apex door switches

[kope1078]

Can someone lead me to some door sensors I should get to wire into my breakout box. I want to set up a work light to turn on when I open the doors. Thanks in advance

 

[feh]

Security alarm sensors will work wired in series. Something like these.

https://www.alarmgrid.com/products/honeywell-945t

 

[kope1078]

So I would only go to the breakout box once, then jump one switch to another? That would be great because I have five door

 

[feh]

Exactly.

 

[kope1078]

Cool, thanks for the help

 

[kope1078]

Ok, So I have these all wired up and mounted up daisy chained like you said. However, Only way the light triggers on is if all the doors are open. All it takes is any one door to be closed and the light will go off. What am I doing wrong?

 

[F-Dawg]

Don't wire the switches in SERIES. Wire the switches in PARALLEL I can draw a diagram if you don't understand.

 

[F-Dawg]

 

[kope1078]

I think I understand what you mean. So basically I'll have one long ground wire and power wire and splice into them at each switch having their own wires going to the long ones.

 

[kope1078]

Still same thing, I only ran two switches like that off switch one. The light still goes off with either door closed. Only stays on when both doors are open

 

[Jimbo662]

This is how I hooked mine up.

 

[kope1078]

Jumbo, so u have just one wire going from ground to your first switch, then jump to next then run it back to bob to a switch outlet? Wouldn't that be grounding itself?

 

[feh]

Sorry about that. You want the switches wired together so that if any one switch is open the light comes on. Parallel is the correct way. See the examples below.

 

[Jimbo662]

yes, that's how it's wired. That was based on info someone gave me on the neptune forum. I don't know enough about it to know whether it's grounding itself...just know it works.

 

[evolved]

I don't understand why you wouldn't wire multiple switches in SERIES? You want the light to come on when any one door is open, right? Well then, you've gotta have the switches wired so opening any one switch breaks the circuit. Therefore, that's a series circuit. If they're wired in parallel, the only way you can break the circuit is to open all the switches...

A switch is simply a way to connect/disconnect (ie - break) a wire; there's not really a "grounding" aspect to it. Well, I suppose one might consider a closed switch to be in a "grounded" position, but that's not really the correct terminology to use.

Anyhow, Jimbo is correct; follow his picture.

 

[kope1078]

Thanks everyone

 

[kope1078]

Got it working right, Thanks everyone for the help!

 

[SantaMonica]

Series would be for a different need.

 

[dccordell]

Hey, sorry to bring up an older thread, but I'll be doing something similar to this myself soon, and I want to make sure I'm seeing things correctly.

There was some disagreement between using SERIES or PARALLEL in this scenario.

Wouldn't either way work, depending on if the switches are normally-opened or normally-closed?

Normally-closed in SERIES would mean that when all doors are closed, all switches are CLOSED, b/o box switch is ON. Opening any one door will open the switch and turn on the light (because programming).

Normally-open in PARALLEL would mean that when all doors are closed, all switches are OPEN, b/o box switch is OFF. Opening any one door will close that one switch and turn on the light (because programming).

Either way works, right? It just depends on the switches...

Correct my if I'm wrong so I don't mess up something :neutral:

 

[kope1078]

Wire it up like Jims diagram. One wire coming out of a switch outlet from breakout box then go in line to your last switch then that wire goes to the ground in the breakout box. If you have any questions I can run you thru it.
Works like a charm and I have five doors.