Add motion sensor to one light in bathroom

[lifesigns]

Hi,

Some advice would be appreciated…

I have 4 downlights in the bathroom and want to add a motion sensor to turn on just one if everything is off.

If I turn on the light switch I want all 4 to come on until it’s turned off again.

Thanks,

Shane

 

[mainline]

Hi,

Some advice would be appreciated…

I have 4 downlights in the bathroom and want to add a motion sensor to turn on just one if everything is off.

If I turn on the light switch I want all 4 to come on until it’s turned off again.

Thanks,

Shane

I would avoid using a contactor.
A 3 position 2 pole switch would work.

Centre would be off
Down would be all lights on
Up would be one lamp via the sensor.

Or you could use a 2 way 2 gang one feeding all the lights and the other feeding one via the sensor.

Both up would be off
One down would be one lamp via the sensor
Other would be all lights on.

Or you could use one 2 way switch.
L1 would be lamp via sensor
L2 would be 3 lamps

There would be no off, but you could have an isolator switch elsewhere.

 

[oscar21]

I've thought about doing this in my bathroom, its harder than it seems, just like you I want 4 downlights to work as normal via a dimmer switch but if the lights are switched off I still want one of them to operate via a sensor but still come on quite dim. I'm sure it can be done with a couple of contactors and dimmer switches but the only time I think about it is just after I've gone for a pee in the middle of the night.

 

[littlespark]

put in a fifth downlight which is only on the sensor.... which works whether the other four lights are on or off.

simples

most sensors have a dusk to dawn setting as well, so if the other lights are on, the sensor shouldnt operate.

 

[Moley]

put in a fifth downlight which is only on the sensor.... which works whether the other four lights are on or off.

Some of the hotels I stay in have this but the sensor light is a blue LED light. It's light enough so that you can see what you are doing (and not pee over the floor) but dim enough not to blind you when you've just got up in the middle of the night.

 

[DPG]

put in a fifth downlight which is only on the sensor.... which works whether the other four lights are on or off.

simples

most sensors have a dusk to dawn setting as well, so if the other lights are on, the sensor shouldnt operate.

Mine is something similar. Normal downlights on a light switch, and then some small lights set into the tiles which come on when a movement sensor is triggered. Nice easy way of getting a small amount of automatic light for a night time pee, and full lighting if required.

Dead easy, no contactors or complex wiring.

 

[nicebutdim]

Some of the hotels I stay in have this but the sensor light is a blue LED light. It's light enough so that you can see what you are doing (and not pee over the floor) but dim enough not to blind you when you've just got up in the middle of the night.

Stayed in a hotel recently with an amber light under the basin at night. Great choice of colour when trying to not fully waken during those middle of the night trips to the bathroom.

 

[mainline]

I don’t actually think about lighting or waking anyone else when I’m bursting for a p@@

 

[nicebutdim]

I don’t actually think about lighting or waking anyone else when I’m bursting for a p@@

Oddly enough, busting to pee is the reason I'm reading this thread.

Certainly didn't think about wiring at the time, but light from outside wakened me sufficiently that I didn't fall back asleep and here I am reading about wiring.

Thinking it was Monday and being late for work probably didn't help

 

[littlespark]

Can you guys not last the whole night without needing to get up?

 

[Moley]

Can you guys not last the whole night without needing to get up?

Just wait. It'll start happening to you one day.

 

[mainline]

Just wait. It'll start happening to you one day.

The day is fine, it's the night that's the concern

 

[nicebutdim]

Can you guys not last the whole night without needing to get up?

Lasted two hours longer than would have been ideal if it was Monday.

Few less pints probably would have helped.

 

[RetiredNY]

I have a plug-in dusk-dawn LED nightlight between the sink and the toilet. But here in the states we're allowed to have a receptacle in the bathroom.

 

[nicebutdim]

While I appreciated the warm, low colour in that recent hotel, I much prefer to move about in the dark at night. My father is the polar opposite with nightlights all over the house - both battery and mains, with perhaps three working at any one time in hall, kitchen, utility room, landing and bathroom. Nothing worse than calling with them during darker months and be blinded by some bloody spotlight as you walk through the door.