Re: Does an automatic shutoff energy saver light switch exist?

[gfretwell@xxxxxxx]

On Sun, 21 Jan 2007 23:05:48 GMT, Michael Balarama
<mbalar@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

>Does an automatic shutoff energy saver light switch exist?
>
>My parents always yelled at us to shut off our lights constantly and now I
>find myself constantly yelling at the kids to shut the lights off. I know
>it's a losing cause.
>
>Maybe there is a better way?
>
>Do they have automatic-shut-off light switches I can simply remove and
>replace my existing standard light switches is? Are they inexpensive enough
>to be practical?
>
>Better yet, do reasonably priced light switches exist that automatically
>turn the lights on and off as you walk by? Do they also fit in the existing
>light switch boxes?
>
>Please advise.
>Thanks

My foray in this started when I figured out my wife and kids were
using the refrigerator as a night light in the kitchen. I took a
garden varirety motion detector head and hooked it up to a small light
in the kitchen (now rope light in the toe kicks and over the uppers.)
As the idea caught on I added motion sensors and occupancy sensors.
Now the lights follow you around the house, inside and out and go out
shortly after you leave, Don't let those PAR38 flood lights confuse
you. These can be hooked up to any sort of light you want. For
"walking around" light a fairly small amount of indirect lighting is
plenty. Spend your "watts" on task light where you need it.
BTW the difference between a motion sensor and an occupancy sensor is
a motion sensor is a "one shot" that times out and has to be
retriggered. An occupancy sensor gets retriggered on the fly and will
not time out until there is no more motion over the given period..

They do have Decora occupancy sensors.