motion sensing light switch (triggered when there is no moti

S

Sanjay Punjab

Guest
I recently moved into a new apartment, where I replaced the manual
light switches with the motion sensing type that I bought at Home
Depot. They also have a variable adjustment to keep lights off when
there is enough ambient light in the room (window light).
Unfortunately I cant control their sensitivity. In my bathroom and
kitchen they work fine, but in a spare bedroom that I use for storage
I have problems. The lights will often come on when no one is in the
room, even when the door is closed. I tried replacing the unit with
another, still the same problem. Can air currents from heating vents
or cold drafts from windows that rattle window blinds cause these type
of sensors to falsely sense "motion"? Any solutions?
Thanks
 
"Sanjay Punjab" <piclistguy@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:97d41df6.0401101714.6ee949d3@posting.google.com...
I recently moved into a new apartment, where I replaced the manual
light switches with the motion sensing type that I bought at Home
Depot. They also have a variable adjustment to keep lights off when
there is enough ambient light in the room (window light).
Unfortunately I cant control their sensitivity. In my bathroom and
kitchen they work fine, but in a spare bedroom that I use for storage
I have problems. The lights will often come on when no one is in the
room, even when the door is closed. I tried replacing the unit with
another, still the same problem. Can air currents from heating vents
or cold drafts from windows that rattle window blinds cause these type
of sensors to falsely sense "motion"? Any solutions?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Rattling window blinds may have sufficient motion to trigger the sensor.
Most motion sensors have a limited detection angle, so repositioning
the sensor might alleviate the false triggers.
 
On 10 Jan 2004 17:14:05 -0800, piclistguy@yahoo.com (Sanjay Punjab) wrote:

I recently moved into a new apartment, where I replaced the manual
light switches with the motion sensing type that I bought at Home
Depot. They also have a variable adjustment to keep lights off when
there is enough ambient light in the room (window light).
Unfortunately I cant control their sensitivity. In my bathroom and
kitchen they work fine, but in a spare bedroom that I use for storage
I have problems. The lights will often come on when no one is in the
room, even when the door is closed. I tried replacing the unit with
another, still the same problem. Can air currents from heating vents
or cold drafts from windows that rattle window blinds cause these type
of sensors to falsely sense "motion"? Any solutions?
Thanks
Click to expand...
My experience with low cost motion sensors is that they are also
sensitive to (triggered by) rapid changes in lighting levels. I installed
a pair of these to both light the same courtyard, but detecting motion
from two possible entrances. I found that once tripped, the lights
alternated. As one light turned off, the other would turn on, etc., and
this continued all night.

My final solution was more elaborate, I used the more sophisticated
motion sensors made for alarm systems to drive a separate timer
relay. These sensors are designed to ignore ambient lighting.
Bill Kaszeta
Photovoltaic Resources Int'l
Tempe Arizona USA
bill@kaszeta.org
 
"Sanjay Punjab" <piclistguy@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:97d41df6.0401101714.6ee949d3@posting.google.com...
I recently moved into a new apartment, where I replaced the manual
light switches with the motion sensing type that I bought at Home
Depot. They also have a variable adjustment to keep lights off when
there is enough ambient light in the room (window light).
Unfortunately I cant control their sensitivity. In my bathroom and
kitchen they work fine, but in a spare bedroom that I use for storage
I have problems. The lights will often come on when no one is in the
room, even when the door is closed. I tried replacing the unit with
another, still the same problem. Can air currents from heating vents
or cold drafts from windows that rattle window blinds cause these type
of sensors to falsely sense "motion"? Any solutions?
Thanks
Click to expand...
I have 3 motion sensors bought from the depot and some times when I turn the
lights off at night (same circuit) they will turn on for the time allowed.
Not a biggie for me. Try shortening the time allowed on.

The fix might be cost more than the inconvenience.
 
In article <97d41df6.0401101714.6ee949d3@posting.google.com>,
piclistguy@yahoo.com mentioned...
I recently moved into a new apartment, where I replaced the manual
light switches with the motion sensing type that I bought at Home
Depot. They also have a variable adjustment to keep lights off when
there is enough ambient light in the room (window light).
Unfortunately I cant control their sensitivity. In my bathroom and
kitchen they work fine, but in a spare bedroom that I use for storage
I have problems. The lights will often come on when no one is in the
room, even when the door is closed. I tried replacing the unit with
another, still the same problem. Can air currents from heating vents
or cold drafts from windows that rattle window blinds cause these type
of sensors to falsely sense "motion"? Any solutions?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Yes, if it's a PIR sensor. The dummy contractors who installed the
motion detectors in my room didn't read the instruction manual. It
said to keep the sensor at least 6 feet away from the air vent. Well,
they installed it about 3 feet, and it would never shut off. No
fooling! BTW, these are ultrasound detectors.



--
@@F@r@o@m@@O@r@a@n@g@e@@C@o@u@n@t@y@,@@C@a@l@,@@w@h@e@r@e@@
###Got a Question about ELECTRONICS? Check HERE First:###
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My email address is whitelisted. *All* email sent to it
goes directly to the trash unless you add NOSPAM in the
Subject: line with other stuff. alondra101 <at> hotmail.com
Don't be ripped off by the big book dealers. Go to the URL
that will give you a choice and save you money(up to half).
http://www.everybookstore.com You'll be glad you did!
Just when you thought you had all this figured out, the gov't
changed it: http://physics.nist.gov/cuu/Units/binary.html
@@t@h@e@@a@f@f@l@u@e@n@t@@m@e@e@t@@t@h@e@@E@f@f@l@u@e@n@t@@
 
In article <M52Mb.8369$D27.8210@newssvr27.news.prodigy.com>,
ak2jack@excite.com mentioned...
"Sanjay Punjab" <piclistguy@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:97d41df6.0401101714.6ee949d3@posting.google.com...
I recently moved into a new apartment, where I replaced the manual
light switches with the motion sensing type that I bought at Home
Depot. They also have a variable adjustment to keep lights off when
there is enough ambient light in the room (window light).
Unfortunately I cant control their sensitivity. In my bathroom and
kitchen they work fine, but in a spare bedroom that I use for storage
I have problems. The lights will often come on when no one is in the
room, even when the door is closed. I tried replacing the unit with
another, still the same problem. Can air currents from heating vents
or cold drafts from windows that rattle window blinds cause these type
of sensors to falsely sense "motion"? Any solutions?
Thanks

Rattling window blinds may have sufficient motion to trigger the sensor.
Most motion sensors have a limited detection angle, so repositioning
the sensor might alleviate the false triggers.
Click to expand...
Well, if it's a light switch, it's not exactly easy to reposition it,
to make an understatement.


--
@@F@r@o@m@@O@r@a@n@g@e@@C@o@u@n@t@y@,@@C@a@l@,@@w@h@e@r@e@@
###Got a Question about ELECTRONICS? Check HERE First:###
http://users.pandora.be/educypedia/electronics/databank.htm
My email address is whitelisted. *All* email sent to it
goes directly to the trash unless you add NOSPAM in the
Subject: line with other stuff. alondra101 <at> hotmail.com
Don't be ripped off by the big book dealers. Go to the URL
that will give you a choice and save you money(up to half).
http://www.everybookstore.com You'll be glad you did!
Just when you thought you had all this figured out, the gov't
changed it: http://physics.nist.gov/cuu/Units/binary.html
@@t@h@e@@a@f@f@l@u@e@n@t@@m@e@e@t@@t@h@e@@E@f@f@l@u@e@n@t@@
 
In article <4000b313.2398925@news.west.earthlink.net>,
kaszetaw_remove_@mindspring.com mentioned...
On 10 Jan 2004 17:14:05 -0800, piclistguy@yahoo.com (Sanjay Punjab) wrote:

I recently moved into a new apartment, where I replaced the manual
light switches with the motion sensing type that I bought at Home
Depot. They also have a variable adjustment to keep lights off when
there is enough ambient light in the room (window light).
Unfortunately I cant control their sensitivity. In my bathroom and
kitchen they work fine, but in a spare bedroom that I use for storage
I have problems. The lights will often come on when no one is in the
room, even when the door is closed. I tried replacing the unit with
another, still the same problem. Can air currents from heating vents
or cold drafts from windows that rattle window blinds cause these type
of sensors to falsely sense "motion"? Any solutions?
Thanks

My experience with low cost motion sensors is that they are also
sensitive to (triggered by) rapid changes in lighting levels. I installed
a pair of these to both light the same courtyard, but detecting motion
from two possible entrances. I found that once tripped, the lights
alternated. As one light turned off, the other would turn on, etc., and
this continued all night.
Click to expand...
A few months ago I bought a small 6" fluo night light with an ambient
light sensor to turn it off during daytime. For a few hours in the
morning and evening during the times when there's lower daylight, it
just oscillates on and off at a rate of six or eight seconds per
cycle. I taped a piece of paper next to the sensor to shield it from
ambient light, but it only helps a little. It still senses itself and
it's not going to be easy to get around that. Oh, well...

My final solution was more elaborate, I used the more sophisticated
motion sensors made for alarm systems to drive a separate timer
relay. These sensors are designed to ignore ambient lighting.
Bill Kaszeta
Photovoltaic Resources Int'l
Tempe Arizona USA
bill@kaszeta.org
Click to expand...
--
@@F@r@o@m@@O@r@a@n@g@e@@C@o@u@n@t@y@,@@C@a@l@,@@w@h@e@r@e@@
###Got a Question about ELECTRONICS? Check HERE First:###
http://users.pandora.be/educypedia/electronics/databank.htm
My email address is whitelisted. *All* email sent to it
goes directly to the trash unless you add NOSPAM in the
Subject: line with other stuff. alondra101 <at> hotmail.com
Don't be ripped off by the big book dealers. Go to the URL
that will give you a choice and save you money(up to half).
http://www.everybookstore.com You'll be glad you did!
Just when you thought you had all this figured out, the gov't
changed it: http://physics.nist.gov/cuu/Units/binary.html
@@t@h@e@@a@f@f@l@u@e@n@t@@m@e@e@t@@t@h@e@@E@f@f@l@u@e@n@t@@
 
A few months ago I bought a small 6" fluo night light with an ambient
light sensor to turn it off during daytime. For a few hours in the
morning and evening during the times when there's lower daylight, it
just oscillates on and off at a rate of six or eight seconds per
cycle. I taped a piece of paper next to the sensor to shield it from
ambient light, but it only helps a little. It still senses itself and
it's not going to be easy to get around that. Oh, well...
Click to expand...
Form a 1" piece of semi-stiff cardboard into a little tube. Make the hole
just a tad larger than the photo sensor.
The interior of the tube should be shiny white or (better) metal -- possibly
aluminum foil. Glue one end of the tube to the front of the nightlight so
it covers the sensor. Problem solved.

Regards,
Robert

=============================>
Bass Home Electronics
2291 Pine View Circle
Sarasota ˇ Florida ˇ 34231
877-722-8900 Sales & Tech Support
941-925-9747 Fax
941-232-0791 Wireless
Nextel Private ID - 161*21755*1
http://www.bass-home.com
http://www.bassburglaralarms.com
=============================>
 
In article <t9CdnYuvzPXk2prdRVn-ig@giganews.com>,
robertlbass@comcast.net mentioned...
A few months ago I bought a small 6" fluo night light with an ambient
light sensor to turn it off during daytime. For a few hours in the
morning and evening during the times when there's lower daylight, it
just oscillates on and off at a rate of six or eight seconds per
cycle. I taped a piece of paper next to the sensor to shield it from
ambient light, but it only helps a little. It still senses itself and
it's not going to be easy to get around that. Oh, well...

Form a 1" piece of semi-stiff cardboard into a little tube. Make the hole
just a tad larger than the photo sensor.
The interior of the tube should be shiny white or (better) metal -- possibly
aluminum foil. Glue one end of the tube to the front of the nightlight so
it covers the sensor. Problem solved.
Click to expand...
Been there, done that, got it to stay on all the time. :-(

Regards,
Robert
Click to expand...
--
@@F@r@o@m@@O@r@a@n@g@e@@C@o@u@n@t@y@,@@C@a@l@,@@w@h@e@r@e@@
###Got a Question about ELECTRONICS? Check HERE First:###
http://users.pandora.be/educypedia/electronics/databank.htm
My email address is whitelisted. *All* email sent to it
goes directly to the trash unless you add NOSPAM in the
Subject: line with other stuff. alondra101 <at> hotmail.com
Don't be ripped off by the big book dealers. Go to the URL
that will give you a choice and save you money(up to half).
http://www.everybookstore.com You'll be glad you did!
Just when you thought you had all this figured out, the gov't
changed it: http://physics.nist.gov/cuu/Units/binary.html
@@t@h@e@@a@f@f@l@u@e@n@t@@m@e@e@t@@t@h@e@@E@f@f@l@u@e@n@t@@
 
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