Another electrical question

[Bugsinrugs]

I’m helping my son improve his garage. He has one light switch and he wants to add two switches so each bay has a switch. Would hard wiring be better or installing remote switches? All the studs are exposed so pulling wire wouldn’t be an issue. Remote switches seem easier and faster. What would the brain trust do?

[Crowbob]

Just replace the existing switch with a single pole duplex-style light switch wired to the second bay.

EZPZ.

[Bugsinrugs]

Originally Posted by Crowbob

Just replace the existing switch with a single pole duplex-style light switch wired to the second bay.

EZPZ.

He has three bays and wants a switch by each roll up door.

[Alan A]

I’d pull the wire and do it right so I only had to do it once. Ymmv.
If it’s attached - or has a side door - I’d probably install 3 way circuits so you can turn any of them on from there too.

[Alan A]

O and those new led fluorescent strip lights are really nice.

[Bugsinrugs]

It’s a detached garage without a normal door. Just three roll up garage doors.

[HobieMarty]

Originally Posted by Alan A

O and those new led fluorescent strip lights are really nice.

We have two fluorescent light fixtures in our laundry room and they have LED tubes in them instead of fluorescent tubes. The other day, I replaced a ballast that was making a sizzling sound and was hot as all get out and was causing the light to blink on and off. It all was pretty straight forward and only after finishing the job, I discovered that you can direct wire LED lights and they don't require a ballast!!! Dang, I wasted about 25 bucks on a darn ballast I didn't even need. Live and learn!!!

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[70SATMan]

If it were my garage, I’d split the bays with hardwired individual switches. Especially since there’s no single door access.

Must say that I find that a bit odd even on a detached garage.

[look 171]

I would wire up all the lights to a single switch. Turn them all on at the same time unless its in two or three separate buildings. If LED, its very low electrical consumption and can be left on for hours with little $$. This way, if needed, he wouldn't have take a hike to just turn on a light on the other bay. That's just me because I hate to have dark spots in a room or work space. Most of those lights have a plug that can plugged into the first lamp and it can keep going down stream without having to wire up anything.

[rockfan4]

I'm going to answer completely opposite of what I normally would.
Normally, I would say put in 3 way switches, one bank between bays 1 and 2, the other between 2 and 3.

Instead, I'm going to recommend remote switches and an Alexa or similar. Let's say you're in bay 1, and need something on the other side of the garage. Instead of walking to the switches, just say "hey Alexa, turn on the lights in bay 3", and they come on. When you're done for the evening, "hey Alexa, turn off all the garage lights and close the doors, turn on the light by the back door of the house".

[dad911]

Originally Posted by Bugsinrugs

He has three bays and wants a switch by each roll up door.

If you hardwire more than 2 switches, you use 4 way switches in the middle of the run. 3 ways on the feed end and the light end. See diagram below.



You can add as many 4 ways as you want to the middle of that run. they swap the traveller lines. Make sure you buy 4 way switches, not double pole switches........

[thingmon]

And this is how we went from 63 VW to 2025 Porsche... ha.

[Bugsinrugs]

Thanks for the diagram.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by rockfan4

I'm going to answer completely opposite of what I normally would.
Normally, I would say put in 3 way switches, one bank between bays 1 and 2, the other between 2 and 3.

Instead, I'm going to recommend remote switches and an Alexa or similar. Let's say you're in bay 1, and need something on the other side of the garage. Instead of walking to the switches, just say "hey Alexa, turn on the lights in bay 3", and they come on. When you're done for the evening, "hey Alexa, turn off all the garage lights and close the doors, turn on the light by the back door of the house".

I'd do similar. One 3 gang switch and 3 separate switches at each door all wired as 3-way. That way he can walk to each bay or use his favorite spot in the garage to control any bay. Maybe near the back wall so that if he is there and needs to light another bay, he doesn't have to walk to the door of that bay. Near the main toolbox is another thought.

Alexa makes the whole damn thing very easy.