Motion sensing light switch problems

[jwgary]

I installed a motion sensing switch in my garage because I want the lights to come on when I open the garage door from outside. When I close the door without turning on the light first, it gets dark real quick and I have to stumble around in the dark until I get to the switch. So the motion detector seemed like a perfect solution. It would see that I was there, turn on, and then wait until I was done in the garage and turn back off.



The first problem was that I had a single compact fluorescent bulb to light the garage. The switch says that it's not for electronic ballast flourescents and it didn't work. It looked like a strobe light. Next, I replaced that fixture with two hanging 4' shop light fixtures from Lowe's. These were magnetic ballast, but I guess since they are the cheapies (about 8 bucks ea. ) they aren't fast start and don't work either. The problem with these is that the flickering of the bulbs causes the sensor to trip and they just come right back on. There is also a slight glow if they do actually decide to settle down and stay off.



Does anyone have a recommendation on what I should do? Can I get a relay that will isolate the switch from the lights? It seems like it really wouldn't work with the switch being that there is a trace current in there. Should I just bite the bullet and get some better lights that might turn on and off faster? I can't return the fixtures because the boxes went out in the recycling the next day before I figured out that it wasn't going to work. Thanks.

 

[rono]

I think motion sensor lights are for incandence lights. At least those I have are.

Ron

 

[BGlidewell]

do you have a garage door opener?

 

[Dane]

Can I get a relay that will isolate the switch from the lights?

No, the relay will vibrate like the lights did.

 

[GaryCarter]

Your plan is OK, but it sounds like you have a defective MS switch. We use these successfully all the time in commercial buildings with flourescents.

Many of the consumer grade MS devices are junk. If you want a decent one you'll want to get for instance a commercial grade Leviton or similar.



Gary

 

[jwgary]

I don't have a garage door opener and don't really plan on getting one. The garage is a shop and I don't ever plan on having it where I can park cars in it. Otherwise I would just use the light that is on the opener. The switch is a Cooper that they sell at Lowes. The instruction sheet says, "works with incandescent and rapid start flourescent lighting (not for use with electronic ballasts). " I just want to make sure before I shell out more money for better lights that I will be able to get the results that I want. Going back to incandescent bulbs is not going to happen either. I know that these things work because we have them in the bathrooms at work. Does anyone else have any experience with these switches and flourescent lights?

 

[2-ND TIME]

Motion sensing

Don't they have a sensitivity adjustment on them. The old ones did so one could adjust this. What is it there is the rapid and instant start. The good ones are ???? They are worse in the cold. With floursences grounding is "VERY" inportant. I had the same problems years ago I tried the relay trick and "NOT" it chattered. as i remembered it, saw the relay the other day in the garage.

 

[jwgary]

The unit that I have has two adjustments: time on and ambient light level. The only time I was able to get the unit to work was when I had the time set to the minimum of 5 seconds. This would not let the tubes, ballasts and everything else warm up and the off current wouldn't cause it to flicker as much. The ambient light level adjustment is for if I didn't want to light to come on when I had the door open during the day (which I still want it on). Should I be looking for another switch or another set of lights?

 

[daveshoe]

My suggestion would be to just wire a floodlight style with a motion sensor that will light your way to the main switch. Use screw -in flourescents or 130 volt incandescents [long life] for reliability. You could wire this unit in to a hot line and just let it activate when it sees you. Cost should be about 15 bucks.