Designing with Light

Switches, timers, and dimmers - collectively called controls - provide the key to fine-tuning a layered, flexible lighting scheme.
Besides the classic two-way toggle, you’ll also find three-and four-way switches, pilot switches, motion sensors, timers, and a wide range of dimmer designs. New offerings appear constantly.

Standard switches

The classic single-pole switch controls a light or an outlet from one location only. It comes in 15- and 20-amp models – pick the switch that matches your circuit rating. Modern versions include a grounding connection; older switches have hot terminals only.
Three-way switches operate in pairs to control lights or receptacles from more than two locations.
A pilot switch has a toggle that glows when the fixture is on. Pilot switches often are used for lights that may be out of sight and mind – as in the basement, the attic, or outdoors.
Basic switches often come in several grades: the cheapest grade is “residential” or “contractor”; higher-quality models are called “heavy-duty,” “commercial,” or “spec.” “Designer switches may be so named for their looks only, not for the grade of construction.
Unlike the lowly plug-in receptacle, switches are now available in a wide range of colors, finishes, and toggle designs – even night-light versions that glow in the dark.

Receptacles

What if your fixture has a plug? For walls, choose a standard duplex (two outlet) receptacle or – in potentially wet areas – a shockproof GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter). Depending on how it’s wired, the standard receptacle may have both of its outlets “hot,” both outlets switch-controlled, or one outlet hot and the other switch-controlled. This last option is handy in living rooms and bedrooms where movable lamps and other electronics mingle. And what if your floor plan calls for furniture groupings – and attendant lamps – in the center of the room? Enter the floor outlet. A well-placed floor outlet keeps lamp cords out of sight and out of harm’s way.

Used for security, convenience, or energy savings, a motion-sensor switch turns on a light (or lights) when it detects movement in a room, then shuts it off after a predetermined interval. Both single-pole and three-way versions are available. Better designs allow you to adjust for sensitivity and time interval and include a manual ON/OFF lever.

Timers

Timers come in wire-in and plug in versions. The former replaces a standard wall switch; the latter plugs into a receptacle, and movable lamps are then plugged into the timer.

Standard wire-in timer switches allow you to set a light or other device to turn on at present time intervals. Programmable timer switches take things one step further, providing multiple daily settings or even weekly cycles for security lights, a fan, even the television. If a fixture is controlled by two different switches, purchase a three-way timer; otherwise, buy a single-pole timer.

Unlike most other switches, some timer switches require a neutral wire as well as the hot wires – so you may need to wire these in from scratch rather than simply replacing your existing switches.
A plug-in timer can turn a lamp on several times a day and for several days in a row, depending on how fancy the version is and where you position the tabs around the dial.

Originally called rheostats, dimmers take the place of standard switches in wall-mounted housing boxes. When dialed down, a dimmer essentially “clips off” part of the electrical current flowing to the light. Numerous styles are available, some with presets and fade controls.
Get a dimmer that matches your voltage and the bulb type. Standard-voltage incandescents and halogens are relatively easy to dim. You’ll want a low-voltage dimmer for low-voltage lights. To minimize humming or potential interference (as from radio or television), match the dimmer type to the low-voltage transformer in use either magnetic (older) or solid-state (better).
Dimmers are rated for maximum wattage. For line-voltage models, 600 watts is the standard; you can also find 1,000-watt versions. Some low-voltage dimmers may handle only 300 watts.
Fluorescent lights require fluorescent dimmers and, just as important, a dimming ballast in the fixture itself. This can be a problematic retrofit- it may be easier to simply replace an existing fixture with one that’s dimmable. Solid-state dimmers and ballasts work best.
If you have a three-way setup- a light controlled by two switches that do not have ON and OFF printed on their toggles – only one of the switches can be a dimmer. Replace the three-way switch most often used with a three-way dimmer, and leave the second three-way switch in place. For a fixture controlled by a single switch, purchase a single-pole dimmer.

In-line dimmers

A number of devices can be used to convert an ordinary lamp into one that dims. You can plug a table lamp or a floor lamp into a dimmer that in turn plugs into a wall outlet. Or you can screw a light bulb into a lamp-base dimmer, then screw the assembly into a lamp’s light bulb socket. With a little more work, you can add an in-line dimmer to a lamp cord. All three devices are shown below.

Control panels

More controls mean extra clutter from ganged switches and dimmers. New multiscene control panels do away with all this and allow you to quickly dial in a present number of lighting “scenes.” Panels controlling six or so scenes can fit into a standard housing box; larger panels require a special box and more involved wiring.
Look for control panels that have gentle fades between scenes and manual ON/OFF overrides. A panel with a “panic button” lets you dial every light to full strength instantly.
Centralized control systems – those that consolidate the lights for an entire house – require a dedicated closet or crawl space area. Increasingly, these sophisticated systems are controlled by a computer with the potential to link indoor lights to a household alarm system, outdoor security lighting, audiovisual wiring, and telecommunications. The “smart house” is here – for a price, of course.
Wiring integrated systems can be quite involved, so they’re difficult to retrofit in existing spaces. But if you’re building or remodeling, many experts recommend that you install a wiring “chase” and run Cat-5 communications cable, coaxial cable, A/V wires, and even fiber optics from room to room, awaiting future technologies.