# Sensor Switch



## Radioman (Nov 19, 2006)

Hello All

I want to put a new plug in the wall below the sensor switch this sensor switch powers three lights. There is no other source of power anywhere that I can the power from. Is it possible to get power from this switch that is above. And if so what are the steps.

Thanks 
Radioman


----------



## petey_racer (Nov 19, 2006)

It depends. 
What does this switch control?
What else is on the circuit?
Excactly what wires are in the box that the switch is in?


----------



## Radioman (Nov 19, 2006)

The power comes in the box from the breaker from there its wired into the sensor switch. The switch has a auto/on from there its goes to control three fluorescent light in each light it has two tubes.


----------



## petey_racer (Nov 19, 2006)

Well, that tells me something.
You do have a feed there so you can use the incoming 120v feed to power a receptacle.


----------



## Radioman (Nov 19, 2006)

Thanks petey racer

Okay so yesterday I put the receptacle box below ran 14/2 wire from the sensor switch to receptacle hook everything up everything worked. But I took one of those tester you plug in to the receptacle you know with the1 red and 2 yellow lights on it to see if is is wired correctly. It come on one red and one yellow. So I just to see I took the sensor switch out  and the to yellow lightd came on stating wired correct. Any suggestions.

Radioman


----------



## petey_racer (Nov 19, 2006)

Not knowing what the one red and one yellow lights mean on your tester I can't say why it was wired wrong. 
You should have had black to black and white to white from your new line to the existing feed. All grounds together obviously.


----------



## Radioman (Nov 19, 2006)

Hello Again 

I just looked at the tester I talked about. And there is a discription of what each light means. It was 1 red and 1 yellow it says HOT/GRD Reverse.

Radioman


----------



## petey_racer (Nov 19, 2006)

That is typically a false indication of an open neutral. 

Did you connect the white from the receptacle to the incoming white? 
Did you test, with a decent tester (not a neon bulb) for hot and neutral?


----------



## Radioman (Nov 20, 2006)

Hello 
The sensor switch has two black wires coming out of it. Before I started I checked another receptacle on the same circuit to see what side the hot was on it is the right side. So that is how I hooked this one up. 

Yes I did black to black and white to white.

Radioman


----------



## petey_racer (Nov 20, 2006)

The switch itself does not matter at all. Unless of course you want to have it control the new receptacle.

I think we are regressing back to step one. Tell me ALL the wires in the wall box. Ignore the switch for now.


----------



## Radioman (Nov 20, 2006)

You got the 14/2 wire coming from breaker and 14/2 from the light. Everything meets in the box where the switch is .

Thanks 
Radioman


----------



## petey_racer (Nov 20, 2006)

So then it is as simple as the black and white from the line in, to the black and white from your new receptacle.

I'm not sure why you were getting a weird reading.


----------



## JoeD (Nov 20, 2006)

Your switch box should have three cables coming it. If it doesn't your can't do it.
Connect all three whites together.
Connect the power in black to your new cable black nd the sensor switch.
Connect the black to the lights to the other sensor switch wire.
Connect all grounds.


----------



## Radioman (Nov 20, 2006)

JoeD said:


> Your switch box should have three cables coming it. If it doesn't your can't do it.
> Connect all three whites together.
> Connect the power in black to your new cable black nd the sensor switch.
> Connect the black to the lights to the other sensor switch wire.
> Connect all grounds.



But connecting like you are saying it will only make the receptacle work only when the switch is on. I would like the receptacle to be on all the time.

Radioman


----------



## petey_racer (Nov 20, 2006)

NO, he is saying to connect the power in to the switch AND your new receptacle line. This way both the switch and receptacle are fed constant.
This is what I have been saying.

I am not real good with MS Paint or I would draw you a picture.


----------



## JoeD (Nov 22, 2006)

Radioman said:


> But connecting like you are saying it will only make the receptacle work only when the switch is on. I would like the receptacle to be on all the time.
> 
> Radioman



Did you try it? If you have three cables it will work. The only thing that could be wrong is if yo have the light and the power cable mixed up. In that case the light will be on constant and the receptacle will be switched. Swap the pre-existing two black wires and the problem will be fixed.


----------



## Radioman (Nov 24, 2006)

Yes I was there yesterday and I only have two sets of wires. The one new receptacle wires and the other set comes in live to the switch. So any suggestions how to make it work.

Thanks Again
Radioman


----------



## petey_racer (Nov 24, 2006)

That makes a _HUGE_ difference. 
You have a switch loop. You CANNOT make this work from this box. 
You'll need to find another source for your feed.


----------



## Radioman (Nov 24, 2006)

petey_racer said:


> That makes a _HUGE_ difference.
> You have a switch loop. You CANNOT make this work from this box.
> You'll need to find another source for your feed.



Thanks petey_racer

I figured that I would have to find another source of power for that receptacle.

Thanks Again
Radioman


----------



## JoeD (Nov 27, 2006)

You could fix also by changing the cable between the light and the switch to a 3 wire+ground if that is possible.


----------

