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What motion sensor???

DJF3

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Feb 15, 2020
Messages
186
Location
British Columbia, Canada
Here's my situation. I had a 500 watt halogen light mounted about 18 ft off the ground, in the center of a building. This light is controlled with a remote mounted motion sensor that is a few ft lower and off to the side. The light has been problematic and needs to be updated. I have purchased an LED 85W 8000lm wall pack to replace the halogen. It is not motion controlled, and I'm being told motion sensors won't work with LED's. After some research, I've found this...."The electronics inside the LED light bulb are not compatible with the older electronics inside the motion sensor, or. The old motion detector was designed to work with older styles of light bulbs which have a much higher wattage, so the wattage of the new LED light bulbs is now too low for detecting motion effectively".

The problem I'm finding is that no one is able to tell me what stand alone motion sensor will work with my LED wall pack. Any experts here that can shed some light on this?

Thanks in advance,
Dan
 

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yatg

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Aug 16, 2019
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Location
Southern Oregon
For example, the Eaton Halo MS180 motion detector:
WARNING: Total wattage of light bulbs connected to motion detector cannot exceed 500 watts incandescent/tungsten/halogen, or 50 Watts LED.

Have the motion sensor trigger a relay, and have the relay turn on the lights.
This also lets you have a switch in parallel to turn on the lights manually without the flip-the-switch-three-times-within-three-seconds-while-you-rub-your-tummy sequence that doesn't always work.
 

dogdog

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Nov 15, 2011
Messages
12,711
After some research, I've found this...."The electronics inside the LED light bulb are not compatible with the older electronics inside the motion sensor, or. The old motion detector was designed to work with older styles of light bulbs which have a much higher wattage, so the wattage of the new LED light bulbs is now too low for detecting motion effectively".

Did your research says any thing why ? Other than it was a much higher wattage ?

usually sensors/switch have a maximum safe rating for amperage / wattage they can handle... hence your old sensor can handle up to 500watt lamp safely... except of cause some older sensor/switches uses a triac to switch the AC power instead of relays. as long as it is a not dimming switch or sensor, it should be fine. Like it's say try it and see if it works, if not , then buy an occupancy sensor if it is for indoor or a motion sensor head if it is for outdoor.
 

starquestMM

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Jan 7, 2013
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Location
JC, Missouri
x2 on trying it. A lot of motion sensors have dim up and dim down and LEDs are like Forrest Gump's box of chocolates when it comes to dimming.
 
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walta

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Jan 13, 2017
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2,308
Location
Dutzow Missouri
What is the worst that could happen the old sensor you were going to throw away fails and gets damaged?

7 years ago, some people on this board were claiming the in rush current to start the LEDs on board power supplies was so high that it would damage the output device in non LED rated motion sensors. I decided to ignore that warning and connected five 8 watt LED to a sensor rated for 500 watts incandescent with a NO LED warning. The RBI sensor has been just fine for 7 years now.



Walta
 
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DJF3

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Location
British Columbia, Canada
Well, I finally got around to installing the light with the old sensor. And it didn't work. So, I ordered a new sensor from Amazon that actually had an LED rating. One of the few that I could find. In the process of changing the sensor, I decided to bypass the sensor and wire the light direct. It still didn't work. So, I went back up and rechecked my wiring and the black hot wire came out of the marrette. Fixed the wiring and voila, the light worked. So I wired in the old sensor and the light worked, but it has a slight buzz or hum to it. I wired in the new sensor and everything worked as it should without any buzzing.

Here is the one that I bought.
1731367474270.png
 

PCustoms

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Jul 23, 2011
Messages
22,263
Location
VT
Well, I finally got around to installing the light with the old sensor. And it didn't work. So, I ordered a new sensor from Amazon that actually had an LED rating. One of the few that I could find. In the process of changing the sensor, I decided to bypass the sensor and wire the light direct. It still didn't work. So, I went back up and rechecked my wiring and the black hot wire came out of the marrette. Fixed the wiring and voila, the light worked. So I wired in the old sensor and the light worked, but it has a slight buzz or hum to it. I wired in the new sensor and everything worked as it should without any buzzing.

Here is the one that I bought.
1731367474270.png

Can you link to the product?
 
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