[EEguy]

In my home theater, I've got three recessed lights wired on the same wall switch. Is it possible to control (on/off/dim) each light separately using X10? If so, what accessories would I need?


I've searched on this site and checked out a few of the websites (x10.com, smarthome.com) and see a wide variety of choices and no clear explanation of how to do this. I should note that rewiring is not an option with the exception of replacing the wall switch or adding components to the inside of the square recessed lights.

 

[Llamas]

I am not an electrician...


It depends on how those lights are wired. If they are wired in series, then they have to turn on and off together. If they are in parallel, wired into the same switch, then they can be decoupled, and operated off of different switches.


I took several switches and combined them by wiring the lighting circuits in parallel (because, opposite to your scenario, I wanted to control them all from one switch). I imagine that the standard default is wiring in series, though, so may be out of luck without rewiring.


X10 switches are just switches. The magic is in their remote operation. Lamp modules might be an option if you need multiple, controllable lights. Or, I wonder if there's some kind of in-line light socket adapter that would let you do what you want.


--Mike

 

[reedl]

As long as the lights are 110 volt fixtures, they much be wired in parallel, as there is no way they could work in they were wired in series.


As to X-10 control, there are two different ideas to control each light individually.


The first is http://www.x10.com/automation/lm15a_s.html Which is a item you screw into the socket and the light into the device. I think that this one only turns on and off though.


The other device would be a module that is installed inline in the individual light. So each fixture would get one of these. http://www.smarthome.com/2250AC.html This can be controlled by a seperate controller of course.


Either of these would work depending on how you want to configure it.


Of course either solution would require the disabling of the wall switch so that you can always control the lights without having to worry about the lightswitch being off!


Reedl

 

[Llamas]

Ack! Jeez, I know enough about electricity to have spotted my own error... Sorry for the confusion.


I am confusing lighting in series with the fact the several of the lighting runs in my home split the circuit in a junction box near the lights, leaving only one wire pair to work with at the switch.

 

[EEguy]

Thanks for the help guys. The Homepro 2251 looks like the module to use at the light. How about the controller? I'd like something in a wall switch if they make it. The Leviton 4216R ( http://www.smarthome.com/4210R.html )seems like a possible solution - would that be all I need? I'm attaching a pic of the schematic to give a little more clarity (yes, the lights are wired in parallel).

 

[Brankie]

Llamas... I know what your talking about. My dad and I often get in an argument about parallel romex vs "parallel". Every set of recessed lights I have seen have been romexed in series. Two reasons... less romex and also, even if they wanted to run multiple lights in "romex" parrallel, code often prohibit that many wire connections in a single box.


Oh... and during my learning process, I did wire two lights in parallel. They ended up being about half the brightness as they should have been. I suspect that results in 55volts each? I did correct it!