Sure sounds complicated!! Glad that we do not have basements here in Texas
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!!! :thanku:
3-Way Motion Detector Light Switches
My basement stairway lighting was controlled by a 3 way switch located top and bottom of the steps. Wife wanted some way to make it easier to turn on the lights when she had her hands full and couldn't easily get to the switch.
I checked and checked and finally found a true 3-way motion controlled switch. I bought two Cooper Motion Activated Occupancy/Vacancy Sensor Switch - OS310U at Lowe's and just got them installed. They are great! Open the basement door and presto, the light comes on. Get to the bottom of the steps and after 15 seconds the light goes off. Approach the bottom of the steps and presto the lights come on again.
Let me tell you, these things are not wired anyway like the original 3 way switches. They are NOT a simple take one switch out and replace it with the new one. These required a rewire of the connectors inside one of the switch boxes. If anyone is interested in this idea, make sure you research the switches closely. They have switches that are for single switches only. They have switches for 3 way, but only one switch can be replaced. They have switches that you have to manually click on but will turn off automatically. And the biggest problem I saw was the switches that will only operate regular incandescent filament type of bulb. And a switch like I got that will operate any type of bulb from incandescent, fluorescent or LED.
I checked and checked and finally found a true 3-way motion controlled switch. I bought two Cooper Motion Activated Occupancy/Vacancy Sensor Switch - OS310U at Lowe's and just got them installed. They are great! Open the basement door and presto, the light comes on. Get to the bottom of the steps and after 15 seconds the light goes off. Approach the bottom of the steps and presto the lights come on again.
Let me tell you, these things are not wired anyway like the original 3 way switches. They are NOT a simple take one switch out and replace it with the new one. These required a rewire of the connectors inside one of the switch boxes. If anyone is interested in this idea, make sure you research the switches closely. They have switches that are for single switches only. They have switches for 3 way, but only one switch can be replaced. They have switches that you have to manually click on but will turn off automatically. And the biggest problem I saw was the switches that will only operate regular incandescent filament type of bulb. And a switch like I got that will operate any type of bulb from incandescent, fluorescent or LED.
1 - 4 of 4 Posts
Or you could put in singles that control and share a relay.
3 way switches are something else. They can be wired so many different ways. The hardest part was trying to figure out how the home builder electrician had wired it. Complicating it was the fact the one switch box actually contained two 3 way switches, one for the stairs and the other for the basement lights. That box was full of wires and wire nuts. I don't know if I would do this job again, but it seemed so easy when I first thought about it!
I thought about that, and other options such as installing one motion sensor in the center of the stairway controlling the lighting. These Cooper switches actually contain relays. When the sensor triggers, the relay kicks in energizing the circuit.Or you could put in singles that control and share a relay.
1 - 4 of 4 Posts
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