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Want to add wireless remote control to two 600 watt sodium outdoor flood lights.

Want to add wireless remote control to two 600 watt sodium outdoor flood lights.


  #1  
Old 09-09-11, 12:23 PM
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Want to add wireless remote control to two 600 watt sodium outdoor flood lights.

Investigations so far have only offered a couple of not fully functional alternatives.

1) found a number of outdoor remote control plug-ins (rated as high as 1800w). We already have a plug receptacle in just the right place but, the sodium fixtures are direct wired and I'm unsure whether converting them to plug-ins is an option.

2) found a 600w rated direct wired remote on/off switch but, it does not say it rated for outdoor use. This may not be a serious problem as it would be well protected in an electrical box deep under the eaves of the roof. However, since it is rated 600w, this would require two switches and we would like the lights to operate in unison.

What do you think of the above options? Are there other alternatives I could pursue?
 
  #2  
Old 09-09-11, 05:01 PM
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Welcome to the forums!! If you can find an IR remote control send/receive unit, you could mount the receiver in the garage, or wherever the lighting originates, tapping into the wiring to the lights, rather than at each light. Think inside the box, with all the almonds and raisins
I looked through Lutron, but there are other manufacturers that may have something compatible.
 
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Old 09-09-11, 06:54 PM
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IF the original poster returns I have at least one suggestion but I gotta ask, two six hundred watt sodium lamps? That is a HUGE amount of illumination!
 
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Old 09-09-11, 08:03 PM
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Yes, Furd. You heard it right. Two 600 watters. It IS a huge amount of light. That's why we especially like the soft warm glow the sodium bulbs throw. We are lighting acrage "landscaping" on river front property.

Chandler, Thanks for the input. The power source is outside but protected. I haven't seen any outdoor units that can handle the 1200 watt total. I have to add the two wattages together, right?
 
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Old 09-09-11, 11:36 PM
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So how much are you willing to spend and how much work are you willing to do? Here is a radio remote control that I can personally vouch for as being reliable and with a decent range. You would have to use it in conjunction with a power relay (solid state relay would make sense) and install it in a suitable enclosure and then wire it into the lighting circuit along with a DC power supply for the receiver. Additional components are readily available (if you are really interested I'll post sources) and the whole shebang would probably be less than $100 plus a few hours of work.

Auto Roll 2 Channel RF Remote Control Relay Board
 
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Old 09-10-11, 03:19 AM
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$100 would be chump change for this application IMO! The stuff I was looking into was over $500! The only reason I was suggesting putting it in the garage or in another location was for weather protection. But wp boxes, etc would suffice nearer the pole location.
 
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Old 09-10-11, 10:26 AM
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The $100 price point seems doable. I read the info on the relay site, including the "more info" on max amperage.

Is it a correct assumption that the 600 watt sodium bulbs will equal about 6 amps? So, if I understood correctly, the amperage rating on the board is 10 amps per individual circuit. The board is rated "PCA Board Amperage Rating: 10A". Is that for each circuit or total for the board? My specific question is, will the one board handle the total amperage of both lights running at the same time?

At this point I have the beginnings of a picture of how the light fixtures, remote relay and transmitter play together. But, I get lost when it comes to the AC to DC power converter power supply and the receiver.

Don't give up on me. I'm a total novice re: relays but want to learn ... so, here goes ...

Current picture:
Lights (connected to) Remote Relay Board (controlled by) Remote Transmitter ... if only it were that easy ...

Best guess at full picture:
Lights (connected to) Remote Relay Board (run by) Receiver (controlled by) Remote Transmitter (powered by) AC to DC power supply.

How'd I do???? Proceed with help? Or, call power company to recommend power be cut to the property to protect DIYer in over his head?
 
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Old 09-10-11, 11:16 AM
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I need to go out in a few minutes but I'll post a quick and dirty.

The AC to DC power supply is needed to power the radio receiver (relay board). The relay board has 10 ampere relays BUT the printed circuit is only good for 2 amperes, that is why I recommended an additional "power relay" be added. The relay board switches the power relay and it is the power relay that ultimately switches the lamps.

The radio/relay has two independent circuits that would allow for individual control of the two lamps (if desired) or for controlling a second circuit in the same vicinity as the lamps. It can also be configured so that one button on the key fob remote would turn the lights on and the second button would turn the lights off. You don't need to use the second circuit at all if you don't need it.

Essentially you would need to mount the radio/relay board in a weatherproof enclosure along with the power relay and power supply. You would mount this near the lamp fixtures and then run a flexible conduit between the lamp fixture and the enclosure. Add some fairly simple wiring and then amaze your friends by hiding the key fob in your palm and saying some magic words to turn the lamps on and off.

I'm assuming that your lamps are 120 volt models, is that correct?
 
 

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