Stacked light switches

[catronics]

Hi, guys - This is a remodel question - I do a lot of remodel! I have a very narrow space (2-gang + about 1.5") to mount three light switches. Is it ever okay to put a light switch either above or below an existing light switch? Assuming that I can open the wall and change the height of the box(es), can I split the difference and mount the two boxes, one above and one below the 48" line? I'm guessing the answer is no, but I'm just checking.

The client said absolutely no on Decora (or Decora-style) switches - what are my options? Cut away the wood on the stud and put in a 3-gang box (reinforcing the stud above and below, of course)?

The switches are next to the front door, and would control two ceiling fan/lights in a "solarium" area outside the front door.
The other side of the wall is a stone wall - this area used to be outside and was a covered parking area, then they enclosed it, with huge glass walls, and we ran a couple of lighting circuits out there. It's sort of a quasi inside/outside kind of a space. So now we have two switch lines wanting to be put somewhere. The stone wall is a big problem, so is the narrow wall space on the inside wall. - Cat Cook, Nevada City, CA

 

[480sparky]

........The client said absolutely no on Decora (or Decora-style) switches - what are my options? ........

 

[Dennis Alwon]

If you have 1.5" left in the space just notice the stud. It won't hurt to cut out that little bit.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

You can also just use a stack switch with a standard switch in a 2 gang box but there is no reason you cannot stack a switch box above the other one.

 

[ActionDave]

Assuming that I can open the wall and change the height of the box(es), can I split the difference and mount the two boxes, one above and one below the 48" line? I'm guessing the answer is no, but I'm just checking.....

There is nothing wrong with this option. It may not be the easiest or the most elegant.

 

[McLintock]

Lutron makes a switch for a fan/light. A single toggle with a slider on each side


“ shoot low boys their riding shetland ponies”

 

[hbiss]

Assuming that I can open the wall and change the height of the box(es), can I split the difference and mount the two boxes, one above and one below the 48" line? I'm guessing the answer is no, but I'm just checking.

Have you ever seen a requirement that switch height be centered at 48"AFF?

You certainly can put a single above the double gang if that works for you. I would put the double gang at 48" and the single above it only because you use 48" for the rest of the house and if you go below 48" it's going to look funny.

For the record I've "hogged" out plenty of studs to make room for my boxes too.

-Hal

 

[catronics]

How cool is that! I didn't know they still made those! I like the individual one - it's cute! Thanks 480sparky!

 

[catronics]

Lutron makes a switch for a fan/light. A single toggle with a slider on each side


“ shoot low boys their riding shetland ponies”

Oh, and then there's the accursed fan/lights. They were made to NOT ACCEPT ANYTHING BUT PULL CHAIN CONTROL. And they were not labeled as such! Beware of these products! We put in two others of these in the living room, and the number of hours we spent trying to get wireless, slider, or speed control of any kind on these was absolutely maddening. Nothing, nothing in the 24-page installation manual. I called Hampton Bay and gave them h***. I even talked to someone at the factory. The noive! (That's Brooklinese.)

 

[catronics]

Have you ever seen a requirement that switch height be centered at 48"AFF?

You certainly can put a single above the double gang if that works for you. I would put the double gang at 48" and the single above it only because you use 48" for the rest of the house and if you go below 48" it's going to look funny.

For the record I've "hogged" out plenty of studs to make room for my boxes too.

-Hal

Thank you hbiss for your advice. Both those options sound good.

 

[catronics]

If you have 1.5" left in the space just notice the stud. It won't hurt to cut out that little bit.

Thank you, I was thinking that myself.

 

[catronics]

Thanks, everybody! I love this forum!

 

[Little Bill]

Oh, and then there's the accursed fan/lights. They were made to NOT ACCEPT ANYTHING BUT PULL CHAIN CONTROL. And they were not labeled as such! Beware of these products! We put in two others of these in the living room, and the number of hours we spent trying to get wireless, slider, or speed control of any kind on these was absolutely maddening. Nothing, nothing in the 24-page installation manual. I called Hampton Bay and gave them h***. I even talked to someone at the factory. The noive! (That's Brooklinese.)

Are you saying there wasn't a blue wire for the lights in the top of the fan with the rest of the wiring?
Lutron makes a fan/light controller and some don't require a neutral. I'm not understanding how something with a pull chain can't not also be controlled by a switch.

 

[synchro]

My parent's house had three P&S Despard switches at the front entrance just like 480sparky showed. I'm sure it was the original from when the house was built in 1939. It controlled the front hall light above the switch, the outside porch light, and the light inside an attached garage. Any visitors and sometimes even family members would flip between various switches until they found the one they wanted.

5 years ago it was replaced with a single switch and a stacked double as Dennis suggested using a 2-gang mud ring on the existing 4-inch box. It's now more straightforward to use because the single switch controls the commonly used inside hallway light, and it's nearest the door as you enter from the outside. The single switch is easier to pick out from the other switches that are used less frequently, even in the dark.
And so in the OP's application if one of the switches will be used more frequently or by more different people, a single next to a double switch could have an advantage.

 

[hbiss]

And so in the OP's application if one of the switches will be used more frequently or by more different people, a single next to a double switch could have an advantage.

Very true and I was going to mention that. But from reading the original description I couldn't tell if there was one switch that would benefit from being the single gang. So with that suggestion and knowing the job better than what was said here, it's something for Cat to think about.

-Hal

 

[James L]

One option would be to switch only the light kits, and leave the fans hot and just pull the chains.

Some people are really ok with that

 

[catronics]

Are you saying there wasn't a blue wire for the lights in the top of the fan with the rest of the wiring?
Lutron makes a fan/light controller and some don't require a neutral. I'm not understanding how something with a pull chain can't not also be controlled by a switch.

Nope! You can turn the circuit on and off, but not select a speed. I swear to God. I was shocked.

 

[Little Bill]

Nope! You can turn the circuit on and off, but not select a speed. I swear to God. I was shocked.

Never seen a fan that you couldn't change speeds on, either by chain switch or controller. I know some only have the remote with no chains but you can change speeds. What is the make/model of this fan?