Not for audio, but does this actually exist?

brettw22

OK, let me first give the scenario that I'm looking to resolve.....

I'm in an apartment, and I have a bedroom that has a switched outlet (no overhead lights). The outlet is behind a nightstand so when I turn it on I have a bedside lamp turn on. It gives pretty good light, but not enough. Across the room I have a torchiere light that gives off plenty of light, but I want to have both turn on by the same switch. Realizing it's not feasible to rewire the apartment, this is what I was looking for.....

It'd be easiest to think in terms of the Wireless Modem Adapters. Replace the phone jacks on that item with a 2 or 3 prong outlet. What I want to do is to plut an adapter into the switched outlet, then have a secondary adapter across the room plugged into another outlet, and have that second adapter turn on when it receives the signal from the primary adapter then internally switch on the light. Does that make sense?

A guy at Home Depot had no idea what I was talking about, and maybe it's something that doesn't exist, but I think it would be ideal for places with switched outlets where situating the room wouldn't have to be dependent on the outlet.......

Help??!!??!!

danger boy

Brettly, just get yourself a clapper.

clap on, clap off.

or don't they also sell like a wireless thing like you're talking about. but that comes with a remote?

Who knows.. that's beyond me.

RuSsMaN

Ed Zachry.

A clapper will work wonders. But seeing as this IS your bedroom, you probably wouldn't want, how do I say this, *other* activties that make 'clapping' noises starting a strobe affect.

Cheers,
Russ

brettw22

Originally posted by RuSsMaN
Ed Zachry.

A clapper will work wonders. But seeing as this IS your bedroom, you probably wouldn't want, how do I say this, *other* activties that make 'clapping' noises start ing a strobe affect.

LOL......nice....

NO, I'm not buying a clapper....

Frank Z

Why not use a 3-1 adapter plugged into the switched outlet. Plug both lights into it and your done. Obviously you'll need a longer cord on the lamp that is the farthest from the outlet. Replacing the cord is simple. You could also use a long extension cord , just tuck it between the baseboard and the carpet.

brettw22

True Frank that would be by far the simplest solution.......but extension cords are an ugly solution. Short explanation, the doorway is in teh way and I don't want an extension cord in the mix.

phoneisbusy

If swapping the torchiere for the lamp isn't feasible, the x10 stuff might work. Try to find the x10 pro or contractor grade stuff if you can. I can ask a friend at work if you'd like. He does home automation installations on the side.

Good luck

Dave

brettw22

I don't know what x10 is.....

Also, The closest I have found is remote control versions, but I don't want to have to keep track of a remote control.....also, that would require 2 remotes.....not sure if one remote would work for both of them...etc.......

Keep the ideas comin............thanks.

madmax

Originally posted by brettw22
I don't know what x10 is.....

Holy **** Brent, you don't know what X-10 is???? The stuff was made for guys like you. I'm about to cost you some money here.

www.x10.com

Picture this. You walk in the house and whatever room you walk into the lights come on. Maybe as you walk further away from the stereo the volume comes up a little. Hit a certain button on your wireless remote and a whole theater scene takes over in your house. Bathroom lights go off, hall way lights go out, chandelier dims, movie starts and you are set. Hit the pause button and the bathroom and hall lights come up to full brightness. Pretty much anything you can think of. Add to that the computer control software and program the whole house for all possibilities. Great stuff!!!
madmax

phoneisbusy

Yeah! What madmax said!

The X10 has those remotes that you've seen but you can also get the X10 as wall switches and outlets so you don't have the wallwarts or remotes to worry about. Just depends what you want to spend. The x10 works fairly well but the x10pro or contractor grade stuff is better made. It probably will not make too much of a difference but it just depends how much you want to spend.

I'm also sure I've seen something similar in home depot though. It's this fake looking switch which you stick on the wall and it controls an outlet. X10 calls them slimswitches.

Dave

brettw22

Originally posted by phoneisbusy

I'm also sure I've seen something similar in home depot though. It's this fake looking switch which you stick on the wall and it controls an outlet. X10 calls them slimswitches.

I have seen those, and that's not what I'm looking for. The difference is that option duplicates the switch wirelessly, where I want to duplicate the outlet wirelessly.

I'll look at the x10 later, but re-wiring an apartment isn't an option.......

madmax

Originally posted by brettw22
The difference is that option duplicates the switch wirelessly, where I want to duplicate the outlet wirelessly.

Let me get this straight. You want a 110 volt wireless outlet??

Lots of luck.

madmax


Edit: Anyone know where I could find some dehydrated powdered water?

brettw22

nerd......ok, lemme splain ......

What I want to exist is a device that I can plug into the switched outlet....that devide has a plug on the side (like the initially mentioned wireless modem jack) that I can use for the nightstand.

That device will transmit a signal to the other adapter that is plugged into an outlet across the room......it also has an outlet on it's side. Basically, this would be a different version of one of those manual timers that people use on their homes when they go on vacations. This device across the room receives the signal from the base adapter (plugged into the switched outlet) and then it turns on the outlet (internally) so the torchiere turns on.

I swear in my head this seems totally doable/feasible, but it's weird how every other version of what I'm describing exists, but not specifically what I'm wanting.....

madmax

Originally posted by brettw22
nerd......ok, lemme splain ......

This device across the room receives the signal from the base adapter (plugged into the switched outlet) and then it turns on the outlet (internally) so the torchiere turns on.

Pretty much the definiton of X-10... but with a twist. One light switch and two recepticles. Easy 20 minute job. Read into it. I'm telling you, a little research and you will really be into this.

madmax

TechChallenged

Check to see if both outlets share the same fuse. If they do, this problem may have a simple solution.

brettw22

Originally posted by TechChallenged
Check to see if both outlets share the same fuse. If they do, this problem may have a simple solution.

Fuse? I'm sure that all bedroom circuits are on the same breaker, but that's quite different than the older fuse type of boxes, no?

mhardy6647

I have a relay-controlled AC socket that plugs directly into a wall outlet and is controlled by a small, separate, wireless pushbutton switch. The signal to the relay is RF (not infrared) so it doesn't need to be line-of-site like most modern remotes.

I think this is probably what you are looking for.

We got this a LONG time ago for our then very-young daughter, who'd seen an ad for "The Clapper" and wanted one to turn off her BR lights. We probably weren't too keen on the clapping and went this route instead. I probably got it at Hechinger's (long departed) as we were in Balto. at the time. Said daughter's in college now! :-)

I may have let it go, but if I still have it, and you cannot find one. let me know and I'll look for it. It could be yours for postage if I still have it :-)

brettw22

The only disadvantage that I can see by going the remote route is that is one more thing to have to keep track of. I want to keep it as simple as possible.

I haven't had a chance to go through the x10 site, but will do so later today at some point.

Brett

RuSsMaN

Duct tape the remote to the wall by the switch. Let's OVER think this a little more, shall we?

Cheers,
Russ

Jstas

Remote? You don't need no remote. All you REALLY need is a good reachin' stick!

Frank Z

Originally posted by madmax
Anyone know where I could find some dehydrated powdered water?

lemme axe Bubba do he gots the formala foesum ice!!:D

TheReaper

Originally posted by madmax
Anyone know where I could find some dehydrated powdered water?

In my backpacking hippie days, we used to call these dehydrated water carriers (when empty):

http://www.nitro-pak.com/product_info.php/products_id/498

Airplay355

lol russ you are hilarious, a strobe effect, haahaa