parallel motion sensors

[electricguy61]

I'm looking for an outdoor rated, ceiling mounted, motion/photocell sensor that can have two or more sensors controlling the same load.

The customer has a carport, and we'd like to turn on the lights 1) when some walks into the carport from the house 2) when someone drives up to the carport. Need to control (8) 26 watt recessed fluorescent cans. As of yet, I haven't found any motion controls w/ photocells that can be wired in parallel to control a single load.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

 

[jumper]

Will something like this work, says parallel.

http://www.prolighting.com/rabstst11mos.html

 

[Rampage_Rick]

I would think most typical outdoor motion sensors would be a simple relay for the load connection (assuming there's a neutral connection to the sensor)

I see no reason why you couldn't use two common motion sensors in parallel (RAB, etc) It would seem that others have done so

 

[electricguy61]

Will something like this work, says parallel.

http://www.prolighting.com/rabstst11mos.html

Thanks for the suggestion. I'd found that one, but was looking for a true ceiling mount to give me 360 degree coverage. If I can't find anything else, I'l likely use that one.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Any motion sensor will work just wire them as you would wire a 3 way switch where the feed is in one and the switch leg in the other- 3 wire between them. This hooks them the same as 2 sp switches

 

[hillbilly1]

Try Sensor Switch, they make a 360 with an adjustable photocell, but I don't believe it would be suitable for wet locations.

 

[hurk27]

For the last 15 years or so I have always wired a 3-conductor between any lights on the same side of a house, like the two by the from door and the ones by the garage door, just for this very reason, so if they get motion detectors they all come on the same time, if anything I hate is having one light come on then another when they are all on the same side, almost any motion detector system can be paralleled, red to red, black to black and white to white loads white to red.

one word of warning, some of the ones that come in fixtures are only rated 150 watts, so watch your load as if only one triggers it can be over loaded.

 

[ptonsparky]

I would think most typical outdoor motion sensors would be a simple relay for the load connection (assuming there's a neutral connection to the sensor)

I see no reason why you couldn't use two common motion sensors in parallel (RAB, etc) It would seem that others have done so

Most certainly have. Except mine were on three way switches to boot.

 

[Strathead]

Try Sensor Switch, they make a 360 with an adjustable photocell, but I don't believe it would be suitable for wet locations.

Be careful with Sensor Switch dual technology, my direct experience. First, they use microphonic technology instead of ultrasonic. Big difference. Definitely, however, make sure that anything under a canopy is tied to a photcell, because you will get problems with sunlight reflections and glare. That said, I would avoid indirect techs like ultrasonic and mocrophonic and try to maintain the direct line of sight tech of infrared only. If it is under a canopy, it doesn't need to be weatherproof. Any manufacturer has LV sensors that can be wired in parrallel. Check out RAB sensors if you really need weatherproof.

 

[electricguy61]

Thanks for all the suggestions

FYI, I had the RAB ceiling motion sensors installed in parallel, and they wouldn't work properly, but perhaps it was a bad sensor. I'm going to call their tech support.

 

[conmgt]

Try Sensor Switch, they make a 360 with an adjustable photocell, but I don't believe it would be suitable for wet locations.

Yeah, Sensor Switch, I like them. They have low voltage sensors that tie into a relay.

 

[Strathead]

Yeah, Sensor Switch, I like them. They have low voltage sensors that tie into a relay.

I am definitely angry with them right now. While the terms don't have legal meaing, they should be clear when there is a major difference. My situation:

A stand alone park bathroom, with a 6 inch gap at the ceiling screened in open to the outside. Also a reasonably loud wall mounted exhaust fan in each bathroom.

The specs called for a Hubbell xxx or equal. Whatever the number was it crossed to a line voltage dual technology (infrared and ultrasonic) sensor. The vendor quoted Sensor switch as an equal. They do this all the time, because the Lighting Reo in this area reps the Sensorswitch along with the other fixtures specified. An ultrasonic sensor would not be disturbed by the fan, but the microphonic sensor certainly was. I suspect that the open to outside could have caused problems for either or, but I suspect that the microphonic would be more sensitive to this as well. I turned off the mikes and the sensors performed OK. I was luckliy able to install the sensors with sight lines to all commodes and sinks. If the sensor had been specified or actually equal, I would have been able to recover my time, because of a design flaw, but since they wern't it is my problem.

 

[hillbilly1]

Yeah, Sensor Switch, I like them. They have low voltage sensors that tie into a relay.

Be sure to use their relay pack though, the input can be a/c or d/c, but the drive signal is d/c and will not operate an a/c relay correctly as one control panel manufacture and electrical contractor found out the hard way! (wasn't us!) (They should have stayed with my design) You have to order it with the built in relay if you do not use their power pack.