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Lawrence M. Seldin, CMC, CPC Lawrence M. Seldin, CMC, CPC is offline
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Default Help diagnose Motion Detector light problem

It sounds like the switch toggled between a photocell controlling the lights
or the motion detector controlling the lights. Whatever device was
controlling the lights when they stayed in the on position went bad. The
black wire of a motion detector is not a ground, it gets connected to the
feed hot wire, so you clearly wired it incorrectly. At this point you should
probably call back the electrician to diagnose and repair the problem



Guys,

I shut the circuit breaker off for 30 minutes. When I turned it on, the motion sensor light stayed
on. As you said, there is something wrong.

I was hoping that a forum member could tell me the correct wiring of what color wires goes where
to get the motion detector to behave the way it was working as. Also, to tell me, where to look for
the problem.

Here is the summary, of how the motion detector used to work and the way, I want it to work...

1) When the wall switch is in the down position, the lights are triggered when motion occurs and
shuts off a few minutes later.

2) When the wall switch is in the up position, the lights stay on all the time at night.


********* begin *******

Can someone explain how a wall switch affects how a motion sensor is working to produce the above
way, I want it wired and the way it used to work?

********* end *********


So based on this, how do you think the wires should be "wired" and also where do you think the
problem is occurring.

I am trying not to use an electrician, if I just knew what to change or replace. Since I already
swapped out the old motion detector for the new one, I know that the problem is not a faulty motion
detector. The problem is something else.

So you mentioned that the black from the motion detector is not a ground. If I put this on to the
other black wires, should this fix the problem of that the lights always stay on and the motion is
being bypassed?



Thanks much,


Lawrence M. Seldin, CMC, CPC

Contributing writer for FUTURES Magazine
Author of RECRUITSOURCE PEOPLESOFT EXAM and RECRUITSOURCE SAP/R3 EXAM
Author of POWER TIPS FOR THE APPLE NEWTON and INTRODUCTION TO CSP

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