2-way control of a security light - smart and old fashioned motion-controlled

[Simon W 0]

I have an external light with a separate old-fashioned permanently wired motion detector. Currently the circuit is always live (switch left permanently on) and motion turns on the light.

 

I want to add smart control with a Fibaro switch, but also have the old motion controllers still work - so that I can smart control the lights using ZWave / Home Assistant by time of day etc., but also have the old-fashioned motion detectors still work. This also means if (when) we sell the house, motion-activated security lights are not dependent on a smart system that the buyer may not have / want.

 

My electrician and I have been trying to work out how to do it (he's wired up a houseful of Dimmer 2s for me, but he's not had to do this variation before). 

 

Should I use multiple inputs to a Single Switch?

Should I use a Double Switch with 1 x switch setup for momentary switch (for smart control) and the second switch setup for toggle on/off (for the motion detectors to turn on/off) both controlling the same load (will that even work?).

 

Help!  

[Jay Ess 5]

i have wired my house to be able to use the sitches as if there was no smart system and with the option to control it all via hc3. for the outside lights which i want to run on motion or have the option to have on/ off all the time, i have a double switch one for the wiring for the motion detector and one for an override of the motion, so can either have the lights on or off or on motion.

hope that helps.

[Simon W 0]

14 minutes ago, Jay Ess said:

i have wired my house to be able to use the sitches as if there was no smart system and with the option to control it all via hc3. for the outside lights which i want to run on motion or have the option to have on/ off all the time, i have a double switch one for the wiring for the motion detector and one for an override of the motion, so can either have the lights on or off or on motion.

hope that helps.

Yes I think it does...  so to be clear you have a Fibaro Double Switch, with the output of one of its switches set for a circuit for the motion detectors --> lights, and the other switch direct to the same lights? I.e. both switches ultimately controlling the same load? That was I think my real question - whether having the switches sent off to the same load would be a problem. If that's what you've got I think we are good... 

[Jay Ess 5]

I am not an electrian LOL just a nosy consumer so i might be worng, but i think we have wires running to the lights, one is for on/off bypassing the sensor and one is on/off but through the sensor, I had already wired up my house in this way before i got my hc3, as wanted max control even with no smart system, so when adding the smart system we used double switches to conrol these lights, hope this helps.

[Simon W 0]

Closing this out as resolved; worked out, experimented and tested by me and my electrician, as follows:

 

"Motion detection" in the image is "old-fashioned" 240V PIR motion detectors (4 of them, wired in parallel so any one activating lights 6 x security lights). They have 3 x connections - live, neutral and switched.

S2 on the Double Switch is a push-button switch which turns on or off motion detection-activated lighting. Q2 connects to the live connection on the PIRs.

S1 on the Double Switch is a push-button switch which provides manual over-ride which turns on the lights if they are off, or keeps them on if they are already motion-triggered on. Q1 connects to the switched output of the PIRs, thus over-riding them when S1 is activated.

 

I use Home Assistant automation to manage settings of both S1 and S2.

Please login or register to see this image.

/monthly_2021_12/switch2.jpg.c1c1786229ce4a25b6bebca02533bc4c.jpg" />