Spot Light

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mike12347

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I gotta a customer who wants a spot light installed and wants it to be switched like this:
switch on - LT on
switch off - LT controlled by motion sensor
I had a bit exotic idea using a 3-way, but I think there maybe some back feed issues there:grin:
Any thoughts?
 
I believe a 3 way will work just fine. Tie one side of the 3 way to the sockets and the red wire of the motion detector and the other leg of the 3way to the black leg of the motion detector. I don't think you'll have a problem.
I have done this before but a little different scenario
 
I had two motion sensors. One was set at the driveway entrance about 800 feet from the house and the other was at the garage door. I fed the first motion detector at the house and then from there I ran a 3 wire cable to outdoor recep. every 100 feet and ended at the motion sensory at the top of the driveway. The feed (black wire) passed through the recep. all the way to the motion sensor at the top of the driveway while the sensors switched leg (red wire) went to the GFI rec. These recep controlled transformers for the low voltage lights. You can see that it would have the same effect as what you are proposing.

I haven't had a problem in over 7 years
 
I cringe when a customer asks for a motion controlled outdoor fixture. I can almost guarantee a call-back at some point in time. A customer education session related to realistic expectations from motion controlled outdoor floods goes a long way to help that issue. The best fixtures/sensors I've found to use are RAB's Stealth line. It's a 100 dollar sensor, but the best I've come across for that purpose.
 
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mike12347 said:
I gotta a customer who wants a spot light installed and wants it to be switched like this:
switch on - LT on
switch off - LT controlled by motion sensor
I had a bit exotic idea using a 3-way, but I think there maybe some back feed issues there:grin:
Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

Here's my thought:

I had the exact same issue with a customer of mine. He owns an animal hospital and there is a backyard for the dogs to do their business. He says he wants some light in the yard because there are dark spots for the dogs to hide. There are two doors entering the yard from opposite ends of the "L" shaped building, but he didn't want his employees to have to worry about turning the lights on or off.
So this is what I did.
I wired a two gang box for the switches. I used a single pole switch to control the electricity and used a switch guard to help keep that switch in the ON position. Then I used the 3-way switch to toggle the power between:
1. Feed the motion sensor
2. Feed the lamps

So the 3-way switch decided whether to use the motion sensor or to turn the lights on, but I still had a means of disconnect for the system. I told him to leave the switches in the motion sensor position, but if his employees really needed it, they could liven up the lights and bypass the sensor. His employees never have to worry about turning the light on or off, but there is means for disconnect if the circuit needs to be killed. Furthermore, there was a guard on the main disconnect which avoids accidental switching.

Does anybody see a safety related problem with that?
 
mdshunk said:
The best fixtures/sensors I've found to use are RAB's Stealth line. It's a 100 dollar sensor, but the best I've come across for that purpose.
Click to expand...

Yup...RAB's Stealth motion sensors are DEFINITELY the best. As long as your customer is prepared to pay the cost.
 
The thing is that all the motion sensor are designed to work either on all the time or on motion without any of the extra switching. The motion detectors work this way: Flip the switch on once and its motion. Turn it off and flip it back on quickly and it bypasses the motion detector and stays on.
 
jaylectricity said:
Yup...RAB's Stealth motion sensors are DEFINITELY the best. As long as your customer is prepared to pay the cost.
Click to expand...
Fact is, if they want me to provide the fixture, that's what they're getting. I don't like outdoor motion fixtures in the first place. If they don't like the price point, they can provide their own junky fixture from the big box store, and I'll slap it up with no warranty. I'll just make sure to give them a refrigerator magnet so they know who to call to put a good fixture up when that one craps out.
 
mike12347 said:
I gotta a customer who wants a spot light installed and wants it to be switched like this:
switch on - LT on
switch off - LT controlled by motion sensor
I had a bit exotic idea using a 3-way, but I think there maybe some back feed issues there:grin:
Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
Here's a simple way:

1. Connect the light through the motion sensor.
2. Connect a single pole switch ACROSS the motion sensor.

When the switch is off, the light is controlled by the motion sensor.
When the switch is on, the light is on regardless of motion sensor status.
 
Dennis mentioned about the manual override that the sensors already have, which should be all they need. I'd be concerned with the people messing around with the three way switch, leaving it on and calling you saying the lights won't shut off. Even with the switch labeled I can see it happening.
 
Bob NH said:
Here's a simple way:

1. Connect the light through the motion sensor.
2. Connect a single pole switch ACROSS the motion sensor.

When the switch is off, the light is controlled by the motion sensor.
When the switch is on, the light is on regardless of motion sensor status.
Click to expand...
This is definitely the simplest way to do this.
If you want a more elaborate way, use a lighting contact where the switch or motion sensor engages the coil. This would be a solution if you have several lights and want to control all of them from either a timer or switch, a motion sensor or switch, a photocell or switch or any combination of the above.
 
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