I have a hallway that makes a 90` turn and there is a wall switch at each end of the hallway. There are 2 ceiling lights, one in each section of the hallway. They are not visible from each other. The existing lights are controlled by 2 3-way switches. I want to replace the 2 lights with motion activated lighting. Once installed, I rarely would use the actual wall switches and just let the MA lights do the work. What options do I have to do this and what issues could I encounter? Would the existing wiring work if I don't plan to alter the switches once installed? Thanks.
2
-
How long is this hallway?– ThreePhaseEelCommented Aug 15, 2020 at 18:26
-
Also, are you limiting yourself to wallbox type sensor hardware, or would something based on ceiling/corner mounted sensors be an option?– ThreePhaseEelCommented Aug 15, 2020 at 19:55
Add a comment
|
3 Answers
Have you considered swapping out the 3 way switches with motion activated 3 way switches? Maybe you want to replace the fixtures bc they are ugly or outdated, but if not, this might be a viable alternative. Some do not require a neutral so should work in most cases.
answered Aug 15, 2020 at 15:11
Both lights go on at the same time so you'd be able to just replace the individual fixtures with motion sensing ones. The problems are that you'd need a large field of motion sensing for each fixture because the fixtures would have to be activated from each direction at the beginning of the hallway. The switches could cause a problem because if they were operated, they'd shut off the fixtures completely leaving you in the dark with two armloads of laundry. Depending on the type of fixtures, they could be going on and off during the daytime when they might not be needed. You might also find it annoying having the lights going on separately as you proceed down the hallway. I'm pretty sure Codes would require the switches to remain.
I installed 2 motion activated light fixtures in the hallway with existing wiring at all locations. It works exactly like I want. I leave one switch powered up (on) and the lights come on and off by themselves. The hallway is about 20' on one end and another 20 on the other. The lights are fast acting and come on as you enter or turn the corner. Thanks for the feedback.