i need help wiring a motion light w/one switch

[blue83ranger]

2 days ago i finally got around to installing a motion detector light on the front of my shed. And i obviously wired it wrong. We got the light brand new but i lost the directions and couldn't find anything 'online'. So, i need someone to help me wire this thing. here's my setup. The lights (has 2 bulbs) have a black and white wire. and the motion detector part has a white, black, and red wire. I bought some wire that has black, red, white, and bare copper to run to the light and switch (only one switch). I hooked red to red, black to black, white to white, and the bare copper to the green ground screw in the mounting box for the light. Here's where i may have a problem. the switch is a 3 way (no on or off written on it and i only have one switch hooked to the light) On the right side i hooked the red wire and on the left i hooked the black for the light and the black from the shed. and the white wire i wired to the sheds white wire, copper to copper from the shed. So my question is what exactly went wrong here? i guess i should mention where my problem is, With the switch up the light is off, you can dance in front of it and it won't turn on, i tried covering up the motion part with my hat (so it thinks it's dark) and move my hand in front of it, nothing. and with the switch down it turns on and stays on. Also there are no adjustments anywhere on the light. any thoughts?

 

[Jspafford]

I know on the one we have when you turn the swtich on it comes on full on. You then have to turn the switch back off and then on and this turns it onto motion setting.

That way if you want it on without the motion, all you have to do is filp the switch off, and then on and it will come on in manual override mode. In order to cancel that, you have to turn the switch off and then back on.

Maybe this is your problem?

 

[blue83ranger]

i'll see if that works, and let you know. thanks

 

[srteach]

Sounds like you bypassed the motion sensor. Check that you have the sensor part in the power supply circuit. It would have to be in the white side of the system. The sensor acts as an automatic switch, and therefore must be in the supply side of the circuit.

 

[86ford]

there are 3 ways to wire it. motion sensor only with a hot lead that isent controled by a switch(motion lite works no matter what), a hot lead controled by a switch(so the motion sensor works only if the switch is on), 2 sets of wires going to the light and one set that bypasses the motion detector and goes straight to the lights that is controled by a switch so you can turn the lights on and keep them on along with a hot lead that isent on a switch that goes to the motion detector so them motion detector works regardless of what the switch is doing. (the last choice may not with if you cant bypass the motion detector) after re-reading your post you can use the last method i stated before all you need to do is run a hot wire(not on a switch) to the motion detector wire and the switch wire (black) to the "always on" wire on the back of the light. if you need a better explanation PM me.

86
since i am a retard and dident read it through i realized you hot wired the light to turn on at all times. only hook up the red and see if the motion detector works with the switch turned on. IF it just turns on then try the black wire and see if the motion detector works or if it just turns on. one of the wires (black or red) bypasses the motion detector and just turns the lights on and the other sends the power through the motion detector THEN to the lights IF the motion detector is set off.

 

[86ford]

I know on the one we have when you turn the swtich on it comes on full on. You then have to turn the switch back off and then on and this turns it onto motion setting.

That way if you want it on without the motion, all you have to do is filp the switch off, and then on and it will come on in manual override mode. In order to cancel that, you have to turn the switch off and then back on.

Maybe this is your problem?

you would be right IF he had a hot lead that dident go through a switch and if he dident hook the red and black wires from the motion detector together (over rides the motion detector).

86

 

[camma83]

On your 3 way switch, you need to break black and red, The black from the house with feed the hot to the switch, White is your neutral and you don't want to break that at the switch you just want that to run so both the red and the black hot wires have a return. It seems to me the red will be your motion power and your black should be your light power.

 

[blue83ranger]

I tried turning the switch on then off again and it stayed on for about 5 seconds after i turned it off then i could here the motion detector click, then turn off, the motion part doesn't seem to work.
so lets say the red wire works the motion part, would i just wire that in the shed and not even hook it to the switch? (hot all the time) and if i do that do i even need a 3 way switch? I do want to be able to turn the light on with the switch and have the motion part work otherwise.
The pic above is not how i have it hooked up. I have both blacks on the same side. and with no wires hooked to it i used an ohm meter and the 2 terminals straight across from each other (opposite sides) never have current through them at the same time.

 

[smokey]

Connect all
white wires together (house wire, detector
wire, and lamp fixture white wires) using
wire nuts provided. Connect black lamp
wires to red wire from the detector. Connect black house
wire to black wire from the detector
this is for the regent brand PIR lights

 

[camma83]

The pic above is not how i have it hooked up.

hmmm,

well if you just want the motion sensor part to work, This will not allow you to turn the light on and off, it will always be on motion detect..


Shed Light
White = White
Black = Red
should use a ground but you don't need it

 

[blue83ranger]

i wired the red wire to have power all the time and put in a different switch. (has on and off on it) for the black wires and it acts the same way. I can turn the switch on then off and it'll stay on for about 5 seconds then go out and motion doesn't turn it on. I think my sensor went blind. any thoughts?