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New tool
by SMOKEYBOB - 02/15/21 04:59 PM
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Motion switch
#173747
01/17/08 06:14 PM
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 830
OP
Member
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I have a friend who has installed a motion switch in his closet. He says it works fine on incandacent bulbs but not on a "Daylight 6500K CFL". First question: Is this normal or has he possibly got a "bad or cheap switch"? He asked me also if I knew of a simple relay I could recommend. I don't deal in relays too much, though I have in the past, so I would only know to tell him a simple "plug in relay"and base, that was rated at at least the amperage of the load he has on it. I imagine the lowest rated one is probably rated maybe 1 amp?? I'll probably just tell him to go to the nearest electrical supply house and ask them. He lives a few hundred miles from me so I can't go and check it out for him:) Thanks for the help. Steve..
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Re: Motion switch
[Re: sparkync]
#173750
01/17/08 06:53 PM
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 853
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That should make no dif. Does he realize that the CFL may not be "instant" on? Perhaps just a new motion is in order.
It should be ok.
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Re: Motion switch
[Re: leland]
#173753
01/17/08 07:39 PM
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,316
Cat Servant Member
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I've seen all manner of restrictions in the instructions to controls. "Not for fluorescent" is a rather common stipulation. So, the first thing you need to do is read the instructions.
I know, is sounds really silly ... but sometimes they even have useful information in them
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Re: Motion switch
[Re: leland]
#173754
01/17/08 07:40 PM
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 939
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Ya have to keep in your mind there are some motion switch are NOT designed to work with screwin CFL lamp because some of the motion switch need a " close circuit" to keep thier electronic going and with electronic CFL it will keep them in open or failure mode unless you put in indescent lamp in there.
Merci, Marc
Pas de problme,il marche n'est-ce pas?"(No problem, it works doesn't it?)
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Re: Motion switch
[Re: frenchelectrican]
#173757
01/17/08 08:12 PM
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 22
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I agree, i just put a motion in my garage for two, 2 tube eight foot florescent fixtures. It was made by leviton. You have to get one that is rated for CFL or else it WILL NOT WORK.
Virginia Journeyman Eletrician NFPA-70E Trained CFC Universal Certified
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Re: Motion switch
[Re: sokoservices]
#173761
01/17/08 09:03 PM
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 9,569
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If this is simply a case of needing a load when off you could put a 50k resistor across the lamp holder leads.
Greg Fretwell
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Re: Motion switch
[Re: gfretwell]
#173767
01/17/08 10:53 PM
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 404
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Fixtures that use photosensors also make short work of CFLs.
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Re: Motion switch
[Re: frenchelectrican]
#173781
01/18/08 06:44 AM
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,213
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It's a closet. Not much point in a CFL in a closet, is there? Seems the perfect place to save $2 and just use a cheap ole ordinary bulb. Ya have to keep in your mind there are some motion switch are NOT designed to work with screwin CFL lamp because some of the motion switch need a " close circuit" to keep thier electronic going and with electronic CFL it will keep them in open or failure mode unless you put in indescent lamp in there.
Merci, Marc If this were the case, it would work if you put in a double-bulb fixture with a an incandescent and a CFL. I've tried this on a motion-sensor switch in my house, but the CFLs flicker and die in just in a few weeks of intermittant use. I've seen the same problem with dimmers and electric eyes. One odd thing... We put up a 13-bulb chandalier on a standard lutron dimmer (the kind explicitely not rated for CFL), and on a whim, I replaced one of the 40W incandescents with a 15W ("60W") CFL. And the damned thing works great- puts out more light than the incandescents and actually dims better, too. And, inexplicably, has NOT suffered an early death. This is a cheap CFL too, out of a $10 wal-mart 6-pack. I'm at a loss to explain why this works where others don't.
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Re: Motion switch
[Re: SteveFehr]
#173787
01/18/08 11:15 AM
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,335
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I see the CFL as more of a cheap retro to get incandecents out of the closet and less to save money. Granted the life expentency will be shortend with each cycling of the light.
"Live Awesome!" - Kevin Carosa
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Re: Motion switch
[Re: sparkyinak]
#173791
01/18/08 01:08 PM
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 9,569
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I have 2 CFLs in my garage and another one in my lamp post, controlled by Heath motion sensors. Both seem fine. The lamp post is paralleled with an incandescent porch light but the CFLs in the garage are on by themselves. There are also CFLs in the garage door opener. I am migrating everything to CFL as the old bulbs die. So far so good on all of them
Greg Fretwell
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