# 4 gang Wall switch behind door



## justme345 (Feb 20, 2012)

I am developing my basement my electrician and I made a big mistake. We put a 4 gang light switch behind the dam door. I can't swing the door the other way as that is where the bar is going. I really thought I could live with it. But every time I go into the room it really annoys me. So I’m curious if you guys have any ideas? Like maybe something wireless. I can get power to the other wall where it should have been as behind that is the mechanical room. 
Any ideas?


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Install four rf controlled dimmers or switcher and then put in a slave switch or keypad in a more convenient location. It will be like having a 3 way switch setup really close. This can be done with Lutron RadioRa2, Leviton ZWave, X10, Control4, Vantage etc. Choose a system that you like and build on it to eventually have a complete lighting control system.


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

Drywall isn't permanent.


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## We Fix Houses (Aug 15, 2007)

What kind of ceiling do you have ? Open it up to see if the cables can be cut / spliced in a new junction box / then new cable through the top plate to a relocated box on the wall. 

Or just open the wall up and extend the cables to another wall location using these and refinish the wall http://www.ampnetconnect.com/documents/NM_Connector_Presentation_Rev3_Web.pdf

Avail at Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Tyco-CPGI-1116415-2-Romex-Tap-Splice/dp/B000VHF1B0

Here's some further discussion concerning this application
http://www.contractortalk.com/f5/romex-splice-tap-kit-59635/

Question......? You probably have considered these options, wall and ceiling ? What's keeping you from doing them. They're done everyday to correct mistakes.


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## justme345 (Feb 20, 2012)

Thanks for your reply’s my ceiling is finished with drywall with knockdown texture tearing it down is not an option I want to consider.
I really like inner10 idea that’s a great fix. Thanks


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

justme345 said:


> Thanks for your reply’s my ceiling is finished with drywall with knockdown texture tearing it down is not an option I want to consider.
> I really like inner10 idea that’s a great fix. Thanks


Wait until you start having to replace batteries in all those switches. :whistling


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## justme345 (Feb 20, 2012)

Also this room is kind of my home office slash man's room. I have put in a bar, 14' deck area, and a entertainment centre. So I really don’t want to start tearing down drywall and all my stained cabinets that are built in


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## justme345 (Feb 20, 2012)

Like I said I can get power to the wall where the switches should have been as behind that wall is mech. so I’m hoping to run power then I don't need batteries


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## mrmike (Dec 9, 2008)

justme345 said:


> Like I said I can get power to the wall where the switches should have been as behind that wall is mech. so I’m hoping to run power then I don't need batteries


No to be snotty, but You contradicted yourself to inners reply with this quote. Why did you even ask the question........you have your own answer.............


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

justme345 said:


> I am developing my basement my electrician and I made a big mistake.


Hard to picture even an amateur electrician or builder who would do that. It was your mistake. Tear it out and do it the right way, or just take the door slab off its hinges. Or live with it.

A patch on a mistake is still a mistake.


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## justme345 (Feb 20, 2012)

I know I made a BIG mistake. My electrician didn’t realise that I’m putting a door in even though I had it on the plans. And I missed it. 
The way I understand if I put in RF switches than a keypad on the bar wall. It will kind of create stage lighting. I think it will add a cool feature as well as fix this. I talked to my electrician this is a $450 fix sounds a lot better than tearing down finished drywall, paint, ceiling,cabinets, please understand This is a 4 gang switch so to move it I would have to tear apart the whole room plus the bed room light is powered from there to. To tear it down I am starting from scratch 
Thanks for all your thoughts and the advise


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

justme345 said:


> ........This is a 4 gang switch so to move it I would have to tear apart the whole room plus the bed room light is powered from there to. To tear it down I am starting from scratch
> Thanks for all your thoughts and the advise


I call Shenanigans.

Absolutely NO WAY do you need to tear apart the whole room.


NO WAY!

3-4 hand-sized holes, drill & pull some wires, then patch 'em up..... done deal. MAYBE 5-6 hours total.










Tear apart the whole room........... Gimme a break!


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## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

justme345 said:


> My electrician didn’t realise that I’m putting a door in even though I had it on the plans.


Your electrician wasn't given plans?

Your trade lists "exteriors". What exactly is that?:whistling


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## TxElectrician (May 21, 2008)

rselectric1 said:


> Your trade lists "exteriors". What exactly is that?:whistling


You know....the opposite of "interiors":laughing:


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## Cole82 (Nov 22, 2008)

rselectric1 said:


> Your electrician wasn't given plans?


I try to always give the sparky some sort of plan.hone:

Cole


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## justme345 (Feb 20, 2012)

Holy am I ever getting beat up over this!!! My trade is exteriors. I own a small exterior company in Calgary Alberta. I should have not missed this believe me I know. I have a great name in what I do. If I made a mistake like this for a client or one of my builders I would not think twice but to tear it all down. But this is my house. So I was just looking for ideas for a simpler fix.


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## ohiohomedoctor (Dec 26, 2010)

Cole82 said:


> I try to always give the sparky some sort of plan.hone:
> 
> Cole


I have been roughing most of our work lately but even when Im too busy to do that I always mount the boxes. Its always best to walk through with the customer and let them tell you where they want what, yes even if its on the print. It gives them a sense of empowerment over the project and covers you azz when they dont have a plug where they decide to put grandmas lamp.


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## svronthmve (Aug 3, 2008)

justme345 said:


> ....But this is my house. So I was just looking for ideas for a LAZIER fix.


Fixed that for 'ya!


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

justme345 said:


> Holy am I ever getting beat up over this!!! My trade is exteriors.


It's a rite of initiation. :thumbsup:

But seriously, 480 is dead on. Not that big a deal to relocate, for someone with the appropriate skills.

Maybe a location and/or cultural difference, but I have no clue what "exteriors" is as a trade. Here, that could be anything from lawn mowing to roofing to Zen gardens. :blink:


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## greg24k (May 19, 2007)

justme345 said:


> Holy am I ever getting beat up over this!!! My trade is exteriors. I own a small exterior company in Calgary Alberta. I should have not missed this believe me I know. I have a great name in what I do. If I made a mistake like this for a client or one of my builders I would not think twice but to tear it all down. But this is my house. So I was just looking for ideas for a simpler fix.


You would tear this out for a customer but not for yourself? Why not...I can see some amateur DIY do something like this, but you a Pro as you say, you made a mistake, its not a big deal to re-route the switch, do it, patch it and get it over with.


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

Cut a hole in the door....:thumbup::whistling

You'll think twice about fvcking up next time....:laughing::laughing:


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

Inner10 said:


> With implementation of a lighting control system the location on the load controllers is irrelevant.


True. But the cost (and potential maintenance issues) of your proposed implementation is most certainly not irrelevant. :thumbsup:


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## Irishslave (Jun 20, 2010)

Tinstaafl said:


> True. But the cost (and potential maintenance issues) of your proposed implementation is most certainly not irrelevant. :thumbsup:


Like I said the fix is so so easy, It's really comical unless I'm missing something. Here I sit with about 30hrs worth of work a month (I'm going nuts) and people are out here screwing up all over the place. Hire somebody that knows what they are doing. Please


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## Electricmanscot (Feb 6, 2005)

The fix sounds reasonable to me. On a side note, if you have an electrician that didn't bother to ask which way the door was going to swing it may be time to find a new one.


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## greg24k (May 19, 2007)

Call a guy like Inner to solve your simple problem and a pretty basic solution with a lightning control panel... but before you do, run to the bank and when he arrives... bend over and hold your ankles because by the time he is done, you will have a new O :laughing:


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

Inner10 said:


> Guys like you don't make guys like me any money.


Welcome to The Big Dogs' Porch. :laughing:



Inner10 said:


> Plus once you live with lighting control you will never go back to hitting switches.


Many times. "New and Improved" just isn't. :no:


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

greg24k said:


> Call a guy like Inner to solve your simple problem and a pretty basic solution with a lightning control panel... but before you do, run to the bank and when he arrives... bend over and hold your ankles because by the time he is done, you will have a new O :laughing:


And a great lighting control system.

Do none of you lads have lighting control at your homes or even install it for clients? Its like I'm taking about a completely foreign concept.


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

Inner10 said:


> Do none of you lads have lighting control at your homes or even install it for clients?


Absolutely. Toggle switches and dimmers work great for that. :thumbsup:

Home automation is generally for people with disposable income--fun, but not necessary. I don't get too many clients like that.


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

Inner10 said:


> And a great lighting control system.
> 
> Do none of you lads have lighting control at your homes or even install it for clients? Its like I'm taking about a completely foreign concept.


36.217¢ toggle switches work just fine for me. 99.999999999999999999999999999999999% reliability.


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## woodchuck2 (Feb 27, 2008)

Maybe this is code issue but why does the door have to swing inward covering the switches? Why not have it swing out, you know, pull it open to enter the room?


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Tinstaafl said:


> Absolutely. Toggle switches and dimmers work great for that. :thumbsup:
> 
> Home automation is generally for people with disposable income--fun, but not necessary. I don't get too many clients like that.


Automation is the lions share of my business, needless too say most of my clients have disposible income. 

Still lighting control is great. Control your lights from your phone anywhere, setup randomized vacation lighting, keypad controlled scenes, lights automatically dim when you play a movie etc.


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## justme345 (Feb 20, 2012)

greg24k said:


> Call a guy like Inner to solve your simple problem and a pretty basic solution with a lightning control panel... but before you do, run to the bank and when he arrives... bend over and hold your ankles because by the time he is done, you will have a new O :laughing:



Maybe it's just me but I feel that if I'm doing
A 45 plus grand development. Paying the 550 bucks
To put this in. Is a small price to pay for a easy 
Fix And not deal with drywall repair and all that bs
add a cool feature to my place. 
U can alway make more money


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## justme345 (Feb 20, 2012)

Keep in mind I'm subbing all this work out
I don't have time to do it myself. So to get 
Drywallers, tapers,painters back costs money too


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## Irishslave (Jun 20, 2010)

justme345 said:


> Maybe it's just me but I feel that if I'm doing
> A 45 plus grand development. Paying the 550 bucks
> To put this in. Is a small price to pay for a easy
> Fix And not deal with drywall repair and all that bs
> ...


But eventually someone you are entertaining, possibly a client may spy the fact your switches are misplaced. Or you invite him down there and your batteries are dead, system malfunction, whatever and you have to operate the switches by hand......Your busted.....If anything can go wrong it usually does and at the worst possible moment


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## justme345 (Feb 20, 2012)

There are no batteries. I've thought about it I think a 4 gang cover plate will look like a mistake this will look like I wanted it to be like this. My feeling anyways


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

All those electronics............

Just waiting for a power surge or lightning strike............

Then you have no lights at all.........

Until you replace all the devices............

And you pay $1800 for a high-end whole-house surge..........




Plus....... I don't think there will be a 4-gang blank on the old box...... there still needs to be some sort of device to turn the lights on & off.


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## justme345 (Feb 20, 2012)

480sparky said:


> All those electronics............
> 
> Just waiting for a power surge or lightning strike............
> 
> ...


Ok Let me explain this once more. The fix that you came up with there would be a cover plate. Inner's way there is 4 rf switches there witch will make the keypad work on the other wall. The keypad will not have batteries as its powered with a wire that I can run from the mech. As the mech is right behind the wall where I sould have put the switches 
This will not look like a mistake becouse as inner said they often put them in a spot like this. As for a power surge if that happens. I have insurance


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Irishslave said:


> But eventually someone you are entertaining, possibly a client may spy the fact your switches are misplaced. Or you invite him down there and your batteries are dead, system malfunction, whatever and you have to operate the switches by hand......Your busted.....If anything can go wrong it usually does and at the worst possible moment


Sometimes that is done on purpose to reduce the number of devices on the wall. Anything can break, but these systems are remarkably reliable.



480sparky said:


> All those electronics............
> 
> Just waiting for a power surge or lightning strike............
> 
> ...


No, when the mesh goes down you can control them manually, behind the door, like a good old electronic dimmer. If you get a lightning blast then you have more stuff to replace than a few switches, call your insurance adjuster. 

Sparky do you not do lighting control?


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

Still sounds like you're hunting squirrels with an elephant gun.



Inner10 said:


> ...........No, when the mesh goes down you can control them manually,.......


What mesh?


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

480sparky said:


> Still sounds like you're hunting squirrels with an elephant gun.
> 
> What mesh?


Its probably more money than hacking up the wall but it does a clean job and its a great reason to add lighting control to your entire house.

Heck if he wanted to do it on the cheap x10 would be less than a wall repair.

Most Rf lighting control systems work off a self healing rf mesh network, the more devices the more robust the network.


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

Inner10 said:


> Its probably more money than hacking up the wall but it does a clean job and its a great reason to add lighting control to your entire house.
> 
> Heck if he wanted to do it on the cheap x10 would be less than a wall repair.
> 
> Most Rf lighting control systems work off a self healing rf mesh network, the more devices the more robust the network.


"Mesh" must be a Canadian term.


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## Irishslave (Jun 20, 2010)

x10 switches what $20 or so? It still don't solve the problem and if there is a mechanical room behind the door what's the big deal to change the rough? Without physical examination I would say a pocket door or swing the door into the mechanical room instead of into the space. No need to go high tech, but then again I look for the solution from last century. You can cover the original hole w/ drywall patch as long as you can access splices from other side of wall too. Wow I'm a neanderthal genuis


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

Irishslave said:


> Wow I'm a neanderthal


Guess so. The mechanical room is outside the *other* wall. :laughing:


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

> "Mesh" must be a Canadian term.


Most of my training was done in the US and they used that term.

mesh (msh)
n.
1.
a. Any of the open spaces in a net or network; an interstice.
b. The cords, threads, or wires surrounding these spaces. Often used in the plural.
2. An openwork fabric or structure; a net or network: a screen made of wire mesh.

See:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesh_networking

Examples of mesh networks:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZigBee

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z-Wave



> x10 switches what $20 or so? It still don't solve the problem and if there is a mechanical room behind the door what's the big deal to change the rough? Without physical examination I would say a pocket door or swing the door into the mechanical room instead of into the space. No need to go high tech, but then again I look for the solution from last century. You can cover the original hole w/ drywall patch as long as you can access splices from other side of wall too. Wow I'm a neanderthal genuis


The mech room is on the side where he wants the switches, the side with the switches is inaccessible if I understand correctly.

X10 dimmers can be found for even less, I wouldn't pay much for them as I really dislike X10. A good RF system will run about 150-200 per devices.


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## ThomasElectric (Mar 21, 2012)

Simplest (and cheapest) fix may be to cut in new switches at the same location but outside the room. (As long as you don't object to having switches outside the room.) Most likely, no new wiring would need to be done since the switches would just be rotated 180 degrees, and all that would need to be patched is the hole left in the wall where the original switches were.


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