Motion Sensor for kitchen light issue
 

I switched to a T-9 fluorescent light fixture in my kitchen. Prior to
that I had a light fixture with 3 75W compact fluorescent bulbs
connected to a motion sensor. Well, for some reason the new
fluorescent T-9 bulbs flicker when activated with the motion sensor
switch. The compact fluorescent bulbs never had this issue. The new
fluorescent has an electronic ballast and 1 T-9 22W and 1 T-9 32W
bulbs. Would a place like Lowe's carry a motion sensor for this
fluorescent light fixture? The motion sensors in the store all said
they'd work for fluorescent bulbs at least ones with magnetic ballasts
but mine is electronic.

Thanks
JaKe

Motion Sensor for kitchen light issue
 

On Jan 26, 6:12*pm, " wrote:
I switched to a T-9 fluorescent light fixture in my kitchen. *Prior to
that I had a light fixture with 3 75W compact fluorescent bulbs
connected to a motion sensor. *Well, for some reason the new
fluorescent T-9 bulbs flicker when activated with the motion sensor
switch. *The compact fluorescent bulbs never had this issue. *The new
fluorescent has an electronic ballast and 1 T-9 22W and 1 T-9 32W
bulbs. *Would a place like Lowe's carry a motion sensor for this
fluorescent light fixture? *The motion sensors in the store all said
they'd work for fluorescent bulbs at least ones with magnetic ballasts
but mine is electronic.

Thanks
JaKe

Rather pointless, the real savings with fluorescent comes form leaving
them on. They draw very little current running, but have a startup
load like a motor. Motion sensors are better teamed with incandescent.

Motion Sensor for kitchen light issue
 

On Jan 26, 6:12*pm, " wrote:
I switched to a T-9 fluorescent light fixture in my kitchen. *Prior to
that I had a light fixture with 3 75W compact fluorescent bulbs
connected to a motion sensor. *Well, for some reason the new
fluorescent T-9 bulbs flicker when activated with the motion sensor
switch. *The compact fluorescent bulbs never had this issue. *The new
fluorescent has an electronic ballast and 1 T-9 22W and 1 T-9 32W
bulbs. *Would a place like Lowe's carry a motion sensor for this
fluorescent light fixture? *The motion sensors in the store all said
they'd work for fluorescent bulbs at least ones with magnetic ballasts
but mine is electronic.

Thanks
JaKe

Rather pointless, the real savings with fluorescent comes form leaving
them on. They draw very little current running, but have a startup
load like a motor. Motion sensors are better teamed with incandescent.

Motion Sensor for kitchen light issue
 

On Jan 26, 5:49*pm, Eric in North TX wrote:
On Jan 26, 6:12*pm, " wrote:

I switched to a T-9 fluorescent light fixture in my kitchen. *Prior to
that I had a light fixture with 3 75W compact fluorescent bulbs
connected to a motion sensor. *Well, for some reason the new
fluorescent T-9 bulbs flicker when activated with the motion sensor
switch. *The compact fluorescent bulbs never had this issue. *The new
fluorescent has an electronic ballast and 1 T-9 22W and 1 T-9 32W
bulbs. *Would a place like Lowe's carry a motion sensor for this
fluorescent light fixture? *The motion sensors in the store all said
they'd work for fluorescent bulbs at least ones with magnetic ballasts
but mine is electronic.

Thanks
JaKe

Rather pointless, the real savings with fluorescent comes form leaving
them on. They draw very little current running, but have a startup
load like a motor. Motion sensors are better teamed with incandescent.

Maybe he's not trying to save power.
He just doesn't want the kitchen light on.

Motion Sensor for kitchen light issue
 

On Jan 26, 6:12*pm, " wrote:
I switched to a T-9 fluorescent light fixture in my kitchen. *Prior to
that I had a light fixture with 3 75W compact fluorescent bulbs
connected to a motion sensor. *Well, for some reason the new
fluorescent T-9 bulbs flicker when activated with the motion sensor
switch. *The compact fluorescent bulbs never had this issue. *The new
fluorescent has an electronic ballast and 1 T-9 22W and 1 T-9 32W
bulbs. *Would a place like Lowe's carry a motion sensor for this
fluorescent light fixture? *The motion sensors in the store all said
they'd work for fluorescent bulbs at least ones with magnetic ballasts
but mine is electronic.

Thanks
JaKe

Have you checked to see if they flicker when they are connected
directly?

Motion Sensor for kitchen light issue
 

Nope, turning off lights saves energy (and thus money). The start-up
wattage for fluorescents isn't that much greater than running them.

It CAN'T be, or you'd trip a circuit breaker. Even if they use ten
times the power starting up (which they don't) for ten seconds (which
they don't) that's still less than two minutes' worth of electricity
to start up. So if your lights are off for two minutes you're better
off than leaving them on.

Shaun Eli
www.BrainChampagne.com

Motion Sensor for kitchen light issue
 

You're not going to like the answer.

You'll have to buy a new motion sensor. The only one I know of that
specifically mentions electronic ballasts is the Leviton OSSMT-MDW.
You won't find it at any retail stores. Check online though. It goes
for about $75

Just so you know, turning fluorescents on and off burns out the tubes
faster. That's why the specs on a compact fluorescent is based on a
minimum of 4 hours use.

Motion Sensor for kitchen light issue
 

On Mon, 26 Jan 2009 22:28:00 -0600, Rick-Meister
wrote:

You're not going to like the answer.

You'll have to buy a new motion sensor. The only one I know of that
specifically mentions electronic ballasts is the Leviton OSSMT-MDW.
You won't find it at any retail stores. Check online though. It goes
for about $75

Or just add a relay switch.



Just so you know, turning fluorescents on and off burns out the tubes
faster. That's why the specs on a compact fluorescent is based on a
minimum of 4 hours use.

True, but the newer lamps do not suffer the loss of live
nearly as much as the older designs.

Motion Sensor for kitchen light issue
 

On Jan 26, 7:49*pm, Eric in North TX wrote:
On Jan 26, 6:12*pm, " wrote:

I switched to a T-9 fluorescent light fixture in my kitchen. *Prior to
that I had a light fixture with 3 75W compact fluorescent bulbs
connected to a motion sensor. *Well, for some reason the new
fluorescent T-9 bulbs flicker when activated with the motion sensor
switch. *The compact fluorescent bulbs never had this issue. *The new
fluorescent has an electronic ballast and 1 T-9 22W and 1 T-9 32W
bulbs. *Would a place like Lowe's carry a motion sensor for this
fluorescent light fixture? *The motion sensors in the store all said
they'd work for fluorescent bulbs at least ones with magnetic ballasts
but mine is electronic.

Thanks
JaKe

Rather pointless, the real savings with fluorescent comes form leaving
them on. They draw very little current running, but have a startup
load like a motor. Motion sensors are better teamed with incandescent.

That's an urban myth that was demolished on the Myth Busters show on
TV. It's true flourescents draw a higher current at startup. But
it lasts a second or so and doens't amount to that much energy.
After that, the flourescents use substantially less energy. So, even
if it's only going to be on for a couple minutes, you use less energy.

Motion Sensor for kitchen light issue
 

Rick-Meister wrote:
You're not going to like the answer.

You'll have to buy a new motion sensor. The only one I know of that
specifically mentions electronic ballasts is the Leviton OSSMT-MDW.
You won't find it at any retail stores. Check online though. It goes
for about $75

Just so you know, turning fluorescents on and off burns out the tubes
faster. That's why the specs on a compact fluorescent is based on a
minimum of 4 hours use.

Even if true the lamps are not on as long so the time between replacing
is longer. In the meantime you save energy.

--
bud--

Motion Sensor for kitchen light issue
 

On Jan 27, 3:31*pm, bud-- wrote:
Rick-Meister wrote:
You're not going to like the answer.

You'll have to buy a new motion sensor. The only one I know of that
specifically mentions electronic ballasts is the Leviton OSSMT-MDW.
You won't find it at any retail stores. Check online though. It goes
for about $75

Just so you know, turning fluorescents on and off burns out the tubes
faster. That's why the specs on a compact fluorescent is based on a
minimum of 4 hours use.

Even if true the lamps are not on as long so the time between replacing
is longer. In the meantime you save energy.

--
bud--

I had that problem with my motion detector switch when I put
flourescent lights in my bathroom Not wanting to spend the bucks on a
new sensor or shel out the money again if it needed replacing I
installed a contactor in the b light switch box. I had to add another
box to hold the contactor but that wasnt too bacd since I was
remodeling at the time. The new box and contactor was less than $10.


Jimmie

Motion Sensor for kitchen light issue
 

Eric in North TX wrote:

... the real savings with fluorescent comes form leaving them on. They
draw very little current running, but have a startup load like a motor.

The startup energy is insignificant.

Nick

Motion Sensor for kitchen light issue
 

Motion Sensor for kitchen light issue
 

On Jan 29, 3:48*pm, wrote:
On Thu, 29 Jan 2009 02:07:53 -0600, The Daring Dufas





wrote:
wrote:
I switched to a T-9 fluorescent light fixture in my kitchen. *Prior to
that I had a light fixture with 3 75W compact fluorescent bulbs
connected to a motion sensor. *Well, for some reason the new
fluorescent T-9 bulbs flicker when activated with the motion sensor
switch. *The compact fluorescent bulbs never had this issue. *The new
fluorescent has an electronic ballast and 1 T-9 22W and 1 T-9 32W
bulbs. *Would a place like Lowe's carry a motion sensor for this
fluorescent light fixture? *The motion sensors in the store all said
they'd work for fluorescent bulbs at least ones with magnetic ballasts
but mine is electronic.

Thanks
JaKe

A couple of folks already mentioned using a relay or
contactor. The problem with inexpensive motion sensor
light fixtures is the solid state switching using what
is known as a triac or thyristor instead of a relay.
It's possible that the electronic ballast of the CFL
is disrupting the triac's trigger circuit. I haven't
hooked one up to an oscilloscope yet but I may just
have to in order to see if my guess is right. A relay
is not bothered by harmonics on a small power circuit.

TDD

If the triac is driven into saturation both ways it is a switch. Some
poorly designed detectors might not do that and the wave could be
getting clipped.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

However it makes sense that turning any device on and off more
frequently is almost bound to cause more 'wear and tear'. So if such a
practice leads to the device (whatever it may be; fluorescent tubes,
CFLs or other) lasting only half as long, the economics (and
unnecessary extra labour of changing out the device) would favour
'leaving it ON' for steady periods and 'turning OFF' when leaving that
area permanently.
And once again my favourite rant!
Any heat due to 'inefficiency' of older devices I might save by
installing, say, CFLs, that use less electrcity, especially at night
during this long cold winter, must be replaced by our electric
heaters.
So; leaving on the 100 watt reading lamp in the family room merely
means that the 1500 watt electric heaters will come on for one
fifteenth less time!
At 10 cents per k.watt hour the 100 watt bulb will burn one cents
worth of electricity.
And if the 1500 watt heaters come on for one fifteenth less time they
will burn 1/15 x 1500 = 100 fewer watts of electrcity; which at ten
cents per kilowatt hour will cost one cent less for electric heating!
Makes sense to me.
BTW anybody remember those 'Easy bake' children's ovens that used two
light bulbs to bake children's cookies? They got darn hot!