Lighting Sensor Wiring with Override Facility 

Well that's had an odd effect. I now feel totally inspired to review and upgrade the external lighting chez nous. Been thinking about a series of lights along the drive all switched by one PIR but wasn't entirely sure how to wire it, was planning to google it! This was excellent, thanks JW.

Moved into a new house recently that has photocell lights with an override and I’ve been puzzling how these work so great timing John. Ours have a fused spur as the main on/off and then a separate switch for the override and the photocells are built into the lights but I can at least now understand how they can work. Great video thanks.

I am no electrician, but your teaching is clear and very understandable. Thank you for sharing..

Absolutely superb explanation. You have saved me a massive headache (and probably massive electrocution). Just brilliant 👍🏻

Great presentation! I have learned a lot from you in just a few minutes. Thank you!

Very helpful. Being an apprentice I’m really struggling with taking the feed to the switch with one ways all the way to intermediate. I know you’ve done some videos on this but if you’re looking for ideas for more I’d love to get more guidance on this. Thanks for the videos JW

Interesting solution - I have just fitted a pir sensor in a cupboard - 1 x 2 way switch only so supply goes to switch, then to sensor and on to light using just twin and earth cable. In this case, the client doesn’t really need the option of the light being switched on permanently in case she forgets to turn it off after closing the door! I can see a great use for this circuit in a garden with a pir where you may want to keep the floodlights on during bbq season etc., - so thumbs up from me JW👍

Great vid John last job I was on we ran a feed to a key switch then a 3 core to the pir then connected the switched feed for the lighting circuit in the pir

A massive thumbs up John a fantastic video well explained, no possibility of making any mistakes in connections brilliantly narrated and a treasure source of knowledge. THANKS.

Great Stuff again John, Thanks for the video and sharing your knowledge : )

Thanks for the great video John 👍

Excellent video and solution for PIR lights. Thanks

Thanks for the presentation, It explains something that was puzzling me. My outside lights were wired with 3 core & earth, and the wiring diagram in the lid showed no external connection to the light connection. In fact there the black core was connected. When the switch was activated the lamp lit continually, and in the off position it was controlled by the PIR. Your presentation made clear what was intended. However they had cheapened the installation by using no second switch. The line connection was hard wired without a switch!! Now I see how it is supposed to work, I can live with it, but it is not Ideal.

Great content, just fitted PIR with gridswitch, worked first time.

Cheers John been ignoring an issue for months thanks for the help worked out first time too

No doubt I'll be referring back to this, thanks 👍

Hello John. I enjoyed watching your video on how to override a pir sensor using a two gang and centre off switch. I Set up a practice board and found the same result can be achieved if you use a one gang one way switch and a 3 core cable from the pir to the switch.Take the supply feed to the switch connect the live feed to common and the pir switch line to L1 or L2 and join the neutrals using a connector block or wago.

You make everything make sense. Thank you.

Hi John, Totally brilliant, have used it and it works a treat. Regards Kairos

Best explanation I've found. Thank you

13:04 - connection to light, I'd have connected to the bottom terminal of switch 2 and the live out of the top of switch 1 I'd have connected to terminal 1 on the top of switch 2. For the purposes of clarity of drawing. It'd also have the electrical safety benefit of not making SL live on the PIR when the light was permanently on. I take it you're now going to connect the live out of sw 1 to the bottom terminal of sw 2.

Another suggestion if you're not sure if the PIR is using a relay or electronic switch then: 1. Always keep the PIR powered up to the Power Line and Neutral. 2. Connect PIR output SL to the 3-way switch L1. 3. Connect Power Line L to 3-way switch L2. 4. Connect light line L to 3-way switch common C. 5. Connect light Neutral N to Power Line Neutral N.

love the way you simply methods 👍🏾

Fantastic!!! Keep up the great videos

You're just awesome! Precious content Thank you

My preference for switch labelling is off/on and auto/man (ual). I've done this switching arrangement on a number of situations, whether lighting, heating or compressing.

Brilliant vid, cheers!

Another gem from you John, thank you. Keep 'em coming!

I was thinking of having a PIR (or micro) in my bathroom, and would want an override switch on the outside to have it permanently on or on auto. However I'd also wanted a switch, on a separate gang (maybe above the door with the fused switch) that would override it to be permanently off. The trick I guess is not have any single cables going somewhere but a mixture of 3 and 4 core cables!

Another great video John Thanks! Can we have one on Power Factor please

Thanks great explanation. was thinking of using a standard 3 pin plug for the supply to plug into a wall or garage socket so only needing a single 1 gang 2 way switch same as your second example but the on/off at the socket. This may sound strange but I'm retro fitting a pir to existing circuit just replacing the switch so will connect the neutrals inside the switch using wago 3 way connector

A nice explanation, maybe best to have flat faced connection box (wiska) to mount your PIR on. All your connections are up in the eves and not show excessive cables coming down (surface mounting) at switch which is all the customer will see. Also multiple PIR's need to link their switch Line to multiple lights.

Hi John, Thanks for the video, really like the idea of the centre off switch. Can this arrangement work if I wire in series i.e. have a 3core and E from the centre off switch to the PIR, then a twin and E from the PIR to the light? I can then connect the PIR SL straight to the light? I'll be using wiska boxes for wiring connections throughout. Any help would be appreciated.

Hi, if you didn't need nned the override facility on a PIR, would you simply be able to use a 1 Gang 2 Way Switch, using the L1, L2 and COM connections as per your video at around 14:30 mins? Thank you!

You have such a cool voice ...I'm envious!!

Hi thanks for the video you explain everything nice and clearly I am thinking of installing outside lights with a double switch and PIR like in the video but I don’t require the all off switch just PIR override as with the 1st switch I want to control 1 light by the back door and have flood lights controlled by PIR with override for BBQ’S ect Would it work if I just connected the common from the switch to the PIR L or will I need 3 switches as they will be outside switches

Hi John, brilliant video/explanation. Would it be possible to add a timer switch to your wiring diagram so that when switched on permanently the timer could control the on period. If yes could you provide guidance on how this could be done. Many thanks. Kind regards, Kenny.

Hi John great videos. Is it possible just to have a switch that turns the pir and light off when not needed? Thanks

Hi john great video very informative, how do you go about R1+R2 testing and insulation resistance testing with a pir in circuit ? thanks

great job thx good experience and explanation

Hi John... I've learnt so much from you. Can you please please do video of emergency lighting in single and T&E. Thank you.

Really simple cheers for that

Great video, but one question. How would this change if it was at the end of an intermediate light circuit?

Brilliant and quite comprehensive explanation. Question : how can we connect such a sensor light connected to an extraction fan?

Global lighting-wise, this video's the other way around ! Starts with the globe unlit, ends with it lit !

We have outdoor lights connected to one switch such that in one position the PIR works but in the other position the light is permanently on. Works great for us. Is this bad practice or dangerous? I'd like to do something similar in a hallway but do not want to use two switches. The PIR is using 0.5 watts if you don't have an 'everything off' switch, but beyond that is it terrible?

Hi JW, thanks , could you explain connecting 2 motion sensor (PIR) lights to a switch, both as masters please.

Version 2 (21:00) I'd be looking for a switch with off in the upper position, not centre - and centre being 'auto' - just to maintain the loose standard of up for off.

Thank you.

I have outside lights with a sensor built in and also a separate PIR by the garage. this has a three wire feed. I put two new light bulbs in and thought that I would clean the separate sensor but I must have damaged it. Can I replace it with an ordinary PIR or a special one? What would the wiring configuration be? Any help would be great.

Hi, is this set up have no constant power to the PIR ? As in one of your other videos you suggested that PIR should have a live wire connection as would more reliable? Or maybe I seen the video somewhere else suggested that PIR needs a constant live connected!!

Question: I would like to program my chicken coop heat lights to come on at dark and go off when when it is 50ﾟor more outside which is which is well after it becomes light. Wondering if you have an idea on how to wire or program this? Combo heat/light sensor?

Not watched the vid yet but I did something similar using two switches. I used Triple & Earth for part of the wiring.

Thank you

Would you not have the pir permanently live and add the switch into it as a on off override or do it this way.

Really useful video, thank you. I wonder if i can use a timeclock instead of the override switch, such that I can bring the light on under timeclock control, and then when the Timeclock switches off, the light remains under PIR control, so effectively using the timeclock as an override.

A great video John. Do you know whether it is possible to use a PIR with a 1500 watt electric radiator? If so how would it be wired?

You missed pointing out that in the dusk to dawn photocell the arrow has to point North to work correctly.

outstanding.

Sir JohnW, may I add that for the 1st diagram with 2switches used i.e. 2Gang2Way, its sufficient to use 1WAY switch for both the switches there. Am I correct or otherwise?

Is it possible for a single switch to be the slave and have the PIR as the master? Ideally i would want PIR in use all the time but a switch to make the light stay on until the switch is set to off - i dont need the centre off position and ideally i just want a pull cord

Where can I get that single switch John was talking about? What is the name of that switch?

Can we have more on lighting circuit types please

What if your working with just 2 wire cable on a 12v system?

I think I'll do it by going sw1 + sensor in series with sw2 in parallel to both. Instead of sw1 + sensor in series and just the sw2 and sensor in parallel, which this seems to be. It's a small difference both in wiring (just tie the switch inputs together instead of sw1 out to sw2 in) and operation, but it does mean that sw1 is just for enabling/disabling the sensor and sw2 operates the load as normal. Nice and separate functions for the switches, no need to have both on to definitely have the light on. Although it will be. It's just a single difference in the truth table, when sw1 is off and sw2 is on the load is on, instead of off.

if wiring the on off on in singles could you connect SL directly to light Line and another single from L2 directly to light L?

Hello John great video again re sensor wiring. sorry to be dense but I have a steinel dusk to dawn and has N L' N L Connections on the sensor. 4 lights. I have wired in the live and neutral from the supply and the other N I put the neutral from the first light and the L' I put the live from the light and the switch line from the live. unfortunately I only have the first light coming on and the other 3 are not coming on. I have checked and all the lights are serviceable ....HELP !!!!

Amazing

Great video but the problem I find is that most flood lights now include a sensor but they are now all sealed and you can't get access to bypass them anymore. This is somewhat frustrating as it means buying separate units, separate mounts plus a more complex wiring. The old one you could disconnect and rewire!

Got 2 of those led type lights with a sensor that you can turn off/on with in 3 seconds it stays on they’re blooma ones form B&Q I believe Only got them last year

can you connect 2 sensors to one wire system and what if one sensor fails will my system pick it up i have a adt alarm system

Great video. However I connected my outside light photocell as described for 3 position switch. Everything fine except for when in the override on position. Lights are manually on but I can here photocell switching on and off constantly. This is due to removing live input to photocell but having live connection to photocell switched output. I could replace photocell with relay output type but manufacturers detail don’t appear to give this info. In my opinion better arrangement is to connect live in and input to photocell to switch position 1, connect switched live from photo cell to switch position 2 and connect feed to lights to the common terminal on the switch. Has the benefit of keeping photocell live and not back feeding the photocell which I believe causes a fault for most common types.

Jeepers that made sense to me second viewing 👍

Hi JW, Is there a way of incorporating an override switch in a 2 way or intermediate switch setting?

I watched this to answer one question: Is it really OK to backfeed the PIR output. For an old 'relay' sure. What if it's a semiconductor?

Thanks for the help always get confused with wiring of lights. The second option you have if there are two rooms that are to be controlled separately. We would just need a live connector as well same as earth and neutral and just supply both switches from there I suppose?

Love your vids JW, but I’ve come across this so many times… and I hate this method… if you put switch to auto, day or night, the sensor has to settle for a couple of minutes, and if it’s a photocell it will start clicking and almost certainly mess up due to back feeds. I usually connect mains to L1 and auto sw back to L2, with sw to the light connected to common. This way there is no back feeds and no sensor settle time…

Think 2 gang switch was totally un necessary.. the SL from the PIR could have gone straight to the light. What is the benefit of the overide?

What if you had 3 PIR sensors on different sides of a small building that all worked a single bank of say 4 lights? The total lighting load within the PIR's Amp loading. Can that be done even if 2 or all 3 PIR's were at some point tripped and passing current?

Would it be acceptable to wire the PIR to be permanently connected, and just switch the PIR switch line? I ask because many PIR sensors switch on when initially powered, but you may want to be able to set the light to auto without having it illuminated.

For whatever reason, the setup on the second switch in the first setup makes me uncomfortable. I'd have rather seen the live go from the first switch, and jump to the left hand terminal of the second switch, rather than the common. Then the light connects to the common, and the sensor connects to the right hand terminal of the switch. This way, on and off behaves as expected, and the auto switch either goes from left to common to light (always on), or live goes from first switch, to pir, to right terminal to common, to light. In this configuration there is only ever one live path to the load and no loops. I don't mind loops in DC systems, but they make me upset in AC. I'm not sure if that sentiment is based in reality.

Thank you for sharing this information as I found it very useful. Please if you can help me on the below, I be most grateful. I like to install a flood light with an external PIR sensor, similar to the 1 way switch design you show. The only problem is the current set up I have uses a switched fuse spur instead of a 1 way switch. I only want the light to stay in the PIR mode or off completely. From this can I directly connect the switched line output from the PIR to the light? If not, please can you explain so I understand. Thank you most kindly. Matt

Is it possible to join two PIRs to a single light fixture?

Dear John Ward, if you can do one video on emergency lighting. In my workplace I do allot of emergency lighting and sensors, the sensors are fine for me but the emergency one is confusing. Some have back up battery supply and bypasses the ballast or relay and has different wiring. I tried to find the source of the power when the light is not on but was told it gets its power from battery? When I do the emergency lighting testing- I switch off the lights and the emergency lights come on- was asking the chief Engineering if he can explain where it is getting its power from? but he is not a qualified electrician so avoided the answer. If you can do one video on it, will be grateful. Thank you.

What if you want to have the left switch be the on/off to the power to the auto sensor/light combo....... and have the right side switch make the light turn permanently on or permanently off override to the sensor light? Is that possible? If I am understanding this correctly; the right side switch in your illustration would either allow the sensor/light to be in sensor 'auto' mode, or sensor 'always on' mode..... but to turn the entire sensor/light 'off'..... requires the left side switch to be in the 'off' position, if you wanted to keep the sensor/light completely 'off/disabled.' Can't it be wired so the right side switch overrides the sensor/light normal operation of the left side switch by turning the light permanently 'on' or permanently 'off?' or, is that overly complicating things?

Hi JW great videos. I am trying to work out unsuccessfully in my head how to wire up multiple sensors to multiple lights, with any sensor activating all of the lights. The system is up a stairwell. Thanks for any response 🙂

I have a question, just fitted a pir in the bathroom, but it stops working if we use the shower, I guess the infrared won't pick up though the shower glass, is the microwave version going to work better.....

Hi John, I have a 400W Halogen floodlight with a PIR. Is there a way I can add another PIR sensor as well as the one on the light?

Hello I've looked at all your videos but cannot find a microwave sensor with manual overide. I'm trying to fit a V-TAC VT-8077 Microwave Sensor 360° white with manual Override Function to 240v battern lights in my workshop , it has four connectors N NL L middle connector for load I've connected all to power fine, but the light keeps tripping the house RCD, I've connected the earth cable from the power to the load lead, could this be causing the problem, not sure how or where the earth's should be connected, your help, or anyone's help would be desperately appreciated.

Could you send 230 volts to the sensor switched live without disconnecting the sensor permanent live ? ?? This might be an option in an existing installation where you wanted to add a override switch in a different location without touching the existing wiring .

Most pirs and lights still have the override facility. Some will stay on till dawn.

Great video! Why must an earth be taken to one of these twist on dusk till dawn sensors when 1. It's plastic, and 2. there isn't even a termination point for it? Seems like a pointless endeavour to me.

Every time I turn on the ON/OFF switch ( please note the PIR switch is in auto) the sensors click many times and the down lights flashes many times. After that the system settles. I am using exactly the same first configuration. Can someone advise? Thank you.

Is it possible to get a sensor with both microwave and PIR technology that requires both types to be tripped before the circuit completes? Wouldn't this be the best solution?

Great video - you have a way with words and making things simple. One question: Can I have a PIR to turn low-level mood lights on (like decking-type lights) in my bathroom BUT also have the main bathroom lights connected to the mood lights - so that ALL lights come on from the main switch BUT ONLY the low level mood lights come on via the PIR? This is to have the low-level lights come on in the middle of the night for a bathroom visit. My diagram suggests that the mood lights will pass on the current to the rest of the lights so the PIR will sadly turn EVERYTHING on. I'm wracking my brains to see a workaround. And believe that YOU have the answer! :) Cheers

hi guys i wanted to have two sensors (on two ends of the wall) activating one section of lighting. Is this correct to connect second PIR in series with the first one??? thanks for help anyone!!!

how do I wire to an existing light. Can it be wired direct to the light fitting? Anyone?

Where can you get household 3 position switches?

I can't find a supplier of a PIR with N.L.SL. & E, none that I can find have SL. I have wired for the double switch installation but I'm stuck for the correct PIR. Can you advise of a supplier please?

HI. my PIR sensor does not have a SL terminal. What can I do? Thanks