Issue with Leviton occupancy sensor

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peter d

peter d

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New England
Had an issue with a Leviton ODS-10 commercial grade occupancy sensor. This is the type of sensor uses the ground wire as a neutral.

Anyway, the circuit happened to be protected by a GFCI circuit breaker and it was nuisance tripping. I suspected that the ground connection may be suspect so I called Leviton tech support. He said that it's no problem to put it on a GFCI protected circuit. I then asked if it would trip a GFCI if the unit was malfunctioning. He said that "may" be a possibility.

Anyone ever run into this before?
 
mdshunk said:
No. You know why? I don't use Leviton. :grin:

Do they appear to be a rebranded something else?
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Leviton makes some good stuff. Granted, they don't do everything right, but neither does any company for that matter.

As far as I can tell it looks like something that Leviton makes. They aren't known for rebranding anyway.
 
Update - we removed the occupancy sensor from the circuit and the nuisance tripping ceased.

So, I have learned a few things from this:

1) Apparently when these sensors malfunction, they leak a lethal amount of current into the EGC system.

2) I will never use any occupancy sensor that uses this bootleg ground again. They are UL listed and apparently in normal operation the current to ground is a few micro amperes, but this whole stinks to high heaven nonetheless. :mad:
 
peter d said:
Update - we removed the occupancy sensor from the circuit and the nuisance tripping ceased.

So, I have learned a few things from this:

1) Apparently when these sensors malfunction, they leak a lethal amount of current into the EGC system.

2) I will never use any occupancy sensor that uses this bootleg ground again. They are UL listed and apparently in normal operation the current to ground is a few micro amperes, but this whole stinks to high heaven nonetheless. :mad:
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But it's UL listed, so it must be OK.
 
Anytime that you use an equipment ground in place of a grounded conductor your asking for trouble. A class a ground fault circuit interrupter is not forgiving when you do that.:smile:
 
SEO said:
Anytime that you use an equipment ground in place of a grounded conductor your asking for trouble. A class a ground fault circuit interrupter is not forgiving when you do that.:smile:
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I was trimming out a bath/fan light combo for a shower. I installed the deadfront GFCI and it would trip. I thought maybe a bad GFCI, so I put in another new one. It tripped.Hmmm. I went in and opened up the JB for the can and the idiot (which no longer works for us) had tied the ground and neutral together in the jbox.
 
How do you know they are using the EGC as a grounded conductor during normal operation? Doesn't a illuminated switch consume some small power with the switch off and just use the line/load side of the switch to "make" the circuit complete?
 
There exists a lengthy letter noting the characteristics of loading the ground wire, on this forum, from an employee of Leviton well maybe it was Lutron...
 
If it is a switch mounted unit and not a celling mount just go to the manual on auto off type, they use a neutral. They work well also.
 
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