replacing pole (pull cord) switch with pir presence detector

[12promises]

hi,
new to this forum so i really need some help.
i just bought a timeguard pir model slw360.
the intention was to remove the old pull cord in the ceiling and replace it with the presence detector.
when i removed the cover from the old switch i was faced with 3 red wires.
one was into the l1 connector and the other two were into the opposite side of the unit.
now, the presence detector has a live,neutral and earth input and a bridge wire from the live to another on the opposite side then beside that is an l1 which the instructions tell me to connect to the load.
i cant get it to work despite having tested that the pir is working by wiring it to a 3 pin plug and hearing it click on and off.
what i really do not understand is the li out to load bit.
a single wire going to.............where? what "load" uses a single wire to operate it?
what am i missing?
the pull cord operates 3 lights and a fan without any problem so what am i doing wrong here?

thanks for any help.........

 

[OwainDIYer]

The load is connected to the Load out and the Neutral.

The removable link takes the Live In to one side of the relay. It can be removed for situations where the PIR is powered by one circuit but switches a completely separate load (which might be a different voltage or phase).

This PIR requires a Neutral to operate. It is not a suitable replacement for most light switches because most light switches, including yours, aren't wired with a Neutral available at the switch.

This is a (wall mounted) PIR which doesn't require a Neutral at the switch.

 

[TicklyT]

It sounds like you do not have a neutral at the light switch. Without a neutral, the PIR switch can't draw the power it needs to operate.

There is nothing unusual about not having a neutral present at a switch. The switch only switches the live on and off, so there is little point in running a neutral to a conventional switch.

There will a neutral already connected to the load (your lights and fan) but only the live runs in and out of the switch.

The third wire at your switch could be the live feed to another switch elsewhere, a permanent live to the fan, or the switched live signal to the fan. Difficult to tell without seeing / testing it.

 

[12promises]

so i have in effect wasted money by buying this.
is there any way around the problem or should i just give it up?

 

[OwainDIYer]

Give up with the PIR you've got (will the shop take it back? or ebay it) and get one that does not require a neutral.

 

[PrinceofDarkness]

There's always a way around 'problems'.

Do you have access to the wiring above that room (eg the roof space)?

Is the PIR necessarilly best placed where the existing pull-cord is? I somehow doubt it, because it has 360 vision and most pull-cords are stuck in a corner, hard up against a wall.

Any alteration to existing wiring can be carried out, quite simply - provided that you have access to the cables above.


Lucia.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Do we assume this was to go in a bathroom?

Maybe a PIR is not the best for a bathroom - imagine, you've filled your bath, its all warm and soapy, in you jump and settle back with that book.

3 minutes later you are plunged into darkness because there has been no movement in the room. The only way to get the light to come on is to jump up and wave your arms about,........

 

[bernardgreen]

A PIR detector in bath room might lose sensitivity if covered in condensation droplets from a steamy bath.