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Message
OT electricians - simple light switch question
Posted on 12/6/14 at 1:37 pm
Posted on 12/6/14 at 1:37 pm
i had a light switch (on/off) that worked before.
replacing it with a simple motion sensor switch.
2 insulated wires in outlet; each has
- 1 ground
- 1 white
- 1 black
before the 2 black wires were plugged into light witch and 2 whites are wired together with a cap.
when i wired the new switch, it works..but instead of turning off, it rapidly blinks on/off. doesnt turn off.
what am i missing? do i need to use one black & one white wire? what would cause this?
eta swapping the black wire connections to the switch didn't change the behavior.
tia
replacing it with a simple motion sensor switch.
2 insulated wires in outlet; each has
- 1 ground
- 1 white
- 1 black
before the 2 black wires were plugged into light witch and 2 whites are wired together with a cap.
when i wired the new switch, it works..but instead of turning off, it rapidly blinks on/off. doesnt turn off.
what am i missing? do i need to use one black & one white wire? what would cause this?
eta swapping the black wire connections to the switch didn't change the behavior.
tia
This post was edited on 12/6/14 at 1:39 pm
Posted on 12/6/14 at 1:49 pm to CAD703X
It sounds like you have a simple hot and a switch leg. Sounds like it's done right. You may have a bad sensor.
Posted on 12/6/14 at 1:50 pm to CAD703X
Sounds like bulb is not compatible with the switch.
Posted on 12/6/14 at 1:51 pm to CAD703X
did u turn the power off before hooking it up ..... very easy to burn up an electronic motion sensor ...
Posted on 12/6/14 at 1:52 pm to papasmurf1269
Don't be surprised if you have a bad sensor. Any electrical outlet/switch bought at Lowes or Depot has a 10% chance (at least) of being defective.
Posted on 12/6/14 at 1:53 pm to CAD703X
quote:
before the 2 black wires were plugged into light witch and 2 whites are wired together with a cap.
This is the way it's done the neutral, (which flows to ground) is always continuous. The hot leg (black) is turned on and off by the switch. The ground is just a direct to ground. (meaning it's use either way won't affect anything unless it's a ground-fault interrupter switch)
Now with a sensor light IT DOES MATTER where the always hot leg of the wire is attached and there the switched output goes (in a normal switch it doesn't matter)
So simply put you have two possible outcomes. Either the switch sensor is bad OR the black wires are backwards going into the switch.
Posted on 12/6/14 at 2:06 pm to papasmurf1269
quote:
It sounds like you have a simple hot and a switch leg. Sounds like it's done right. You may have a bad sensor.
Posted on 12/6/14 at 2:07 pm to CAD703X
What kind of fixture is it? The motion sensor may be incandescent-only. If you have a CFL or fluorescent strip light, it may be blinking because the sensor doesn't completely break the power
Posted on 12/6/14 at 2:08 pm to CAD703X
You should have bought your light switch from Amazon
Posted on 12/6/14 at 2:40 pm to SuperSaint
Thank you!! Ill try another switch.
Posted on 12/6/14 at 2:40 pm to SuperSaint
Thank you!! Ill try another switch.
Posted on 12/6/14 at 3:18 pm to CAD703X
quote:
replacing it with a simple motion sensor switch.
2 insulated wires in outlet; each has
- 1 ground
- 1 white
- 1 black
Sounds like your motion sensor switch requires a neutral wire that your outlet does not have. Read the specs on your switch. The most important thing when replacing light switches is matching switch neutral requirements to the outlet. A lot of the newer technology and smart switches require neutral and only newer houses are wired for it.
Posted on 12/6/14 at 3:24 pm to CAD703X
Follow the instructions on the new switch.
Before, all the switch did was break contact on the hot lead (switch leg).
I suspect the new switch needs a neutral to power the sensor circuitry.
You can get the neutral by adding a small white wire to the neutrals all wire nutted together.
Before, all the switch did was break contact on the hot lead (switch leg).
I suspect the new switch needs a neutral to power the sensor circuitry.
You can get the neutral by adding a small white wire to the neutrals all wire nutted together.
Posted on 12/6/14 at 4:04 pm to CAD703X
The fixture doesn't pull enough amps to keep up with the OT.
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