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Login to post Forums » Off-topic discussion » Another home wiring question

March 10, 2009 8:21 a.m. CoryB Reader

How do I eliminate a light switch?

The situation is this:

I changed the outside spotlight fixture over my driveway to be motion activated. As such, I rarely want to cut power to it.

The light currently has two switches that can activate it - one somewhere in the house (we never use it) and one in the garage.

I want to eliminate the switch in the garage - mainly because I tend to hit it by accident - but leave the one in the house active in case I have to do something to the light.

So, is this possible? How do I wire it? Right now I just have masking tape over the switch to keep it from turning off.
March 10, 2009 8:47 a.m. fiat22turbo SuperDork

pull the switch, put a wire nut on the white wires. Connect the ground wires to ground.

If there are three wires plus a ground on the switch then leave it disconnected and find the internal switch in the house and drop that wire out of the switch.
March 10, 2009 11:51 a.m. billy3esq Dork

Just put tape over your garage switch. That way, you quit turning it off by accident, and the next owner doesn't have to figure out why he has a single 3-way switch for his outdoor light and go around telling previous owner stories on the Internet.
March 10, 2009 11:54 a.m. joey48442 SuperDork

billy3esq wrote:

Just put tape over your garage switch. That way, you quit turning it off by accident, and the next owner doesn't have to figure out why he has a single 3-way switch for his outdoor light and go around telling previous owner stories on the Internet.

Billy, truer words were never spoke.

Joey
March 10, 2009 12:25 p.m. Dr. Hess SuperDork

billy3esq wrote:

Just put tape over your garage switch. That way, you quit turning it off by accident, and the next owner doesn't have to figure out why he has a single 3-way switch for his outdoor light and go around telling previous owner stories on the Internet.

Typical lawyer. Always trying to mess up someone's phun. What would you rather see on the 'net in 10 years? DPO light tricks or discussions on how Da O brought on the Great Depression II?
March 10, 2009 1:08 p.m. Jensenman SuperDork

Yeah, really. What's the matter with you? Some Esq. is gonna fall behind on his Beemer payments because he can't sue the landlord and the switch manufacturer.
March 10, 2009 1:46 p.m. cwh Dork

Ah, come on. Billy is usually pretty good on here. For an attorney. But then we make fun of Doc Hess, too.
March 10, 2009 1:49 p.m. aircooled Dork

fiat22turbo wrote:

pull the switch, put a wire nut on the white wires. Connect the ground wires to ground.

If there are three wires plus a ground on the switch then leave it disconnected and find the internal switch in the house and drop that wire out of the switch.

BIG EDIT

1 - Turn off the circuit breaker powering the switch

2- Pull the switch

3 - Wire nut the like colors together

4 - Make sure the bare copper wire (if there is one) grounds to the box.

5 - Put blank cover over box.

6 - Turn on breaker.

Not doing step one can be quite entertaining for someone watching, but not much fun for the "recipient"
March 10, 2009 3:04 p.m. fiat22turbo SuperDork

Fine, baby the idiots, the OP should know better.
March 10, 2009 3:05 p.m. pinchvalve SuperDork

I would swap the switch for an outlet so it only works when someone walks by.
March 10, 2009 3:12 p.m. billy3esq Dork

aircooled: My grandfather (who was a patrolman for the power company and a licensed electrician) taught me to wire 120V stuff hot: "So you'll learn to respect it."

Doc & J-man: I don't know what came over me. I'll do better next time.
March 10, 2009 3:14 p.m. Jensenman SuperDork

Steven Wright: 'I have a switch in my house that doesn't do anything. Sometimes I'll walk past and flip it a couple of times. I did it last week, the phone rang and some woman yelled, 'Quit flipping that damn switch!'.
March 10, 2009 3:21 p.m. Kramer Reader

You have two three-way switches (three-way because there's two switches and one outlet). If you bypass one switch, you'll have to change the other switch to a two-way.

There is an official "black tape" thingy that screws into the existing plate and covers the toggle, if you want to do it that way. You'll avoid future confusion if you don't change/bypass switches.
March 10, 2009 3:22 p.m. jrw1621 HalfDork

Personally. I have tape over my switch that needs to be on to activate the motion detector lights on my driveway.

If it is just money you want to spend or appearence is important you may try something like this.
Sample:

I suspect things like this are readily available but here is a sample source:
http://www.improvementscatalog.com/home/improvements/792927346-light-switch-guards...

Here is another style for $2.40
http://www.amazon.com/Westek-SG1-Value-Switch-Guard/dp/B000NCV1SK

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