There are two problems I'd like to solve in one fell swoop.

1. I consistently leave my garage lights on overnight (4 bulbs no less). Need an auto-off timer.
2. Sometimes I enter the garage at night from the house only to have to return to the house to switch the lights on. A motion detector would help me out with this.

Is there a way to wire a timed motion sensor where there are two switches, one in the garage and one in the house? Where would I find the correct motion sensor/timer? Lowes only has basic single pole motion detection available.

One problem I see with putting a motion sensor in the garage is that if I do remember to turn the lights on before entering the garage the motion sensor may end up turning the lights out as I enter, unless there is some fancy switching or wiring I can do to overcome that.

Any advice on this topic is most welcome.

JP

JPWhite

I think it will work, their technical info says

KeepItSimpleStupid

Well guys. I'lad I stimulated a discussiom rather than throwing out a solution.

PIR deterctors are not photocells. They are looking for specific Infrred energy emiited by people as opposed to the ultrasonic based sensors, so they are resistant to false triggering.

If you noted. I didn't point out, that test modules have 3 way- capability, but as usual it's difficult to want wireless control + 3 way capability.

It's not easy, but I broke it down into 3 problems:

1. Turn on/off lights from 2 locations without major wiring. (X-10)
2. Turn on lights when there motion (usually you get and when the ambient light exceeds a given value) and you get (for a given time).
3. As an option "Lights out at 11 PM or whatever May or May not be needed.

There is an X-10 module which will initiate some code depending on whether it's contact make or contact break or momentary. Outputs, I believe are on/off or toggle.

There were simple X-10 timers, but I didn't see any at smarthome.

Put together right, you may not even need option #3. You may just need the ability to rurn things off at two locations.

Some background:

I used B&D's version that has an RF remote, handheld remote and a RF receiver module and a light switch. for a porch exterior light.

Your supposed to be able to program a garage door opener (Homelink system) to activate the X-10 module, but I have not been able to get that to work. That system is permanently mounted in the vehicle. So the one vehicle gets a keychain remote.

So, the light can be turned on rom the car.

Problem #1 solved. I'lluminate the driveway, so you don't fumble with the keys. A memberof the household has walking problems.

Problem #2. I forget to turn the light out when I take out the garbage. It's sometimes COLD on the porch. Used a wall/handheld RF transmitter to turn off the porch ligt from inside the warm house.

It's turned out to be quite usefull.

Here is another one:

I mounted an exterior motion detector on top of a China closet pointed into the entrance to a living room. The receiver can be a chime and has a plug output for two different on times. WHat I don't like about the system is that, it's desined for outside with driveway alert capability. I'd like the "Dark" value to be much higer before the system works.

The receiver has a nightlight plugged in it and basically allows one to enter, "light", and go to the opposite side of the room turn on a light and sit down.

This is again a creative use of technology.

In order to get lower light levels, I'd have to reverse engineer a little bit like put a parallel resistor across the CdS cell. Who knows.

Both have been extremely useful, but I'm not willing to spend the time to achieve 99.9% what I want.

I even had to buy more components that I wanted because they were not available separely. Only in sets. I had to buy (1 keychain remote, 1 wall remote, 2 RF receivers), so I have an extra receiver.