance work.
 
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