Re: Motion (or Infrared?) detectors for lights or electronics?

[sylvan butler <ZsdbUse1+noZs_0701@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 1 Jan 2007 12:09:42 -0800, gaikokujinkyofusho@xxxxxxxxx <gaikokujinkyofusho@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> that that one can plug electronics (or screw in between bulbs and
> sockets) into that will turn on when someone enters a room and stay on
> until they leave the room (might not work so great for a bedroom but

Hopefully the people will move about, because otherwise the motion
detector won't see them.

Also, "screw into sockets" means the socket must have a view of the
people.

I've used switches that replace the normal light switch and give
"off/on/auto" positions.  They work well, but again replacing the switch
means the switch needs to have a view of the people in the room.

The X10 products mentioned help a little bit because they seperate the
motion detector from the light and from the manual control of that
light.  But they are a bit more complex and some people have issues
making them work like they are supposed to function.

I've not seen any "plug into" style, but they wouldn't be hard to make.
(Possibly starting with a cheap motion detecting floodlight from the
discount store and an electrical box plus an extension cord.  Cut the
cord, wire it and the floodlight motion sensor into the box.  Use the
"plug" end of the cord for power, and use the socket aka receptacle end
of the cord instead of the light sockets from the floodlight kit.)

This whole idea is "occupancy detection" and it ranges from simple and
cheap to very complex and expensive.  You get to pick based upon what
you can afford and how accurate you need it to be.

A starting point is http://www.smarthome.com/

sdb

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