Wired AND wireless relay... any ideas?

[MattS70]

Hello All!

This is my first post so forgive me if i have any etiquette failures!

I'm installing some lights in my garden and i'm looking for a switch component. Essentially i want the lights to come on either when activated by a remote wireless switch or when my garage door is in operation.

The garage door system has an electrical output for lights but it can handle a max of 300W and im looking for 1000W+. Therefore im looking for some kind of relay device which i can plug my garage door light circuit into. When this is active it would close the relay switch causing the lighting circuit to be turned on. The device should also be able to switch on the lighting circuit from a wireless switch as explained above. Ie if either the door is in operation, or the wireless switch is activated (or both) then the lights turn on.

I've attached a picture to help explain.

I'm sure there will be products/components out there that can do this, but i'm having trouble finding them. Any help/tips/recommendations would be really great.

Thanks all in advance,

Matt

 

[JohnW2]

I'm installing some lights in my garden and i'm looking for a switch component. .... The garage door system has an electrical output for lights but it can handle a max of 300W and im looking for 1000W+.

Quite apart from the matter of regulations, I really think you should reconsider that and consider using LED lights. 100W of LEDs would probably be more than enough for most people, and anything approaching 300W of them would only be thinkable unless if your garden is many acres!

I have a pretty large garden, and most of it can be reasonably well lit with a few 15-18W LED floodlights.

Kind Regards, John
Edit: typo corrected

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Quite apart from the matter of regulations, I really think you should reconsider that and consider using LED lights. 100W of LEDs would probably be more than enough for most people, and anything approaching 300W of them would only be thinkable unless your garden is many acres!

And he wants over 1kW.

 

[MattS70]

Quite apart from the matter of regulations, I really think you should reconsider that and consider using LED lights. 100W

Thanks John, i will look into LEDs.

two questions:

1) Is what im proposing in breach of some regulations? Or did i misunderstand this from your reply?

2) I think i would still need the same type of relay/component as ive described (or at least something similar), because the garage door circuit is only live when the door is opening/closing, and for 90 seconds after. I would like to be able to toggle the lights on or off separately with a wireless switch -- any suggestions would be really appreciated.

 

[ericmark]

The limit with out planning permission is I think150W. As two methods to switch it depends if semiconductor or contacts, if a contact having two switches in parrellel should not be a problem. But with semiconductors I have seen them damaged when back fed.

 

[JohnW2]

Thanks John, i will look into LEDs. ... 1) Is what im proposing in breach of some regulations? Or did i misunderstand this from your reply?

What I meant was that I think you'll find that 1000W of outdoor lighting is way above what is allowed without getting Planning Permission (which, apart from all the hassle and cost of trying, you probably wouldn't get without a very good reason. As eric said, I think the limit is about 150W.

2) I think i would still need the same type of relay/component as ive described (or at least something similar), because the garage door circuit is only live when the door is opening/closing, and for 90 seconds after. I would like to be able to toggle the lights on or off separately with a wireless switch -- any suggestions would be really appreciated.

As eric has also said, it depends upon the switching technologies (of both the garage door thing and the wireless switch). As he imp[lied, if both of them switch using relays (which is quite possible), you could simply put them in parallel. Provided you used LEDs (hence <300W), the lights could ne controlled directly by the garage circuitry, with the wireless switch then just wired in parallel with the garage door one.

If one or both used semiconductor switching then, as eric said, it might not work as expected, and one or both might conceivably be damaged.

Kind Regards, John

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Agree with the LED stuff above. Wireless remote switch- TLC are doing a range called Quinetic- hardwired and 13A socket type remote controlled power switching, the blurb mentions relays so that's half the backfeed problem solved, for the other half see if there's a wiring diagram with your door motor or open it up and have a look