Leviton motion sensing light switch
Posted: Sat Sep 07, 2013 10:07 am
Purchased a Leviton motion detecting light switch in an Ebay auction for $15:
According to the description it should be a 3-way switch for switching in multiple locations
Apparently the switch uses ground as the common for the internal PIR detector circuit:
That allows it to work in switch boxes that do not have a common wire. It may not work if the switch is located after
the load! The resistance of a light bulb may not allow enough current for the switch to operate properly.
Note: Some versions of this switch require a common wire connection or it will not work!
My experience is that any switch box that has a hot wire from the breaker also has a neutral common wire with it.
Otherwise the black and white wires merely carry the circuit to the switch and back. This may cause problems if the
switch is on the neutral side of the load.
To test that, check the voltage on the existing switch when it is turned on. If there is a reading on both screw terminals to
ground, then the switch box is wired on the AC voltage side of the load and the motion switch should work properly.
Note that it always should read voltage on one side of the switch when turned off as the circuit is open!
The three way wiring effectively converts the existing manual 3 way switch into an on off switch that works through the
red/yellow wire of the sensor switch to turn on the light. The motion switch requires AC at all times to operate the light.
According to the description it should be a 3-way switch for switching in multiple locations
Apparently the switch uses ground as the common for the internal PIR detector circuit:
That allows it to work in switch boxes that do not have a common wire. It may not work if the switch is located after
the load! The resistance of a light bulb may not allow enough current for the switch to operate properly.
Note: Some versions of this switch require a common wire connection or it will not work!
My experience is that any switch box that has a hot wire from the breaker also has a neutral common wire with it.
Otherwise the black and white wires merely carry the circuit to the switch and back. This may cause problems if the
switch is on the neutral side of the load.
To test that, check the voltage on the existing switch when it is turned on. If there is a reading on both screw terminals to
ground, then the switch box is wired on the AC voltage side of the load and the motion switch should work properly.
Note that it always should read voltage on one side of the switch when turned off as the circuit is open!
The three way wiring effectively converts the existing manual 3 way switch into an on off switch that works through the
red/yellow wire of the sensor switch to turn on the light. The motion switch requires AC at all times to operate the light.