landing light question

[turningtim]

Firstly many many thanks to all those who answered the seemingly stupid questions that have sorted out all sorts of odds and sods in the past... now for a tricky one

Is it possible to have the light in the middle of the stairs switched as part of the downstairs hall lights AND the upstairs landing sets. I think its possible using a relay perhaps but I cant figure it out. At the momnet its got the standard 2way switching but leaves the hall dark over the stairs unless all the landing lights are on. 3 recessed GU10 spots downstairs 4 upstairs and one above the middle of the stairs. Wasnt so much of a problem till I switched to LED bulbs, I know I could sitch back but I was trying to be a bit green!

Thanks
Tim

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Is it possible to have the light in the middle of the stairs switched as part of the downstairs hall lights AND the upstairs landing sets. I think its possible using a relay perhaps but I cant figure it out.

You can't connect a light to two different circuits, but you could, as you think, use a contactor, or a contactor per circuit, to cause the light to come on when either circuit calls for it.

BUT - you might find it a pain trying to turn it off if you're upstairs and the downstairs switch is on. Or vice-versa.

At the momnet its got the standard 2way switching but leaves the hall dark over the stairs unless all the landing lights are on.

Why not just put it on its own 2-way switching, so that you can turn it on and off as required?

3 recessed GU10 spots downstairs 4 upstairs and one above the middle of the stairs. Wasnt so much of a problem till I switched to LED bulbs, I know I could sitch back but I was trying to be a bit green!

You have got lighting not actually designed to light rooms.

Replace the lot with two decent sized fluorescent or magnetic induction or electroluminescent lights, one upstairs and one downstairs and you'll be set.

 

[bloxy]

3 recessed GU10 spots downstairs 4 upstairs and one above the middle of the stairs.

Well there's your problem. I like downlights in the right place, but I'm not sure hall, stairs and landing is one of them. You need general area lighting and you have small focused spotlights.

But since you have them and I guess you like them, your best option would be to have the middle stairs one independent of the landing and hall, separately switched with it's own 2 way. Means new cable runs and 2 new switches though.

Edit:

BAS beat me to it

 

[Stoday]

Two relays with one n.o. contact. Relays operated when the landing and/or the hall lights are energised. Wire the contacts in parallel to switch on the middle light.

Light operates when either or both lights on.

 

[ericmark]

I did similar thing years ago. In a farm house 4 bedrooms lead onto hallway and people would leave the lights on in bedroom so 4 diodes between each bedroom and hall lamp resulted if light left on in bedroom hall light also on so farmer was aware and would switch off.

Since you are using LED lighting which will also be DC at around 1.2v this could be easy to do. Also since access way by adding a battery you could also have lighting that still will work in a power cut.

With relays you can still use DC as control circuit and diodes controlling relays.

I just used one emergency light above my stairs. I think all houses like mine with stairs in centre of house should have emergency lighting but people would prefer to install Christmas lights than emergency lights.

P.S. Farm was in Falklands and it had two large banks of 24v Ni/Iron batteries from old buses the lights 40W florescent also from buses. Worked well.