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- 11 Feb 2006
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Since we moved into our flat, the ceiling light in the communal entrance hall of the building has been controlled by an ugly push button timer switch at the bottom of the stairs and a standard on/off switch at the top of the stairs.
The timer switch always works regardless of the position of the on/off switch, but when the on/off switch is 'on' it overrides the timer switch, keeping the light on forever even if the timer has timed out.
Although I can see some reasons for needing the lights on all the time (when decorating etc), we would prefer a simpler system that relies entirely on timers, so that lights can't be accidently left on all the time by new tenants etc.
I like the idea of replacing both the push button switch and the on/off switch with a couple of these PIR wall switches with timers:
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp;jsessionid=J5UH1FHK34BJICSTHZOCFFQ?id=66514&ts=40874
I want the light to switch and stay on for 3 minutes no matter whether a sensor is passed at the TOP of the stairs, OR the BOTTOM, OR BOTH PIRs within a few seconds of each other.
If I wire the PIR switches in the same way as the current switches, can this work, or do I need to wire them in a different way? When both the timers are triggered by someone walking past both sensors within a few seconds, will the lights stay on, or will they cancel each other out and switch off again when the second trigger is activated?
The timer switch always works regardless of the position of the on/off switch, but when the on/off switch is 'on' it overrides the timer switch, keeping the light on forever even if the timer has timed out.
Although I can see some reasons for needing the lights on all the time (when decorating etc), we would prefer a simpler system that relies entirely on timers, so that lights can't be accidently left on all the time by new tenants etc.
I like the idea of replacing both the push button switch and the on/off switch with a couple of these PIR wall switches with timers:
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp;jsessionid=J5UH1FHK34BJICSTHZOCFFQ?id=66514&ts=40874
I want the light to switch and stay on for 3 minutes no matter whether a sensor is passed at the TOP of the stairs, OR the BOTTOM, OR BOTH PIRs within a few seconds of each other.
If I wire the PIR switches in the same way as the current switches, can this work, or do I need to wire them in a different way? When both the timers are triggered by someone walking past both sensors within a few seconds, will the lights stay on, or will they cancel each other out and switch off again when the second trigger is activated?