Bit of help please....if possible

[sythai]

Just pricing up extension with a fair bit of external electrics.

The part which I need a hand on is:

9 x outside wall lights around building (not decided on what type / wattage etc)
4 x PIR wired in parallel to control these (one on each corner)
2 x over-ride switches inside

Been looking on Steinel website @ IS300, just not too sure on the technical bit - will it work..... if I read it correctly it states that

- 2000 W max. (resistive load, e.g. filament bulb), - 1000 W max. (uncorrected, inductive,
cos φ = 0.5, e.g. fluorescent lamps) - 1500 W max. (series corrected) - 500 W max. (parallel corrected, with C ≤ 45.6 μF) - electronic ballasts, capacitive,
e.g. low-energy lamps, max. of 8 each. C ≤ 176 μF
3-sensor technology of the IS 300

So limited to 50w / light, but it also states that you can only use 8 low-energy lamps ? So cant go down that route or can I ?

And will 4 PIRs normally work in parallel with each other, have done it 2 in parallel but never 4 ?

Help / advice please

Many Thanks,

Sy

 

[malcolmsanford]

Sy would this be a better option or something similar
Security Lighting - GJD Manufacturing Limited

 

[topquark]

No problem with using the 4 PIRs in parallel, just have to watch the loading. Assuming that all lights come on when one PIR is triggered. If it's a dedicated outside light circuit you could consider using a contactor if the loading is a problem.

 

[sythai]

Sy would this be a better option or something similar
Security Lighting - GJD Manufacturing Limited

Funnily enough I was working on a property yesterday and they had this system.... was wondering what it was - baffled me a bit as didn't expect to find a 3 pair cable at the PIR.

Reckon it could be fairly pricey ?

 

[sythai]

No problem with using the 4 PIRs in parallel, just have to watch the loading. Assuming that all lights come on when one PIR is triggered. If it's a dedicated outside light circuit you could consider using a contactor if the loading is a problem.

Thats the answer i was looking for - thank you very much, my brain is so overloaded with figures at the minute didn't even think of that.

Nice little contactor unit, everything going back to there, dedicated circuit in and no worries about overloading the PIRs

Sy

 

[malcolmsanford]

Not sure if it's this make, but my brother as a system on his house that is similar which I wired up for him and it as all sorts of add ons for CCTV and integrated into the house alarm.

I'm not sure how much it was but he was forever standing behind me making sure I was doing it right, so as he is a tight wad I would imagine it was pricey mate.

Just thought it might be something to think about.

 

[sythai]

but he was forever standing behind me making sure I was doing it right,

Bet that wasn't annoying :30: I had a watcher this week..... "is that the normal way of running cables, I thought they all came from above..." (I was bringing them in from below) Urghhhh !! :banghead:

Thanks for your help chap - but think will go down the contactor route this time as know what I'm doing there. The other system looks like it has more potential for me to cock it up and trying to keep costs down (although struggling at the minute)

 

[pennywise]

Cost cutting and Steinel don't go together :wink5:

 

[sythai]

No you are right... but wont fit anything else... got fed up of being called back. Saying that I have had Steinel go wrong before

 

[pennywise]

I pop them in when the budget can take it too, no call bakes for me yet touch wood. they have nice designs too.

 

[sythai]

I do always give the customer the choice... get yourself a nice B&Q special flood light with pir for £25 (and I'll charge when I pop back when it goes wrong...)

or I'll get you a steinel for £80 and guarantee it for 3 years

Steinel every time (I hope you don't think I'm on commission or something)

 

[pennywise]

Nope lol I've just put in one of the small 150w floods ceramic heat shield cast alu housing nice bit of kit. I want to put in one of those LED floods they've got but no one will pay £190 plus VAT:icon9:

just seen they've bought out a new one thats 14.8 watts for £79 plus the vat getting more reasonable

 

[telectrix]

if you are going to use a contactor, you may have to fit a capacitor across the coil as the inductive load of the coil can cause problems with the PIRs. something in the region of 0.1 - 0.5 mfd.

 

[sythai]

if you are going to use a contactor, you may have to fit a capacitor across the coil as the inductive load of the coil can cause problems with the PIRs. something in the region of 0.1 - 0.5 mfd.

Right I didn't realise that thank you Tel. Never used a capacitor before, how do calculate what size/type required please ? and what would be 0.1 - 0.5mfd (bit too technical for me sorry) Last think I want to do is wire it all back there and it dosent work out as planned

 

[davelerave]

led is prob best with pir-but pricey

incandescent you've a bit of maintenance with bulbs

cfl -the short on-time reduces lamp life ,and like you say there's a limit on the no. of ballasts that can be switched 'direct'

photocell is so much simpler

 

[telectrix]

Right I didn't realise that thank you Tel. Never used a capacitor before, how do calculate what size/type required please ? and what would be 0.1 - 0.5mfd (bit too technical for me sorry) Last think I want to do is wire it all back there and it dosent work out as planned

the capacitor would be to counteract the inductive coil. some PIRs are OK with inductive loads, but some give nuisance tripping. i would try a 0.2 mfd ( 300V ) non electrolytic. only a few bob from maplins. what it does is bring the load power factor closer to unity. if you could measure the inductance , you can calculate the capacitor value. ( long time since i've been there so can't remember the exact formulae.