Switch wiring for the garage

Blaydon

Blaydon

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Hi Folks,
Like many, we have a garage at the back of our Motorhome. Ours has a very poor, single light on one side. I want to run an LED strip round the garage so I can see what I am doing. The space has three doors, one either side and an access hatch from inside the vehicle. I want to be able to switch the light on from any one of these access points, and ideally, switch the light off from any one of the others, so I don't have to return to one door to turn off the light where it was switched on.
So........ can anyone who has done this, or is clever, let me know the wiring I need to do this job.
Currently there is a 12v supply to the garage, which supplies the single light.

Thanks for your time

D
 
Would single contact switches on each door and access panel make it easier to wire for you - and also avoid the possibility of forgetting to turn the LED strip off? It will also avoid the need for 3 Way switching between all doors.
 
Orion said:
Would single contact switches on each door and access panel make it easier to wire for you - and also avoid the possibility of forgetting to turn the LED strip off? It will also avoid the need for 3 Way switching between all doors.
Click to expand...
Hi there. I had that idea too. However I do leave the doors open on site sometimes so the lights would be on.
 
This is how to wire it.
Screenshot_20230517_082404_com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox.jpg
 
Could you use a cupboard door light switch on each door, so when a door is open, all the lights come on? That way you don't need multi-way switching.
 
I only know of domestic style switches that fulfill this requirement.
 
I will need to mount the switches on the surface so domestic switches with surface boxes will work. They will be large but I can mount them in the space above the doors so tucked out of the way. I might even go black or brown o they do not stand out too much. D

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Don't use domestic cable as it's not good with vibration. The cables that go to the intermediate switch are called strappers. You can have more than one intermediate switch on the strappers.
 
Check that the wires to supply the single bulb are capable of supply such a long LED strip.

Although a single led doesn't use much juice a long strip can add up depending on the strip used.

I have seen 0.75mm² wire used in a motorhome and if this was supplying one of the long high density LED strips it may not be suitable.

Probably not an issue but worth checking just in case?
 
I have a number of motion sensitive rechargeable lights inside cupboards and the garage area of my PVC. I don’t have to worry about switches and if they are starting to get a bit dim I just detach from magnetic pad and recharge.
 
Gromett said:
Check that the wires to supply the single bulb are capable of supply such a long LED strip.

Although a single led doesn't use much juice a long strip can add up depending on the strip used.

I have seen 0.75mm² wire used in a motorhome and if this was supplying one of the long high density LED strips it may not be suitable.

Probably not an issue but worth checking just in case?
Click to expand...
Good point. I was thinking of providing a separate supply with an in line fuse. I’ll see what I can pick up.
thanks for your help.
 
Blaydon said:
Good point. I was thinking of providing a separate supply with an in line fuse. I’ll see what I can pick up.
thanks for your help.
Click to expand...
It may well be suitable to supply it. worth checking. No point running a fresh cable if the existing one is up to the job.
I was just suggesting you check to be sure :)

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xsparks said:
LED lighting current is almost negligible.
Click to expand...
For individual LEDs you are correct. roughly 20ma on average. But you put 100's of them in a chain you can quickly get to 2-3 or even 4 amps. which is over what a 0.75mm² wire would handle at 6 meters in length.

They can be around 14Watts a meter. So bang in a 5 meter length and you are at 70 watts. which at 12v nominal is almost 6 amps.
 
Blaydon said:
Hi Folks,
Like many, we have a garage at the back of our Motorhome. Ours has a very poor, single light on one side. I want to run an LED strip round the garage so I can see what I am doing. The space has three doors, one either side and an access hatch from inside the vehicle. I want to be able to switch the light on from any one of these access points, and ideally, switch the light off from any one of the others, so I don't have to return to one door to turn off the light where it was switched on.
So........ can anyone who has done this, or is clever, let me know the wiring I need to do this job.
Currently there is a 12v supply to the garage, which supplies the single light.

Thanks for your time

D
Click to expand...

Have you considered Kinetic switches? Saves you doing the wiring? Not as cheap but neater and quicker.

This is not a product recommendation because I have not used this one specifically. But to give you some idea.

www.klightingsupplies.co.uk

Kinetic Wireless Receiver 12/24V SY2416

Kinetic receiver to wirelessly control your smart lighting on either a 12 volt or 24 volt system SY2416
www.klightingsupplies.co.uk

and then a few of these;

www.klightingsupplies.co.uk

1 Gang Kinetic Switch SY8990

Lite-Tech LED 1 gang wireless kinetic switch from Sycamore LED. Allows you to wirelessly control your lighting through smart controls SY8990
www.klightingsupplies.co.uk
 
Blaydon said:
I will need to mount the switches on the surface so domestic switches with surface boxes will work. They will be large but I can mount them in the space above the doors so tucked out of the way.
Click to expand...
It is possible to use a Double Pole Double Throw (DPDT) rocker switch as a crossover switch, as required in the centre location. The wiring is exactly the same, except for two extra crossover link wires on the switch. I've put them in different colours for clarity on the diagram.

3LocationSwitching-1.png


The DPDT switch has 6 terminals, usually the centre pair are the COM terminals. These are wired to the SPDT switch on the right. Wire the pair from the switch on the left to the L1_A and L1_B terminals. Wire two crossover links from L1_A to L2_B, and from L1_B to L2_A.

A switch like this would be OK. Be careful to get the right option. it's an ON ON type. It doesn't have a centre off position, that would be ON OFF ON. It's not a momentary switch that clicks back when you let go, that would be ON (ON).

1634201-7 | TE Connectivity DPDT, On-On Rocker Switch Panel Mount | RS

uk.rs-online.com uk.rs-online.com
 
Gromett said:
For individual LEDs you are correct. roughly 20ma on average. But you put 100's of them in a chain you can quickly get to 2-3 or even 4 amps. which is over what a 0.75mm² wire would handle at 6 meters in length.

They can be around 14Watts a meter. So bang in a 5 meter length and you are at 70 watts. which at 12v nominal is almost 6 amps.
Click to expand...
Out of curiosity I have been checking the current loading of all the various devices - TV, router, RPi, fans, and of course lights.
Lights are an interesting one. I have some LED disc shaped bulbs that draw 0.2A. So turn the entry light on... 0.2A, etc. But got 3 inside the awning light. That is 0.6A. Over time that does add up.
Strip lights are one to watch! If you have RGB multicoloured ones, selecting White over Red, Green or Blue can use a lot more power - as ALL the LEDs are on, not just a third of them. I measured the current on my external RGB 3.5M strip at different colours and brightness levels and white at 20% uses as much as Green at 100% for example.
Not got the numbers handy as not at home, but can post if anyone interested?

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Andy MacD said:
I have a number of motion sensitive rechargeable lights inside cupboards and the garage area of my PVC. I don’t have to worry about switches and if they are starting to get a bit dim I just detach from magnetic pad and recharge.
Click to expand...
We also use these in a dark cupboard at home.
We bought them about 6 months ago and have only needed to charge them once.
 
Hoovie said:
Out of curiosity I have been checking the current loading of all the various devices - TV, router, RPi, fans, and of course lights.
Lights are an interesting one. I have some LED disc shaped bulbs that draw 0.2A. So turn the entry light on... 0.2A, etc. But got 3 inside the awning light. That is 0.6A. Over time that does add up.
Strip lights are one to watch! If you have RGB multicoloured ones, selecting White over Red, Green or Blue can use a lot more power - as ALL the LEDs are on, not just a third of them. I measured the current on my external RGB 3.5M strip at different colours and brightness levels and white at 20% uses as much as Green at 100% for example.
Not got the numbers handy as not at home, but can post if anyone interested?
Click to expand...

I got stung/surprised by strip leds. I thought they were relatively low power and didn't check (stupid mistake on my part). I connected them to my regulated 3A supply and it overheated. I had 3 different LED strip lights in my self build van. 2 in the main area and one in the bathroom. If all 3 were on at the same time they would pull 6Amps. None of them were the full 5 Metre strips though.

I upgraded my 12v regulator.
 
Hi there - Well I spent a great day fitting the three boxes, the trunking and the wiring as outlined in XSPARKS diagram. However......I am sure I have the wrong switch for the centre switch. I went to B&Q and thought I had the right one, but because they are all in plastic bags, I could not quite see the markings. The one I got has L1,L2, at one end and L3 and L4 on it. Well, it does not work the way I want it to. The two end switches work fine. However the centre switch works, but if switched on, the lights do not switch off using the end switched. So I need to go back to get the right centre switch. Can you tell me how it will be described on the packet, please.

Cheers
D
 
you want a "cross-over" switch for the middle ones when you have multi-switching on the one light.
 
In the diagram in xsparks's post, the centre switch is a '1 Gang Intermediate Switch'. In the US they call it a 'crossover' switch. The left terminals are labelled L1 and L2, and the right terminals are also labelled L1 and L2.

Some brands of switch are labelled differently. The left terminals are L1 and L2 as before, but the right terminals are L3 and L4. Probably that's what you have, so you don't need to take it back and change it.

Make sure you wire the L1 and L2 to one switch, and the L3 and L4 to the other switch. If you use L1 and L3 to one switch, and L2 and L4 to the other switch, it won't work as you want.

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I used simple pull on /push off switches with one on each door. Whichever is pulled switches all lights on. The garage doors when closing push off their respective switch. This arrangement means I don't have to have the lights on just because a door is open but if I choose to do so closing the door will switch them off.
 
Ok well here is the update. I have wired up the three switches as outlined in XSPARKS diagram and checked that L1 and L2 are to switch one and L3 and L4 are to switch three.
Results are. Switch One can turn on the lights and they can be turned off by Switch One or Switch Three. Switch Two can turn the lights on and then off again BUT, switch two cannot turn the lights off if switch one, or two has turned them on. Also switch one or two cannot turn the lights off if switch two has turned them on.
This means I can turn the lights on or off at each outer door but I can’t turn them off from the inner hatch if they have been left on at the doors.

Have I got something wrong or am I trying to do the impossible by wanting to turn the lights on or off from any of the switches?

On a positive note, the LED strip is great and the supply wire is the same as the one on the strip so no new cable required.

D
 
Clues Please Dunnah01, I have wire I can add and the trunking can be opened up.

D

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