motion detectors
- Thread starter jimbo123
- Start date
- Status
stevebea
Senior Member
- Location
- Southeastern PA
P&S have a ground screw and do not call for a neutral.
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
They will when the newer models come out. This was the reason for the change in the 2011 NEC that will require a neutral in each switch box with a few exceptions
BullsnPyrs
Senior Member
- Location
- Saint Joe, Arkansas
They must be grounded to work properly.
sd4524
Senior Member
- Location
- Southern California
They definantly make motion sensors that don't need a neutral. I don't know what brand it is. Leviton? I know that the model we use from supply house and Home Depot are both different. One needs a neutral and one doesn't.
stevebea
Senior Member
- Location
- Southeastern PA
The P&S CWP-100 has a ground and a neutral terminal.
No, they need a hot also.:roll:
brantmacga
Señor Member
- Location
- Georgia
- Occupation
- Former Child
OP is obviously referring to a two wire switch leg loop coming from the light fixture box; white is re identified as the hot, black is the return.
mtfallsmikey
Senior Member
Don't want to hijack, but didn't want to start another thread either...
Is the life expectancy of CFL's any less w/motion dectectors, since they will be switched on/off more often?
Is the life expectancy of CFL's any less w/motion dectectors, since they will be switched on/off more often?
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
I have had trouble with CFL's and motion sensors. I would not use them but I have no experience with occupancy sensors.
al hildenbrand
Senior Member
- Location
- Minnesota
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor, Electrical Consultant, Electrical Engineer
The common low cost occupancy sensor has the same limitation as the low cost motion sensor. The silicon controlled switch of the common "old style" motion or occupancy sensor requires a resistive load. CFLs, motors, ballasts, electronic ballasts, electronic transformers and transformers are not simple resistive load.
"Better" motion and/or occupancy sensors must include compatibility in the published manufacturer's specifications for the specific non-resistive load, for the sensor to work reliably with that load.
al hildenbrand
Senior Member
- Location
- Minnesota
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor, Electrical Consultant, Electrical Engineer
Plain old two wire switch loop occupancy sensors are still sold.
Consider the Leviton PR 150 or the PR 180
charlietuna
Senior Member
The P&S motion sensor i recently installed came with a ground and "line" and "load" wires. I installed one in my garage and it has a set "on" time period of five minutes. Well it worked great for about a month, then i noticed a few times during the night that the lights were on??? Then it became that they were "ON" more than they were "OFF" !! So it's going back to the supply house. It might be possible the outside temps caused it to fail???
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
The problem is with the new 2011 code those sensor will not be allowed anymore. All the old devices use the ground wire as a ccc but they are being phased out with the newer models that use the neutral.
al hildenbrand
Senior Member
- Location
- Minnesota
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor, Electrical Consultant, Electrical Engineer
al hildenbrand
Senior Member
- Location
- Minnesota
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor, Electrical Consultant, Electrical Engineer
Charlie,
Is that sensor turning CFLs or electronic ballasted fluorescents on and off? Does the mfg specs for the sensor say it can switch those electronics?
charlietuna
Senior Member
Electronic ballast -- four two lamp ballasts
- Status