Remote switch for a light

tom baker

tom baker

First Chief Moderator & NEC Expert
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Location
Bremerton, Washington
Occupation
Master Electrician
Want to add a remote switch for an existing light switch. No dimming needed. I have good availability for Leviton or Lutron.
No power at remote switch location
 
What is the distance between the remote switch location and the existing light switch? What obstacles are there between those two locations? And does the existing light switch box have both circuit conductors available?

Cheers, Wayne
 
tom baker said:
Want to add a remote switch for an existing light switch. No dimming needed. I have good availability for Leviton or Lutron.
No power at remote switch location
Click to expand...
Get a Lutron Caseta switch and put it where the switch is. Then get a Pico wireless remote and put wherever you want it. The Pico can go in a box or just straight to the wall. You would need a wall adapter as well.
 
wwhitney said:
What is the distance between the remote switch location and the existing light switch? What obstacles are there between those two locations? And does the existing light switch box have both circuit conductors available?

Cheers, Wayne
Click to expand...
Ten feet
Neutral available at current switch
 
I’ve installed the Lutron wireless “3 way”. It’s works, until it doesn’t.

Wireless switch takes a button battery, lasts a couple years probably.

Reminds me, there is one I’m supposed to go install. 😳🤭
 
Years ago we gutted a huge old bookstore, remember bookstores?
They had latching relays that fit in a 1/2" KO up in the ceiling, on the outside of the KO they took a low voltage thermostat cable, in the Jbox they have leads to switch 120-277
So I saved a few from the dumpster,
They work with any old 24V power supply and some buttons.
I don't know what they are called but I wish they were more common as its pretty easy to install.
 
Little Bill said:
Get a Lutron Caseta switch and put it where the switch is. Then get a Pico wireless remote and put wherever you want it. The Pico can go in a box or just straight to the wall. You would need a wall adapter as well.
Click to expand...

My thoughts exactly.
Never had an issue with it.

Jap>
 
Seven-Delta-FortyOne said:
I’ve installed the Lutron wireless “3 way”. It’s works, until it doesn’t.

Wireless switch takes a button battery, lasts a couple years probably.

Reminds me, there is one I’m supposed to go install. 😳🤭
Click to expand...
Batteries are supposed to last 10 years.
I've put in no telling how many of these with no problems. Some over 10 years and the battery was still good. I have two in my house that are 8 years old, battery still going strong!
 
Another use for these is if someone wants a switch somewhere and it would be hard to place a switch there. One case I had, the HO wanted a new light put up and wanted a switch on her tiled backsplash. I told her that I couldn't guarantee that there would not be damage to the tile as I wasn't a tile guy. I told her I could put the switch in a closet, or other area, and put the Pico remote switch any where she wanted it. She opted for that.

Also, a customer wanted a switch for a ceiling fan that was direct wired. The house was old with plaster and lathe. I put the switch upstairs and the Pico remote downstairs in the room where the fan was.
 
gene6 said:
Years ago we gutted a huge old bookstore, remember bookstores?
They had latching relays that fit in a 1/2" KO up in the ceiling, on the outside of the KO they took a low voltage thermostat cable, in the Jbox they have leads to switch 120-277
So I saved a few from the dumpster,
They work with any old 24V power supply and some buttons.
I don't know what they are called but I wish they were more common as its pretty easy to install.
Click to expand...
Touchplate may be what you're looking at.
 
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