On 5/1/2013 9:35 PM, wrote:
On Wed, 01 May 2013 20:29:10 -0400, Wayne B
wrote:

On Wed, 01 May 2013 20:05:45 -0400, wrote:

This came about because the 2 wire devices do not work with LEDs and
CFLs. They work OK with incandescents.

===

For us laymen, can you explain why that is?

The switcher power supply in a CFL will store the minuscule current
the 2 wire line powered devices use and when the filter capacitor
reaches the point that the switcher generates a usable amount of
power, it flashes. This becomes a relaxation oscillator.
I have tried CFLs in a couple of my occupancy sensor locations and
they all flash. You can usually get by this by putting a small
incandescent in parallel with the CFL.
I have a 15' string of LED rope light on a SSR (triac) controlled
circuit and it never really turns off. You always see a dim glow
coming from it.
You sort of defeat the purpose of using a 13w CFL or LED if you have
to put a 15w light bulb in there to turn the switch off.


Your life is too complicated by this stuff.

In article ,
says...

On Wed, 01 May 2013 22:44:14 -0400, Hank©
wrote:


Your life is too complicated by this stuff.

Once you get a good array of motion and occupancy sensors in place,
you start wondering why you didn't do it sooner.
This actually started over a quarter century ago when I saw my wife
and daughter using the open refrigerator as a night light.

You gotta be kidding. Even 100 year-old houses are wired with wall
switches by the door. Have you ever heard of flashlights and nite-
lites?

That was my first indoor motion detector, turning on a small light
that lit up the kitchen, dining room and hallway. Now everywhere you
go around he house, inside or out, the light follows you.
The only places that don't have detectors are the bedrooms.
Inside it is really just 5 strategically located detectors and some
low level lighting.

I bet my dogs would be shocked as they wander around the house.
Wonder what all that on/off does for bulb longevity. We have one small
CFL in the range hood that provides almost whole house night light.
Illuminates enough to avoid tripping everywhere, including the bedrooms
if the door is open. My basement isn't wired up for lighting, so I just
keep a 3 dollar LED flashlight on a shelf at the foot of the stairs to
get to the one wall switch 20 feet away in the dark. Haven't even
changed the batteries in about 4 years.
Different strokes.

My house..built 71 years ago in the middle of WW2 when this city was booming supplying Britain with badly needed supplies had the same basic basement when we bought in 1985.
I ran plugs, electric lights and electric baseboard heaters everywhere.

On 5/2/2013 7:48 AM, True North wrote:
My house..built 71 years ago in the middle of WW2 when this city was booming supplying Britain with badly needed supplies had the same basic basement when we bought in 1985.
I ran plugs, electric lights and electric baseboard heaters everywhere.

Are you still running Knob and tube?

Never did.

True North wrote:
Never did.
How insightful! Thank you for your contribution.

On 5/2/2013 2:18 AM, Boating All Out wrote:
In article ,
says...

On Wed, 01 May 2013 22:44:14 -0400, Hank©
wrote:


Your life is too complicated by this stuff.

Once you get a good array of motion and occupancy sensors in place,
you start wondering why you didn't do it sooner.
This actually started over a quarter century ago when I saw my wife
and daughter using the open refrigerator as a night light.

You gotta be kidding. Even 100 year-old houses are wired with wall
switches by the door. Have you ever heard of flashlights and nite-
lites?

That was my first indoor motion detector, turning on a small light
that lit up the kitchen, dining room and hallway. Now everywhere you
go around he house, inside or out, the light follows you.
The only places that don't have detectors are the bedrooms.
Inside it is really just 5 strategically located detectors and some
low level lighting.

I bet my dogs would be shocked as they wander around the house.
Wonder what all that on/off does for bulb longevity. We have one small
CFL in the range hood that provides almost whole house night light.
Illuminates enough to avoid tripping everywhere, including the bedrooms
if the door is open. My basement isn't wired up for lighting, so I just
keep a 3 dollar LED flashlight on a shelf at the foot of the stairs to
get to the one wall switch 20 feet away in the dark. Haven't even
changed the batteries in about 4 years.
Different strokes.


Different strokes for sure. My solutions are almost 100% LED right down
to nightlights. I have even replaced most of my always on LED
nightlights with photoelectric models. Probably a bit overkill but it
makes me happy ;-
)

On 5/2/13 11:27 AM, wrote:
On Thu, 2 May 2013 01:18:36 -0500, Boating All Out
wrote:

In article ,
says...

On Wed, 01 May 2013 22:44:14 -0400, Hank©
wrote:


Your life is too complicated by this stuff.

Once you get a good array of motion and occupancy sensors in place,
you start wondering why you didn't do it sooner.
This actually started over a quarter century ago when I saw my wife
and daughter using the open refrigerator as a night light.

You gotta be kidding. Even 100 year-old houses are wired with wall
switches by the door. Have you ever heard of flashlights and nite-
lites?

That was my first indoor motion detector, turning on a small light
that lit up the kitchen, dining room and hallway. Now everywhere you
go around he house, inside or out, the light follows you.
The only places that don't have detectors are the bedrooms.
Inside it is really just 5 strategically located detectors and some
low level lighting.

I bet my dogs would be shocked as they wander around the house.
Wonder what all that on/off does for bulb longevity. We have one small
CFL in the range hood that provides almost whole house night light.
Illuminates enough to avoid tripping everywhere, including the bedrooms
if the door is open. My basement isn't wired up for lighting, so I just
keep a 3 dollar LED flashlight on a shelf at the foot of the stairs to
get to the one wall switch 20 feet away in the dark. Haven't even
changed the batteries in about 4 years.
Different strokes.

I guess I like things a little more convenient than walking around
with a flashlight.
Human nature is to turn on the light but not to turn it off. I see it
every night when I am walking the dog around the neighborhood. I know
there are only 1 or 2 people in the house and it is lit up like an
office building, even after I know they are probably in bed.
If you are just passing through, turning off the light requires a 3
way or 4 way loop that probably was not put there by the builder and
would be tough to do after the drywall is up. A $20 occupancy sensor,
strategically located, connected to a light or two in the right place,
fixes all of that.


We don't have problems remembering to turn off the lights when we leave
a room. I do, however, have the outside lights on the front porch and on
either side of the garage on timer switches, and the floods around the
house on motion detectors.

In article ,
says...

On 5/2/13 11:27 AM, wrote:
On Thu, 2 May 2013 01:18:36 -0500, Boating All Out
wrote:

In article ,
says...

On Wed, 01 May 2013 22:44:14 -0400, Hank©
wrote:


Your life is too complicated by this stuff.

Once you get a good array of motion and occupancy sensors in place,
you start wondering why you didn't do it sooner.
This actually started over a quarter century ago when I saw my wife
and daughter using the open refrigerator as a night light.

You gotta be kidding. Even 100 year-old houses are wired with wall
switches by the door. Have you ever heard of flashlights and nite-
lites?

That was my first indoor motion detector, turning on a small light
that lit up the kitchen, dining room and hallway. Now everywhere you
go around he house, inside or out, the light follows you.
The only places that don't have detectors are the bedrooms.
Inside it is really just 5 strategically located detectors and some
low level lighting.

I bet my dogs would be shocked as they wander around the house.
Wonder what all that on/off does for bulb longevity. We have one small
CFL in the range hood that provides almost whole house night light.
Illuminates enough to avoid tripping everywhere, including the bedrooms
if the door is open. My basement isn't wired up for lighting, so I just
keep a 3 dollar LED flashlight on a shelf at the foot of the stairs to
get to the one wall switch 20 feet away in the dark. Haven't even
changed the batteries in about 4 years.
Different strokes.

I guess I like things a little more convenient than walking around
with a flashlight.
Human nature is to turn on the light but not to turn it off. I see it
every night when I am walking the dog around the neighborhood. I know
there are only 1 or 2 people in the house and it is lit up like an
office building, even after I know they are probably in bed.
If you are just passing through, turning off the light requires a 3
way or 4 way loop that probably was not put there by the builder and
would be tough to do after the drywall is up. A $20 occupancy sensor,
strategically located, connected to a light or two in the right place,
fixes all of that.


We don't have problems remembering to turn off the lights when we leave
a room. I do, however, have the outside lights on the front porch and on
either side of the garage on timer switches, and the floods around the
house on motion detectors.

I'm really okay with flicking a switch on and off when I need light or
am leaving. It really isn't a burden to me!