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[NetStorm]

I'm sure these questions may have been posted already, but to be honest I could not find them. 3 questions
1-I live in South America, almost every room in houses here, have double light switches IE at the door there is a light switch to turn on the lights, and by the bed another one to turn on/off the light. My question is, can I use one wall switch module and an active eye to turn on the lights when I enter the room?
2- some switches here are double and triple switches. IE one wall plate with two or three switches that control different lights throughout the house. Does X10 or another company not sell a double or triple light switch? Or can I use a socket rocket to control overhead lights in a double/triple switch with an active eye to turn on and off.
3-I have the outside motion detector flood lights, is it absolutely necessary to have the ground wire connected? There is no grounding wire in the wall plate I am using. If there has to be one, what are my options.
I appreciate any help.
Thanks

[Jsnlong]

X10 does make 3 way switches think they are called ..... well here is the link
http://www.x10.com/products/x10_ws4777.htm  these will let yo control the same light at 2 spots but these are single switches are you sure the wall plate just doesn't have 3 single switches under one wall plate?


Ground wires...you sure there is non maybe they are tied into the metal switch/light boxes.

Be sure your part of south America uses 110vac at 60Hz. That's what X10 USA uses.

[NetStorm]

X10 does make 3 way switches think they are called ..... well here is the link
http://www.x10.com/products/x10_ws4777.htm  these will let yo control the same light at 2 spots but these are single switches are you sure the wall plate just doesn't have 3 single switches under one wall plate?


Ground wires...you sure there is non maybe they are tied into the metal switch/light boxes.

Be sure your part of south America uses 110vac at 60Hz. That's what X10 USA uses.

Yes there are 3 single switches under one wall plate.
No I can not find  aground wire, and yes where I live it is 110/60
Thanks

[x10dude]

netstorm

I would definitely find a way to ground your PR511s. At first, I didn't ground mine and discovered that 1) they didn't work as expected, 2) one of them burned out multiple bulbs. Since I grounded the one that was burning out bulbs, I haven't had any issues with it.

I don't know if where you live you have lightning storms, but grounding them could also prevent a fire and extensive damage to the rest of your wiring or appliances connected to the same wiring.

I am aware that in most of Latin America, the grounding concept is almost nonexistent, but you can create your own by digging a hole in the ground close to the house and sticking a metal stick about 1 meter deep. Then, with a bracket, attach high-power bare wire. Then, you can run a 14 gage wire to the "ground" lead on the PR511s from the bare wire. The metal stick could be what's called "cabilla" in Spanish, which is used as reinforcement in concrete construction.

I'm no electrician, but I've seen people do that in parts of Latin America when grounding is needed.

I hope this helps.

[NetStorm]

netstorm


 but you can create your own by digging a hole in the ground close to the house and sticking a metal stick about 1 meter deep. Then, with a bracket, attach high-power bare wire. Then, you can run a 14 gage wire to the "ground" lead on the PR511s from the bare wire. The metal stick could be what's called "cabilla" in Spanish, which is used as reinforcement in concrete construction.

I'm no electrician, but I've seen people do that in parts of Latin America when grounding is needed.

I hope this helps.

Cool! Thanks, I will do that and I´m sure it will work.
Would you happen to know the answer to my first question?
"1-I live in South America, almost every room in houses here, have double light switches IE at the door there is a light switch to turn on the lights, and by the bed another one to turn on/off the light. My question is, can I use only one wall switch module and an active eye to turn on the lights when I enter the room?"

[x10dude]

Your best bet is to go with a 3-way master/slave wall switch set (WS4777 - http://www.x10.com/products/x10_ws4777.htm). If you try to use the WS467,  the most common wall switch, you wouldn't be able to connect it to your wiring since a 3-way switch requires 3 wires and the WS467 is only a two wire switch.

3-way switches have a common lead that allows both switches to be "hot" when the other is in the off position. If you put a standard wall switch, it, itself, could be disconnected when the other switch is in the off position, so it would be of no use.

Note also that these are designed for incandescent lamps. I know that in Latin America, fluorescent lights are used heavily, so for fluorescent lights, you'd need the WS13A, which I believe requires a ground wire.

[dave w]

netstorm

I would definitely find a way to ground your PR511s. At first, I didn't ground mine and discovered that 1) they didn't work as expected, 2) one of them burned out multiple bulbs. Since I grounded the one that was burning out bulbs, I haven't had any issues with it.

X10dude

Grounding is essentially for user protection in case an appliance/light/device with a metal shell or covering, develops internal current leakage and the shell would become "hot". The shell being grounded prevents you from becoming a galvanic frog if you touch it (lots of jumping around followed by a croak).

If you have any device that does not work right until you ground it, then there is something wrong with the device OR the neutral to the device.

I would be real afraid of your PR511.