Replacing a ceiling switch with a PIR

[robwebber7]

Hi all,

Im a bit of a novice (I know people will say "you need a qualified electrictian") so here goes

I have a single light in my bathroom with a normal ceiling pull switch. I have purchased a pir to replace it, I know they recommend keeping a switch but it is useless as it is behind the door and too much hassle to change.

I have the usual Live(brown), Neutral(blue), earth (green&yellow) attached to the switch but looking at the PIR it asks for a Live in and Live out.

I know that the live out would be the switched live but as I do not have a switched live only a permanent l, n and e which are all connected I want to know...

1) Can I connect the PIR in the place of the switch without a switched live?
2) is there anyway of having the full functioning PIR without having to add another wire to act as switched live?

Thanks for your time

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Hi all,

Im a bit of a novice (I know people will say "you need a qualified electrictian")

You need a qualified electrician.

OR

You need to learn how lighting circuits work, because at the moment you don't, and your mistaken ideas are likely to bite you on the bum.

//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting

I have a single light in my bathroom with a normal ceiling pull switch. I have purchased a pir to replace it,

It'll drive you mad.

I know they recommend keeping a switch

Do they say why?

Is ignoring their recommendation going to be a good idea?

but it is useless as it is behind the door and too much hassle to change.

You may find yourself changing your opinion on that.

I have the usual Live(brown), Neutral(blue), earth (green&yellow)

No you don't, you have the usual permanent live, switched live and earth.

looking at the PIR it asks for a Live in and Live out.

Does it also ask for a neutral?

Because you don't have one of those at the switch, so if it does it won't work.

I know that the live out would be the switched live but as I do not have a switched live only a permanent l, n and e which are all connected I want to know...

Please stop and think for a minute, or longer if that's what it takes.

How would the switch make the light go on and off if it was not producing a switched live?

1) Can I connect the PIR in the place of the switch without a switched live?

Switched live is what the PIR outputs, not what it needs in order to work.

2) is there anyway of having the full functioning PIR without having to add another wire to act as switched live?

A more apposite question would be is there any way of having the PIR work without a neutral (which you don't have) - I suspect the answer is "no".

 

[robwebber7]

Thanks for your rather cocky reply... If you read I haven't actually done anything yet I was enquiring to see if it was an easy job or needed an electrictian... You have answered a few of my questions so thank you for that at least...

 

[sparkydude]

Hi Rob,

Ignore BAS he has a habit of being a c*** You can get other manafacturers of PIR that do NOT require a neutral. They simply connect betwen the live and switched live and will do exactly what you want it to do. Even though the work is in a special location you are simply changing a switch so therefore do not fall foul of the Part P police.


Nick

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Ignore BAS

Which part(s) of my post should he ignore?

The bit where I told him that the blue wasn't a neutral perhaps?

Or where I said that if his PIR needed a neutral it wouldn't work?

Or that ignoring the manufacturers advice might not be a good idea?

Or maybe you think the suggestion that he should learn how lighting circuits work was misplaced, and that it's OK for him to fiddle with things without having a clue what he's doing?

 

[sparkydude]

BAS everyone who has been around here for a while knows just what your like and so treats you with kid gloves so as to not start you off on one of your rants. New posters who simply come here for some genuine helpful advice do not want to be flamed and given a reply in a sarcastic condescending manner. your reply was correct however it was the phrases you used and the way you put them that can easily be misconstrued as a sarcastic reply.

Nick

 

[robwebber7]

Thanks sparkydude for sticking up for us newbies... Bas how do you expect people to learn how to do things if not from people who have the knowledge. I just think your a bit bitter and twisted and obviously customer service was never your forte...
I think I have all the info I need from this post... But if it doesn't work I'll get a electrician hey Bas...

 

[ban-all-sheds]

"Misconstrued" is right.

I did not rant, I did not flame him and I was not sarcastic.

But even if I had, would that mean that he should ignore what I said about blue not being neutral, his PIR perhaps not working without one etc?

Would it mean that my advice to learn what he was doing was unsound?

 

[robwebber7]

I did not rant

My arse u didn't.... Read it back to yourself mate...[/quote]

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I have.

Please provide a rational and logical analysis of what I wrote which shows that it was a loud bombastic declamation expressed with strong emotion, or that it was violent or extravagant etc.

 

[robwebber7]

You would argue everything till the cows came home so I'll leave it there and say thanks for the advice you gave even if I don't agree with the manner you gave it in and if we are all getting the wrong end of the stick then maybe you should think about how you word things...

 

[ban-all-sheds]

You would argue everything till the cows came home

I won't sit quietly by while people make false accusations against me.

if we are all getting the wrong end of the stick then maybe you should think about how you word things...

Nor will I pander to people who think it's OK to imagine things which are not there and then criticise me for them.