Why are spotlights controlled by light switches?

[shetc]

Hey All,

In my new old home, there are a number of motion sensitive spotlights, located by the garage in front, and on the deck in back. For some reason, they are controlled by light switches in the house. Anyone know why a previous owner would use light switches?

Thanks,
Steve

 

[sibelman]

There may be times when one wants to disable motion sensing lights - some are activated by branches in the wind and could interfere with sleep. But maybe these circuits were switched before the motion sensor lamps were chosen.

 

[shetc]

There may be times when one wants to disable motion sensing lights - some are activated by branches in the wind and could interfere with sleep. But maybe these circuits were switched before the motion sensor lamps were chosen.

Yeah, it's odd as the spots have time periods that they can set to be active. The way the spots are mounted makes me believe there were always spots. But now that I think about it, maybe the original lights weren't motion sensitive. Thanks!

 

[Broken Crow]

Same when I bought my house and my first thought was the power bill so I woud have installed switches myself if they weren't there, but then I figured out the real reason when the seasonal raccoons showed up.

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

As others have suggested, there's times when you might want to turn them off. The other reason, and the reason I'd have a switch would be if you need to service the unit, like to replace a burnt-out bulb or just to swap it out. Turning off the main breaker would be ideal but not always easily done.

 

[Brushwood Brewing]

I don't think motion sensor lights were common until the 1960s (or later?), so if your house is as old as mine the original wiring would have been set up without motion-sensor capabilities.

 

[wdavis2003]

My house is setup like this as well. The current spotlights probably replaced some much older technology and instead of re-doing the wiring, kept it status quo

 

[Rodent]

I had switched motion lights on several houses, mostly because they were originally equipped without motion sensor control.

several of the motion sensor lights I've used over the years had two modes of operation:

1) standard 'on mode' was to come on after dusk when motion was detected

2) optional 'on mode' happened if I cycled the on/off switch twice within 2 seconds. doing this caused the lights to override the motion sensor and remain on like regular switched lights. great for when I wanted the lights to stay on for a length of time (like having a party in the back yard where I also wanted a lighted way for guests to get to the front without entering the unfinished basement and getting lost down there). the same quick on/of/on with the switch would swap the lights back to motion sensor mode

the override to on mode was also helpful when I could hear people sneaking around in the back, but not within the reach of the motion sensors. flooding the back usually was enough to get the move along somewhere else message across

 

[whoaru99]

Our motion lights are also like what Rodent described. Depending how you manipulate the toggle switch you can turn them off, have them in auto/motion detect, or manual override to constant on.

 

[shetc]

Our motion lights are also like what Rodent described. Depending how you manipulate the toggle switch you can turn them off, have them in auto/motion detect, or manual override to constant on.

Interesting -- I'm going to get the model numbers, and see what's what.

 

[wdavis2003]

Our motion lights are also like what Rodent described. Depending how you manipulate the toggle switch you can turn them off, have them in auto/motion detect, or manual override to constant on.

Still going need the light switch to remain on for them to get power (I know you know that just stating the obvious in reference to this post)

May want to put a piece of tape on the light switch so nobody turns it off. That's how mine is. In fact, it also controls the garage outlet that's powering my ferm chamber. I went out of town and my mother-in-law turned it off

 

[whoaru99]

For us, worst case is the garage lights won't turn on if the switch in the house is off. The garage receptacles are a separate non-switched circuit.

 

[shetc]

OK, I believe some previous owner did not think this through properly. There are 3 spots lights surrounding the garage door, all attached under the eave. The one on the left side of the door is a Defiant 180 motion sensitive spot -- it works as Rodent described, that is, I can use the light switch to override the motion detector to go into "manual mode". But, it turns out that the other 2 spots on the right side are just plain lights, so if I enable the Defiant in any mode, those 2 are always on! So I guess I need to get a couple of modern motion sensitive spots that have manual mode, and tape the switch like wdavis2003 suggested.

 

[day_trippr]

fwiw, I'm pretty sure a switch is required by code on any lighting circuit.
And all of the houses I've owned had exterior driveway lighting - on switches - even if there were motion sensing lights...

Cheers!

 

[mac_1103]

I've never seen a light fixture that wasn't switched.

 

[shetc]

My previous house in South Florida had spots that weren't on switches. They just used motion detection to go on. And that house was much newer than the one I'm in now. Well, at least, I kinda understand now

 

[FloppyKnockers]

I'm too lazy to look it up, and someone please correct me or elaborate if I'm wrong, but I do believe NEC says that all permanent light fixtures must be switched (motion or photocontroller do not count as a switch). The switch can be inside, outside, basement, doesn't matter. Axillary/temporary buildings, barns, sheds, etc. must have disconnects (wall switch disconnect or breaker disconnect) within the structure if wired.

In your case it's a safety issue. Imagine going to change the bulb on your motion sensor that you think is burnt out. You get your ladder, your 500w bulb, and your big boy pants on. You go out, climb the ladder (bulb in-hand), and reach for the bulb. BOOM! You trigger the motion sensor and to your surprise and dismay, the bulb still works, but unfortunately, it just seared your retinas from the sudden illumination. From the shock, you fall off your two-step step ladder (you never really new your real ladder), breaking your wrist upon the quite embarrassing landing.

Good luck lifting a grain bag or reading you hydrometer now. The NEC is a craft beer fan - they are looking out for us.