Dimmer

[Oakey]

Is it an acceptable practice to put a dimmer switch on 2 motion controlled lights? 2 outdoor sconces to be exact, crappy ones that home cheapo sells that my customer is supplying. Thx

 

[dennis schaffert]

dimmer

dimmer

Have never tried it and I do not know if it would affect the sensor but you could bypass the sensor to dim the lights other wise there is no reason why you can't

 

[al hildenbrand]

The motion sensor electronics require a complete sine wave and full voltage.

A standard solid state dimmer switches on part way through each half cycle, when it is dimming, and turns off at the zero crossing.

If the dimmer is on the line side of the motion sensor, the sensor gets less than a full sine wave and will not behave normally.

Now, it occurs to me that a dimmer on the load side of the motion sensor (between the motion sensor and the incandescent lamp) just may work.

 

[quogueelectric]

dimmer

dimmer

so you would need to run a 4 conductor from the dimmer location unless a feed is already at the location. Hot neutral and a 2 wire to break the load to the light. what would you charge for this assuming new work and wire runs 50 ft from panel and 50 ft max to fixtere/fixtures nothing higher than 10 ft.

 

[LarryFine]

Is it an acceptable practice to put a dimmer switch on 2 motion controlled lights? 2 outdoor sconces to be exact, crappy ones that home cheapo sells that my customer is supplying. Thx

I recommend instead the slightly less-crappy version that dims after the motion sensor times out instead of fully extinguishing.

 

[rattus]

Why?

Why?

Why use a dimmer on motion controlled lights? They turn off after a bit anyway. Just use smaller wattage lamps.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Why use a dimmer on motion controlled lights? They turn off after a bit anyway. Just use smaller wattage lamps.

I could see a client wanting to use the floods during a party but wanting them dimmed down and yet they would want them bright under normally situations.

This is not an easy hookup--- suppose you run a 14/3 to the motion light. One switch can control the motion while the other bypasses the motion and goes directly to the lampholders. Now you dim the floods. Great but what happens when someone walks infront of the motion and it energizes the lampholder. Does it supercede the dimmimg and the lights get bright again? Does it back feed the dimmer and blow it out even though it is the same circuit?

I believe you would have to have a 3 way switch (SPDT) to feed the other switches that control the dimming or the motion sensor. Now you have 3 switches involved in the operation of one light.

Hummm.

 

[active1]

They do make some motion lights that have an option of staying on dim when there is no motion & dark. Try looking at Rab lighting.

 

[brantmacga]

i installed two motion sensor coach lights a couple of years ago. customer then installed dimmer. motion sensor no longer works. you have to leave the motion sensor and then go to the dimmer, then back to the lampholder. if using this setup, do not use a motion sensor w/ a built in dim feature.

--- btw, you'll have to keep someone moving in front of the light, install another single pole switch or put floods on dedicated circuit to use the manual on feature. the easiest thing to do is not use motion floods. they stink anyway.

 

[Mike01]

dimmer lights

dimmer lights

I have seen some luminaires that stay on for a set period of time at reduced wattage and when motion is detected they come up to full brightness for the time duration selected (1, 5, or 10min) and then dim to the reduced level. they are avaliable at big box retails like home depot or lowes.

 

[LawnGuyLandSparky]

3 wire from 2-gang (switch and dimmer) to 1st light, 3 wire from 1st light to 2nd light. Black is switched hot to feed motion detectors. Red is switchleg fed from either motion detector's outputs, and the dimmer switch.

When using dimmer, switch motion detectors off.

Note, either motion detector sensing motion will turn both fixtures on.

 

[brantmacga]

why not this?