Multiple lights controlled by a Master Switch

[pkelectrical]

Residential House
Looking for hardwired (no smart, wifi etc controls) options to have lights control inside the house for all the rooms, hallways, kitchens, bathrooms etc on 1 master switch which would override and provide power to the lights. All the lights will still have their own regular switches in their own respective rooms.

Need this also for the outside. How can this be accomplished?

 

[n1ist]

This would have been easy with the old GE touchplate system. Low voltage switches with a relay (mechanical latching so the coils are only active when you hit the button) per group of lights. In that case, you can add the master override to just pull in all of the relays at once. You could do the same with SSRs nowdays.

 

[GoldDigger]

This would have been easy with the old GE touchplate system. Low voltage switches with a relay (mechanical latching so the coils are only active when you hit the button) per group of lights. In that case, you can add the master override to just pull in all of the relays at once. You could do the same with SSRs nowdays.

As I recall, you had the choice of using diode logic or something like 32 pole NO relays to maintain isolation between the branch circuits.

 

[d0nut]

If this was my house, I would want to use a lighting control system to accomplish this switching rather than trying to do something with line voltage toggle switches. You don't want to create a master switch that when turned off won't allow any of the lights to be turned on from the local switch locations. Think of someone leaving and turning off the master switch and potentially turning the lights off on someone in the house, who will then need to navigate to the master switch location in the dark. Or think of the annoyance if you turn the master switch off during the day when sufficient daylight is available, but as the sun sets you go to a local switch to turn on the lights and nothing happens.

 

[TwoBlocked]

You could run cable with an extra conductor to the load side of each switch that would energize the light FROM THE SAME CIRCUIT AS IN NORMAL OPERATION by way of a lighting contactor such as:

https://www.grainger.com/product/3HYH7?gucid=N:N:PS:Paid:GGL:CSM-2295:4P7A1P:20501231&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwtqmwBhBVEiwAL-WAYfDC4_-d3L9L_yuN5jmJ3Uu1Eghs9mYrgqL4WN4OXJFZ04h5gs0ZjhoCGwYQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[PaulMmn]

Invest in the X-10 or similar 'smart' switches. The X-10 controllers have "All Lights On" and "All Units Off" buttons, in addition to individual buttons for up to 16 circuits.
,
I don't think you're going to find anything that will get your Master Control without something beyond normal wiring!

 

[James L]

I've done it dozens of times with 4-pole contactors inside the breaker panel, and a switch loop to the coat closet

 

[LarryFine]

I've done it dozens of times with 4-pole contactors inside the breaker panel . . .