Control motion activated lights?

[ELEKTPO]

Hi guys, I'm trying to control motion activated post lights, so I was wondering if this is even possible? I added a motion sensor (Heath/Zenith SL-4100-BK-A) to my post lights and then replaced the regular (on/off) switch with GE 45612 Z-Wave Wireless Lighting Control In-Wall Dimmer so when I tried to turn the lights ON it didn't work. I asked the support guys from both companies and the told me that their products don't work inline with another control product. Is there a solution for this?

The ideal solution would be turning the lights remotely and dimming them. The motion sensor has manual mode which you can use it to turn the lights on and they will stay on until you turn them off. If dimming is not possible can I just add a relay and control the on and off through elk? I have ELK M1 Z-wave and Homeseer

Thank you

 

[Digger]

It sounds like you put the Zwave switch in series with the motion detector so both would have to be on for the light to come on. I wanted the same thing using UPB and put the UPB switch in parallel with the motion. This way there is a constant hot to the motion and it will turn the light on when there is motion detected, however, when I turn the light switch on it puts the lights on constant until I shut it off. It works great.

In my case I used the Defiant LED Motion lights from Home Depot and hacked into the red wire for the switched hot from the UPB switch.

A motion detector if located and aimed properly should not false trigger unless of course you have an impossible situation such as a large tree in the viewing area along with a strong wind.

.

 

[Desert_AIP]

I rewired motion security lights, so the motion detector sends a UPB signal when motion is detected and the lights respond to UPB links from the motionsensor or other transmitters like the Omni and wall switches.
This gives me automatic motion control and manual control as well as motion detection to the controller and the ability to over ride and disable motion sensing (for instance in a wind storm).

You may have a problem communicating with Zwave out doors if there is no bridge to get the RF signal out there. Remember, things like Low E glass block RF.

 

[ELEKTPO]

It sounds like you put the Zwave switch in series with the motion detector so both would have to be on for the light to come on. I wanted the same thing using UPB and put the UPB switch in parallel with the motion. This way there is a constant hot to the motion and it will turn the light on when there is motion detected, however, when I turn the light switch on it puts the lights on constant until I shut it off. It works great.

In my case I used the Defiant LED Motion lights from Home Depot and hacked into the red wire for the switched hot from the UPB switch.

A motion detector if located and aimed properly should not false trigger unless of course you have an impossible situation such as a large tree in the viewing area along with a strong wind.

.

Yeah I put the zwave switch in series and I turned it ON so there is a power going to the motion detector, but nothing happened.

 

[Digger]

Yeah I put the zwave switch in series and I turned it ON so there is a power going to the motion detector, but nothing happened.

Did you walk in front of the motion detector when it is dark outside with the zwave switch on? If its not working check your wiring.

 

[tmbrown97]

In series is a bad idea especially with a dimmer - when you dim the light you reduce the voltage sent to the motion detector piece. At the minimum it won't work - damage is very likely.

What you need was kinda mentioned above - the motion unit you have inline at the lamp is the only thing that should be able to control the light - then if you want a switch inside the house to also have control, you would put a switch in the original location but wired so that it has no output - the power to the lamp needs to be always hot. Then the switch would send commands to the unit that's outside. That's really the only way to accomplish what you're after.

 

[ELEKTPO]

Did you walk in front of the motion detector when it is dark outside with the zwave switch on? If its not working check your wiring.

Yes I walked in front of the motion detector with the z-wave switch turned to ON and nothing happened. When I replaced the z-wave switch with regular (manual) switch it works fine, so I'm guessing that what I'm trying to achieve it won't be possible with what I have.

In series is a bad idea especially with a dimmer - when you dim the light you reduce the voltage sent to the motion detector piece. At the minimum it won't work - damage is very likely.

Yeah I now that but I wasn't dimming the light. I was just turning it ON/OFF because I only have z-wave switch with dimming (wanted to try if it works before buying z-wave ON/OFF switch).

What you need was kinda mentioned above - the motion unit you have inline at the lamp is the only thing that should be able to control the light - then if you want a switch inside the house to also have control, you would put a switch in the original location but wired so that it has no output - the power to the lamp needs to be always hot. Then the switch would send commands to the unit that's outside. That's really the only way to accomplish what you're after.

For now that's what I have. I have manual switch that is always ON and the motion detector is controlling the lights. If I want the lights to be constantly ON I have to turn the switch to OFF and then back to ON ( when I do this the motion detector is disabled, so when the motion detector is disabled I wanted to dim the lights with the z-wave dimmer switch ).