Motion sensor for heavy LED load 1200+ watts

[Triumphtriple]

Hello everyone. I am finishing up my new garage. I have about half my 8' led lights hung but ran into an issue. I have a single motion sensor switch hooked up to them and I am way beyond the MS switch rating of 350w LED. It turns on and works but about 25% of the time it doesn't turn on unless it manually hit the switch. I do not want to add another MS switch to spread the load and I have found dual motion sensing switches to be finicky. I thought each light was 100w equivalent but its actually 100w each (15000 lm). They are bright and really nice. I really want to keep it motion sensing.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a higher wattage MS switch? I found one called Enbrighten Z-wave. Maximum Load: 960W Incandescent / 1800W (15A) Resistive. Not sure this will work.

 

[Shiftless]

I know it might be heretical to say this here on GJ, but you probably don’t need 180,000 lumens to come on all at once every time you walk into your garage. How big is that space? I have a smaller set up but what I did was have a switch for turning on about 1/4 of the total lumens worth of lights and a separate one for turning on the rest of them when I wanted maximum light for critical jobs. How often do you really want or need maximum brightness in your entire space?

If you are just going in to grab a tool or something off a shelf or in a cabinet, you don’t need operating room levels of light.

 

[rlitman]

Just have the motion control a relay.

 

[dogdog]

if you have that much lights... normal people would have power it with a 120V coil relay instead and drive the relay with what ever sensor you want... like a good occupany sensor(s) ??

 

[inphx]

Would adding a 120vac relay activated by the motion sensor solve the issue? Ebay

 

[mike93lx]

I know it might be heretical to say this here on GJ, but you probably don’t need 180,000 lumens to come on all at once every time you walk into your garage. How big is that space? I have a smaller set up but what I did was have a switch for turning on about 1/4 of the total lumens worth of lights and a separate one for turning on the rest of them when I wanted maximum light for critical jobs. How often do you really want or need maximum brightness in your entire space?

If you are just going in to grab a tool or something off a shelf or in a cabinet, you don’t need operating room levels of light.

Completely agree. I have one fixture on a motion and the other 7 on a switch. Having every light come on every time I go in the garage would ****

 

[Triumphtriple]

I know it might be heretical to say this here on GJ, but you probably don’t need 180,000 lumens to come on all at once every time you walk into your garage. How big is that space? I have a smaller set up but what I did was have a switch for turning on about 1/4 of the total lumens worth of lights and a separate one for turning on the rest of them when I wanted maximum light for critical jobs. How often do you really want or need maximum brightness in your entire space?

If you are just going in to grab a tool or something off a shelf or in a cabinet, you don’t need operating room levels of light.

Whooooo do you think you are lol. That part of the barn is 35x30. I think you are right, I need to reduce the number of lights. I might drop it down to 8 lights or less. I didn't realize how bright these lights were. I don't like shadows when metal working or working on dirt bikes. I guess then I need to find something with a 800w led rating. I talked to Leviton and they have a ODS15-IDW which can handle 800w LED. So I should be good.

I might run another switch in the future if the lighting bothers me.

​

 

[rlitman]

Completely agree. I have one fixture on a motion and the other 7 on a switch. Having every light come on every time I go in the garage would ****

That's not a bad idea. Pick some fixtures that meet your minimum illumination and control those with an occupancy sensor. Put the rest on a switch with a vacancy sensor. I guess it depends most on how you use the space.

 

[mike93lx]

That's not a bad idea. Pick some fixtures that meet your minimum illumination and control those with an occupancy sensor. Put the rest on a switch with a vacancy sensor. I guess it depends most on how you use the space.

Every once and a while, I have a not bad idea

 

[rlitman]

Every once and a while, I have a not bad idea

Ok, ok. It's better than bad; it's good.

 

[BrandonV]

Just have the motion control a relay.

That's the way I've seen it done in most office buildings. Makes for a real fun search in the ceiling when the relay goes.

 

[ichabod]

Looks like you will have a nice shop soon. Myself would only put a few on a motion sensor, then have to rest on a normal switch. Reason being if for some reason the sensor ain’t detecting you ( under a vehicle, behind some equipment). You will end up in a dark place. Good luck.

 

[mike93lx]

Ok, ok. It's better than bad; it's good.

Holy ****. I might have to tell my wife!

 

[rlitman]

Holy ****. I might have to tell my wife!

Wait, am I sensing some sort of Strangers on a Train reciprocal deal here?

 

[mike93lx]

Wait, am I sensing some sort of Strangers on a Train reciprocal deal here?

Had to Google that one... You might be a bit older than me

 

[Chuckster in NJ]

I have two motion sensing flood lights in my pole barn and it lights it up pretty good.…… Simple easy solution for general illumination.

 

[BillK]

I have to ask . . . . are you absolutely certain of the ratings on the fixtures ? In you picture it simply does not look bright enough for as many lumens you say you have. What is the part number of the fixtures ? If they really are that bright I might be interested in some of them.