Illinigirl - I initially wanted to go with jamb switches in our pantry but they wouldn't work with the finished panel jams. I was worried because the wall switch location is inside the pantry about 5'. I figured someone would have to walk inside before the lights came on. When I first installed the new occupancy sensor the doors weren't installed. The light would come on and go off after 5 minutes but with no doors, I still was unsure.
Later in the week the cabinet guy installed the doors and we were ready to see if it was going to work. My wife flipped one side of the hidden pantry doors open and boom... the light immediately came on. The sensor I installed is made for LED light installations and has quite a bit of functionality. You can program how long the light stays lit, have it set on a timer, have it set to be on as long as someone is present, or simply use it as an on/off switch. With a door jamb switch you have on/off.... no other options.
Good luck with your decision...

Saftgeek-

thank you!

I insisted on the motion detectors with the electrician today. I'm not sure they are the fancy ones like saftgeek mentions, but he did say I can set the timer for standard increments (he thought they might be 5, 15, and 30 minutes) and I liked that there is an override switch as part of the mechanism. I will have to ask about the one for LED light installations.

Saftgeek do you know the brand/model name of your switch please? It sounds really functional!

Thanks!

I LOVE my motion-triggered light in my pantry /laundry room. It does exactly what you'd want it to do: When someone approaches carrying a load of laundry or an armload of groceries, it turns on automatically.

Less evident, but also important: It turns OFF after ten minutes or so. Prior to installing this, this light was left on all too often, and no one'd notice it 'til we sat down to watch TV and realized that it was causing a glare from across the kitchen.

The only problem we ever have is that occasionally someone turns off the lightswitch, and then the lights won't turn on. When that happens, I stand there like an idiot waving my arms, trying to get it to "notice me" . . . then I realize what's happening, and I reach over to turn on the lights.

I don't think I"d be happy with a door jam style. Our door isn't always closed, so I think I'd run the light needlessly.

I don't know which type costs less, but my husband installed ours himself, and I don't think it cost more than $25-30 . . . though I am guessing. He didn't act like it cost much of anything.

In our new house, we will have motion-sensored lights in several places:

- Garage
- Hallways
- Closets
- Laundry
- Pantry
- Bathroom night lights, if that's possible -- I don't really want the master bath light to come on automatically because I wouldn't want the light to spill into the bedroom during the night
- Maybe some outdoor lights? Uncertain.

that's a good idea for the laundry room too! I am putting one in my master closet but not the kids closets because they like to sleep with the light on! Nightlights don't seem to cut it for them, i dunno why.

I have a door jamb switch in the foyer closet and I really like it, except sparky put it on the wrong door..should be on the right, not the left. I should have had him put one in the pantry but didn't and now I'm sorry. We have fluorescents in there and motion detectors don't work we'll with them.

So we added a motion detector switch to the PR, and we are unhappy. It worked great when it worked, but it also worked by itself...even when we shut the door down to just a crack, all of a sudden you'd hear a click and the light would go on, then shut itself off. Don't know if it's the switch is broken or a bad design with the brand...

I'm sorry it took me so long to answer. Ours is a Lutron Maestro. These can be programmed so they only work during light conditions where the light would be needed... if it's daytime the light doesn't need to come on. Also, you can set the length of time and the way in which the light shuts off (timer or occupancy). Pay close attention so you get the correct type - single pole (one switch to control light) or double pole (three way switch). There are a lot of variations. You will need to find out how many amps your lighting load is and then use the correct one. Your electrician should be able to figure all this stuff out.

They sound fancy but they actually run less than $20 for a single pole.

Good luck....

Saftgeek-

No idea why this showed up again, but we switched the switch in the pantry closet to a better quality one and it works great. We use the same one in the powder room. It comes on when we open the door and goes off after 15 sec. of no activity. Perfect.