Motion sensor that turns light off?

9 years ago

We have a small garden in a bathroom I meticulously designed.

My wife believes (I'm not so sure) that her precious plants require a fluorescent bulb to be on 24/7 to be healthy. (This has already killed one plant that could not tolerate constant light. But she's not deterred.)

I'm fed up with a light for our leafy friends ruining the esthetics for actual humans, like me.

I would like to install a motion detector that will turn the lights off when it senses a person in the room. That way we will both be happy.

Can anyone figure out how to do this?

Here is a link that might be useful:

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Comments (8)

toolbelt68
9 years ago
Why not split the difference with her and get one of those timers that you can set various on/off times by inserting pins around the face of the timer? That way you can have the light on most of the day but off during the times you would be in the room. Then YOU limit your times in the room to when the lights are off.

In the mean time keep looking for the motion detector.... lol
ionized_gw
9 years ago
If you can't find an off the shelf sensor that does that you can always reverse the function with a relay.
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bus_driver
9 years ago
This might be better handled by negotiation-- or capitulation on your part. Choose your battles wisely. Be advised that the IRS did not originate the concept of withholding.
toolbelt68
9 years ago
BTW, what type of plant are we talking about?.......
SaltiDawg
9 years ago
Let Google be your friend.

Here is a link that might be useful: One Solution
greg_2010
9 years ago
You could wire up a 3-way switch so that 'down' sends power to the fluorescent fixture and 'up' sends power to the regular light.
downtowner
Original Author
9 years ago
Toolbelt: Great idea, but my hours are very irregular. I work at home.

ionized: I don't understand relays. I'm sure you're right though.

bus driver: My wife is a very intelligent attorney. But she generally lets me do what I want as long as I describe it as a capitulation. So I will say that she has won, and I've made my piece with her leafy friends at last. :)

Toolbelt: I'm sure you're right that different plants have different names, but I don't know them. I'll try to attach a photo to this.

Saltidawg: That does look promising. Believe me I Googled a lot. What search term did you use?

Greg: Great idea, but I have a bathroom that I use for meetings sometimes. I has many different light fixtures and switches. And sometimes I like to soak in the spa tub with nothing but my Ipad and the color lights of the tub.

Wm: I think there is also an incandescent bulb she is using, but it's burnt out and I'd rather not that she notice this right away.

Thanks to all.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2126696/IMG_1457.jpg

Here is a link that might be useful:
weedmeister
9 years ago
Well, at least those aren't the type of plants that I used to grow in my bathroom in college.