I had two floodlights on the back of my house, both with motion sensors. They were old and ugly and my wife wants new ones, so I took them down.

While I was up there, I noticed the cable leading to the junction of the first light had two hot leads. A red and a black, and they're controlled by two separate switches. I'd assumed that each light had its own switch and I kind of regret just tearing all that **** off the back of my hosue without paying closer attention to the wiring.

Anyway I have two switches inside the house. One runs a black hot lead, the other a red hot lead both to the junction box that houses the first light. From the first light to the second light, there's a regular black/white cable, but it's just laying on top of the soffit, I could use it to fish a black/red/white cable throught there.

I want to know if it's possible to get a set of motion sensor floodlights, and wire them in a way so I can use one switch to turn them on permanent, like when we want to sit outside, and the other switch to arm the motion sensor.

I went to the store and couldn't find any floodlights that had two hot leads. I opened some of the boxes, adn some had a red wire going to the motion sensor, but it was connected to the black wire for the lamp, and there was no specific instruction on how to wire them separately.

 

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Electrician Talk - Professional Electrical Contractors Forum

I'll go ahead cut 'n' paste and post your question for you. Look up top in the general electrical discussion. I'm Roadhouse over there.

 

"I want to know if it's possible to get a set of motion sensor floodlights, and wire them in a way so I can use one switch to turn them on permanent, like when we want to sit outside, and the other switch to arm the motion sensor."

You would wire them normally off one switch. With that switch on, they will come on via the motion detector.

Then, from the same circuit, wire a second switch to bypass the motion detector.

I think a real electrician would say that's a goofy way to do it at a minimum.

Easier to do two sets of lights imo. You don't need much with the motion detectors--just at an entry point like a gate or back fence maybe.

When we remodeled our house, I put a couple motions in, and then put double 100w halogens at each corner on three-way switches, one in the kitchen and one in the bedroom. When I hit those three switches, there is nowhere to go that you aren't lit up in our yard.

 

What he said and then what these guys have said.

A question for a friend. - Electrician Talk - Professional Electrical Contractors Forum

Good luck!

 

Most Motion sensors you can flip the switch on and off a few times and the light will stay on till you turn the switch off for a few minutes then back on to reset it in auto.

 

Aftrmidnight is exactly correct.
Read the instructions, most will say flip the switch on-off-on within 2 or 5 seconds and the lights will stay on