How do I wire a motion sensor to an existing set of lights at my cabin?
I have a set of halogen floodlights outside my cabin that are connected to a switch located near the front door. I recently purchased a motion sensor (without lights) and would like to wire it so that it activates the floodlights. Can I simply disconnect the wires from the switch and connect the white, black, and ground wires to the motion sensor? Do I need to use the red wire from the sensor as well? Additionally, the motion sensor is rated for 1000W, and I have six halogen lights installed, but I cannot find the wattage for these bulbs. They are small, cylindrical bulbs, roughly the diameter of a pencil, and there is no wattage information visible on them. How can I determine if the motion sensor will be compatible with my existing lights?
2 Answers
The motion sensor came with directions and wiring diagrams (I know because i used to sell them and have installed many.) Use the directions. A motion sensor is really just a switch and you generally wire it only into the hot leg of the circuit, not the neutral. All grounds should be tied together. Again, refer to the diagrams and instructions.
Your halogen quartz lamps might be 500 watts each if you are using those cheap little outdoor floodlights. Look inside the fixture itself — there should be a tag on the housing — for the maximum lamp rating. If that doesn’t work, measure the length of the lamp and check on line or at a hardware store to match it with the size. If they are 500 watts you can only run 2 on that sensor or you will fry the electronics. Always use a tissue or gloves if you handle the quarts lamps — oils on your fingers will leave marks on them that will cause them to overheat during operation and fail early.
You could solve the overwattage dilemma by replacing some of the quartz lights with LED or CFL floodlights which would be far less wattage. 3000 watts of quartz floods seems like a bit of overkill for outside cabin lighting unless you are shooting a Hollywood movie. I hope you don’t have neighbors nearby or they are going to hate your guts every time a raccoon trips that sensor at night. I had a motion sensor with 2 CFL floods in reflector housings (13 watts each) on my last house and it was plenty bright enough to find my way to the porch in the dark. I currently have only one 19 watt LED floodlight on my back deck and it’s fine.
Once you get this set up, make sure you are not aiming the light at anyone else’s property.
the black wire goes to the brass bolt. 2. the white 1 goes to the silverbolt 3. the green goes to the ground make sure you use a proper size wire nuts pentucket bank in neatly don’t force it all in there sloppily and then put your light on shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes
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