UK PIR Sensor causing other lights to turn off

[Tcs106]

I have a ceiling PIR motion sensor fitted in my cloakroom that sometimes causes my kitchen lights to turn off when the sensor is triggered. Basically, if my kitchen lights are on and I walk into my cloakroom they sometimes switch off. This doesn't happen all the time. The PIR itself seems to be working as it should as the cloakroom lights always come on when the sensor is triggered. The kitchen lights are all on a dimmer switch. I know nothing about these things and the electrician who did the installation is also baffled and didn't believe me until I showed him a video. Unfortunately, he is not willing to help. Any suggestions as to why this would happen would be greatly appreciated. I'm more than happy to provide more information if required. Thanks!

 

[buzzlightyear]

know nothing about these things and the electrician who did the installation is also baffled and didn't believe me until I showed him a video.

Me thinks ist wired up wrong. If a sensor been wired for the area then no other area should be affected.Post a video on here so we can have a laugh, imean a look.

 

[Pete999]

I have a ceiling PIR motion sensor fitted in my cloakroom that sometimes causes my kitchen lights to turn off when the sensor is triggered. Basically, if my kitchen lights are on and I walk into my cloakroom they sometimes switch off. This doesn't happen all the time. The PIR itself seems to be working as it should as the cloakroom lights always come on when the sensor is triggered. The kitchen lights are all on a dimmer switch. I know nothing about these things and the electrician who did the installation is also baffled and didn't believe me until I showed him a video. Unfortunately, he is not willing to help. Any suggestions as to why this would happen would be greatly appreciated. I'm more than happy to provide more information if required. Thanks!

looks like youre cloakroom and kitchen lights are interconnected switchwise somewhere did an Electrician connect them or is this a DIY job?
'

 

[Strima]

Do you have LED lamps fitted? What sort of dimmer switch?

 

[timhoward]

Is there only one switch for the kitchen, or is there more than one?
It could be a switching issue, or a supply issue.
I'm wondering if the cloakroom feeds the kitchen ceiling rose and the cloakroom has a loose connection. Cloakroom turns on and lower resistance path followed?!

 

[Tcs106]

Thank you very much for the initial replies. I've attached some pictures of the LED lights and dimmer switches and a video showing the fault. There are 2 dimmer switches that operate the kitchen LED lights. I guess it's always going to be difficult to pinpoint the exact issue from a few pictures but at least I could relay your suggestions to the electrician that did the installation. Thank you

 

[Tcs106]

It's really odd because this only happen about 50% of the time...

 

[buzzlightyear]

Looks to me it has been wired wrong the sensor. Back to the drawing board for the spark.

 

[timhoward]

It's really odd because this only happen about 50% of the time...

If you experiment with the kitchen switches - turn the lights off. Then try turning them on with one of the switches and see if it happens. Then turn the lights off at that same switch and try turning them on with the other of the two switches and see if it happens. You might find a pattern.

Either way you need a sparks to take the sensor down and check out the logic from first principles.
Do you know if these are low voltage downlighters?

 

[DPG]

Am I missing something here? Why is the electrician who did the install not willing to come back and make sure it works? I don't see how he can refuse.

 

[Tcs106]

Thanks I'll try playing around with the two switches and see if it makes any difference...

 

[DPG]

Thanks I'll try playing around with the two switches and see if it makes any difference...

I wouldn't do this. Why won't the installer fix what he has done?

 

[timhoward]

I wouldn't do this. Why won't the installer fix what he has done?

I think he means just turning them on and off, not pulling them to bits, to see if this situation's 50% randomness is linked to the 3 way switching or not.
And I agree the installer should sort this out.

 

[DPG]

I think he means just turning them on and off, not pulling them to bits, to see if this situation's 50% randomness is linked to the 3 way switching or not.
And I agree the installer should sort this out.

Yes I see now, he was replying to your post about trying the switches. I'd visions of him disconnecting everything ?

 

[Tcs106]

Yes sorry I didn't make it clear - I'm not crazy enough to start disconnecting anything! I did use the other kitchen light switch yesterday and so far I haven't had the issue so fingers crossed - will keep chasing the electrician. Thanks all!

 

[Rockingit]

If they've ended up being wired in series with the kitchen lamps being LED and downstream of a cloakroom halogen then this could happen. You'd never know the cloakroom was dimmer than it should be as (I'm assuming) there's no obvious way to compare them 'side by side'. So everytime the cloakroom turns on it's effectively at 50% and the LED's just shut down. Simple fault, simple solution - and suggests a numpty installer who didn't test properly!

 

[timhoward]

If they've ended up being wired in series with the kitchen lamps being LED and downstream of a cloakroom halogen then this could happen.

I was just messing about and arrived at virtually the same thing, I suspect something like this has been done, effectively making a voltage divider circuit:





https://tinyurl.com/yhtkp6wb if you want to play with it.