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[watson524]

Hi all,

I had gotten some help on what I could do with a GFI circuit that has a few switches on it to control outside outlets as well as has an "always hot" set of outlets on my light posts where the actual light part is switched. The recommendation was to install an XPS3 right after the GFI outlet (which is in the basement) and just switch the whole circuit.

Seems great to me but I want to make sure before I start cutting wiring that I have this right.

From my panel, I have a wire (14/2) that goes into a GFI receptacle about 6" away on the wall of the unfinished basement. Coming into the box is the stripped copper (ground), the black and the white. Black is going to the line side of the outlet and white to the load. Then from there (currently), 14/2 goes out and carries on upstairs to the switches and out to the outlets/light posts. All the copper are twisted together and around a screw in the box for the ground.

I want to install an XPS3 in a new box about a foot above the GFI outlet to switch the whole circuit. I know since I'm not using a slave and installing this as a true 3 way switch, I won't use the "control" part of the switch but I have some questions:

1.) Black from my outlet would go to "line" on the switch and then black from the switch in the 2nd "line" terminal out into the 14/2 that runs to the rest of the circuit?
2.) White from my outlet to (I thought) "load" on the switch and then white from the switch in the 2nd "load" terminal out into the 14/2 that runs to the rest of the circuit?
3.) And here's where I lose it. I feel like I should really have a 14/3 going on vs a 14/2 because I think I'm missing a wire.
4.) In my 14/2 that goes out to the rest of the circuit I will have a copper, and would I just put that on a ground screw in the switch box?

thanks in advance!

[watson524]

Ok, I took out my multimeter and went down and took the cover plate off the GFI outlet. Like I said, coming in I have black, white and copper. Going out, I have the same. Black in goes to line on outlet, black out to load. White in to other since of line on outlet, white out to other side of load.

I put the multimeter on the line black and the line white and read 120v, then put it on the line black and ground, read 120v, then put it on the line white and ground and got 0.

Did the same test on the load, same results.

So I think that verifies my white is neutral (it also goes back to the neutral bus on the panel along with the copper) and I can wire like this:
1.) Above GFI (away from panel), black (hot load) from GFI to line side of XPS3
2.) white from outlet box to one spot on neutral side on XPS3
3.) Out of load spot on XPS3 to rest of circuit via black
4.) Out of other spot on neutral on XPS3 to rest of circuit via white
5.) Copper in to switch box from each side pigtailed around ground screw in new switch box

So on the XPS3, line has one wire, load has one wire, control has no wires and neutral has 2 wires.

Does that sound right?

thanks!

[Brian H]

Looks right to me.

Few points.
Some GFI devices have been reported to mess up X10 signals.
Some GFI devices have been reported to be extra sensitive to X10 modules and trip off.
I am not saying you will see this. Just kept in mind if something isn't working.

[watson524]

Worked like a charm. Inside, the 2 Christmas trees, about 30 candles a banister and a mantle come on at the same time as outside (3 light poles, 7 bushes and 3 lights on top of 3 poles).

Awesome! Now I just have to go change the code on the new switch so that it doesn't get turned on and off after the season when all we have are the window candles.

thanks guys!!

[Mellowmark]

Nice job!

 

[watson524]

And the best thing, we were able to get rid of our "on at dusk, off in 6 hour" stupid timers on the 3 poles which of course never came on at the same time, etc etc. Oh Happy Day! I also got another friend hooked on x10 this season. He has started with a few modules and is already looking for more