PIR wiring - was the normal way?

Moved house and we're still discovering little mysteries ...

The house has two pairs of outside lights (two on the side, two at the back) with a PIR per pair (I think). Currently none of the lights seem to work. There is also a double switch inside the house, near the back door, which I assume is related to the outside lights (it certainly doesn't seem to affect any inside lights).

Looking behind the switch reveals quite a lot of cables - some 2 core and some 3 core - and worryingly at least one 'red' dangling about not connected to anything. So I switched off the power and at least insulated it pending investigation.

So my question is how are PIR controlled lights normally wired?

a) PIR in parallel with the indoor switch, so you can turn the lights on regardless if you want to?

b) PIR in series with the switch, so you can power the lot off if needed (I guess if next door's cat keeps triggering them all night)?

I figure it would be useful to know what the most common arrangement is when trying to figure out what's wrong (might could well just be blown bulbs).

This is one option

Bernards diagram shows one way, as he has said.

But there are many, many ways of wiring PIRs and lights depending on what on/off and over-ride features are needed. And whether existing cabling has been incorporated, or if the whole shooting match is a new install.

Would need clear pictures of the wiring to the switch, and behind the lights and PIR to make even a wild stab at what is going on.

You may be able to work it out yourself, if you have a multimeter and a bit of logical knowledge.

Before you go moving wires check the lamps (bulbs) in the lights - the most common failure of outside lights, particularly if they're halogens, is bulb failure. Next likely is that the motion sensor itself has failed.

pj

Thanks for the replies. I don't think the wiring can be exactly as bernard's diagram, since there aren't enough switches.

I will draw myself some diagrams and trace the wiring if necessary and hopefully figure out how it works. I just wondered if there was a standard way it was done most of the time - but I guess not!

And I agree, blown bulbs are very likely to be at least some of the reason things aren't working.

You did say that you had a

a double switch inside the house

Click to expand...

, so that is two switches?…. the same as Bernard's diagram..

One other thing, with halogen lights, is that the lamp is sometimes not inserted correctly. Make sure the spring contact is properly inside the dimpled contact on the lamp. But that is probably unlikely, if both dont work.