Was called to a residence for some lighting that was not working, when I opened up the switch box I found it to be a low voltage system. This was the first time I ever dealt with it, sure looked to me like a labor intensive way to go about lighting. When I got up in the attic there was what looked to be bell wire running everywhere. Was this type of lighting common back 40 or so years ago? I have worked in hundreds of homes over the last 14 years and never ran into it until now.
LV lighting
- Thread starter nizak
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
I don't know how common they are but they are a pain in the butt. There was a time when everyone thought it would save tons of money because all you had to do was run bell wire to the switches.
We have had a few in town but most of them have been ripped out and installed traditionally.
We have had a few in town but most of them have been ripped out and installed traditionally.
Oakey
Senior Member
- Location
- New Jersey
I worked on one recently, the relays were thankfully still available. At first I was skeptical about it ,but once you figure out how it works it really isnt that hard. Ive seen about a dozen or so houses around here in NJ.
brantmacga
Señor Member
- Location
- Georgia
- Occupation
- Former Child
we had a contractor here who started a business doing nothing but LV lighting controls. He didn't even make it 12/mo. Bless his heart though, he tried. Most of my customers would rather spend their money on landscaping, paint, plumbing fixtures, and granite countertops than electrical. LV controls are a hard sell for us. Hell, 120v switches and receps are a hard sell sometimes.
quogueelectric
Senior Member
- Location
- new york
I have never run across one where are the relays located perchance??brantmacga said:
crossman
Senior Member
- Location
- Southeast Texas
There were several different systems. Generally, the relay is mounted at the j-box above the light. The relay snapped into a knockout. The 120 v leads were in the j-box, the rest of the relay and low voltage wires were outside the box.
Another method was to have a central control box in the attic with all the relays. A 120v switch leg and neutral went from the control box to each fixture/j-box.
I never liked working on the stuff myself. It just seemed old and worn out and ancient to me. Plus it is just another component that can wear out and break.
Edit to add: Also, the ones I worked on had 2 pushbuttons at each switch location, a N.O. momentary for "ON" and a N.O. momentary for "OFF". The relays were "latching" type relays.
Another method was to have a central control box in the attic with all the relays. A 120v switch leg and neutral went from the control box to each fixture/j-box.
I never liked working on the stuff myself. It just seemed old and worn out and ancient to me. Plus it is just another component that can wear out and break.
Edit to add: Also, the ones I worked on had 2 pushbuttons at each switch location, a N.O. momentary for "ON" and a N.O. momentary for "OFF". The relays were "latching" type relays.
- Location
- Massachusetts
It is not complicated, it is just not what your used to. :smile:
The advantage is you can add as many switches in as many locations as you want without '3-ways' and 4-ways' you can also make 'master' switches to control entire areas or zones.
As an example you could have switches at each door that turn on the outside light at that door and you could put a master outside light switch in the master bedroom to turn on or off all outside lights if the occupants heard a noise outside.
Here is a website that has a lot of good info.
Touch Plate FAQ
The advantage is you can add as many switches in as many locations as you want without '3-ways' and 4-ways' you can also make 'master' switches to control entire areas or zones.
As an example you could have switches at each door that turn on the outside light at that door and you could put a master outside light switch in the master bedroom to turn on or off all outside lights if the occupants heard a noise outside.
Here is a website that has a lot of good info.
Touch Plate FAQ
- Status