Motion sensor light switch with manual override on & off?

March 24, 2019 5:34 PM

Can anyone point out an interior light switch with a motion sensor, which I can also manually override when I enter or leave the room?

I want to be able to have the lights come on automagically when I enter the garage, and turn themselves off after I leave.

If I am going out there to work for a while, I also want to be able to hit the switch to have the lights stay on (so I don't have to dance around like a monkey every few minutes to trigger the sensor). And when I am done, I will turn them off without waiting for a timer to run out.

I just put in a Legrand brand motion switch with an adjustable period of light, but it won't stay on if I hit the button: the button only works to shut off the light that is already on.

posted by wenestvedt to Home & Garden (4 answers total)

If you’re okay with accomplishing this with separate manual and motion switches: I think you just need to add a normal SPST light switch in parallel with the motion switch. That way, either switch being on (closed) will activate the light. This Instructables has some weird drama but the diagram with ABCD panels explains it.

The only thing this that you’d need to turn the SPST switch off and hit the manual override button on the motion sensor to turn the lights off immediately if you’d previously had them “held” on.
posted by supercres at 6:47 PM on March 24, 2019 [1 favorite]

The Acuity WSX series has manual on off control.
posted by Mitheral at 8:28 PM on March 24, 2019 [2 favorites]

PS: the off control turns the lights off and suppresses motion on for a set period of time (I think it's 30 seconds but it might be programmable). So when you manually off it won't turn on with motion until the time out period expires.
posted by Mitheral at 8:34 PM on March 24, 2019 [1 favorite]

I have a number of these re-chargeable, motion activated lights from Moston around the house. They have adhesive metal bases to allow you to stick them anywhere - and the main light is then attached to the base with a magnet - so you can also attach them directly to a metal surface. Recharging is via USB and I find the charge lasts about 3 months. There is a switch to allow for motion activated, off and constant on. In motion activated mode they come on and stay on until about 30 seconds after any motion is detected - which is to say that they will stay on as long as you are within a few metres of them. I use them mainly as stair illumination lights.
posted by rongorongo at 11:20 PM on March 24, 2019