Wrongly connected or faulty light switch

[ADarkDividedGem]

I got the following motion sensor light switch which requires a Live (L), Neutral (N) and a Lamp / Load (A) wire:

The wiring in my original switch just has Live and Neutral.

When I wire Live and Neutral to this light switch it simply flickers the light on and off. Before I send it back for it being faulty is it possible further wiring is needed? Especially when there is a third connection (A) that has been left disconnected.

Thanks

 

[jj4091]

I would think you original switch just has a live & switch wire cable, there is probably no neutral which , as you suspect, is what you need.

 

[ADarkDividedGem]

Yes you are correct, the original switch labelled the wires as Live and Load. Is it still possible to use this switch when my wiring doesn't include a Neutral at the switch?

 

[Lectrician]

No.

 

[FrodoOne]

Is it still possible to use this switch when my wiring doesn't include a Neutral at the switch?

NO.

Energy supplied by the Line and returning via the Neutral is required to operate the detection and relay (or triac) circuit of the "motion sensor light switch".

 

[John D v2.0]

As above, and you would have to have an extra wire installed down the wall from the light itself.
However since it's a motion switch, why not fit it to the ceiling? It's usually a lot easier to thread new wires after the fact near the light on the ceiling, and it will have a neutral. You can then use the wall switch as an"override" to keep the light on.

 

[ericmark]

There are switches which do not require neutral

this is the diagram for

which from Screwfix costs Nearly £53 and this is the problem it gets expensive to have a switch that does not need a neutral.

The instructions tell one to fit a power factor correction capacitor of 2 microfarad when used with low wattage lighting, it does not say where, I would assume across the bulb so a little current is always flowing, so it may be simpler to use the one you have mounted on ceiling.

 

[ADarkDividedGem]

However since it's a motion switch, why not fit it to the ceiling?

Good idea, how would the wiring work for that? Would I take the Neutral and Live wires from the light then wire them into the sensor then take the Load and Neutral back into the light?

There are switches which do not require neutral

Yes there are other models that are designed to directly replace the light switch but I just discovered that unless the apex angle of the detection cone is close to 180 degrees then there will be blind spots along the wall of the switch. In the instructions you referenced it only shows the apex angle going to 100 degrees leaving it blind to two corners of the room. Placing a motion sensor on the ceiling should be able to detect movement in all four corners of the room.

 

[John D v2.0]

Good idea, how would the wiring work for that? Would I take the Neutral and Live wires from the light then wire them into the sensor then take the Load and Neutral back into the light?

Pretty much that, although if the neutral come from the light there's no need to take it back again.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Placing a motion sensor on the ceiling should be able to detect movement in all four corners of the room.

Out of interest, what's wrong with the tried and trusted method of having a switch which people can use to turn the light on and off as required?

 

[John D v2.0]

Out of interest, what's wrong with the tried and trusted method of having a switch which people can use to turn the light on and off as required?

Undoubtedly tried but surely not trusted by many parents of children.

 

[Risteard]

If the OP clearly has no understanding of what he/she is doing, and assumes that a PIR has extra terminals for no reason, then clearly that person should invest in an Electrician (and be told that in no uncertain terms).