Turning 3 way light switch into 1 motion sensor switch

>
>
> Hello, first time poster at DIY,
>
> My house currently has two 3-way switch controlling a light at the
> downstairs entrance. I like to turn one of the 3-way switch located at
> the lower floor to a motion sensor wall switch.
>
> I opened up the existing 3-way switch box and it has 3 terminals with
> 3 wires (black, red, white), how do I hook it up to my motion sensor
> switch which has 2 black wires and 1 green (ground wire)? My goal is
> to make the top floor switch either an independent switch, or "3-way"
> with the motion wall switch.
>
> Any help is appreciated. Thanks.
>
> Peter

> ppwlee@gmail.com wrote:

>> Hello, first time poster at DIY,
>> My house currently has two 3-way switch controlling a light at the
>> downstairs entrance. I like to turn one of the 3-way switch located at
>> the lower floor to a motion sensor wall switch.
>> I opened up the existing 3-way switch box and it has 3 terminals with
>> 3 wires (black, red, white), how do I hook it up to my motion sensor
>> switch which has 2 black wires and 1 green (ground wire)? My goal is
>> to make the top floor switch either an independent switch, or "3-way"
>> with the motion wall switch.
>> Any help is appreciated. Thanks.
>> Peter

>
> Actually, if you look, you'll find your three-ways actually have 4 wires
> - red, black, white and bare copper (the ground)
>
> The problem you're going to have is that a three-way switch actually
> works like this (bad ascii art coming up)
>
> 2 black 4
> 1 / o-----------------o \ 6 black 7 8 white
> black ----o/ \o-----------o(L)o-----------.
> o-----------------o |
> 3 red 5 |
> |
> white ----------------------------------------------------------'
>
> Consider the "o"s to be the terminals on the switch body; the ground
> line is left off since it's not electrically part of the circuit. Each
> switch can move to either the 'red' connection (terminals 3 and 5) or
> the 'black' (terminals 2 and 4). The idea is if both switches are on the
> same line, the light will be on. Since they have to be on one or the
> other, changing just one switch can turn the light on or off, at either
> end.
>
> Now if you replace one of the switches with the motion sensor switch,
> since it has only two connections (the black wires; again, the ground
> doesn't count, for our purposes), you could connect to either the red
> line or the black line, but not both.
>
> 2 black blk
> 1 / o---------x---[M]---. blk black 7 8 white
> black ----o/ `-----x------o(L)o-----------.
> o---------x |
> 3 red |
> |
> white ----------------------------------------------------------'
>
> Let's say it was connected to the black line from terminal 2. A safety
> problem then arises, as it would be possible for the switch to be set to
> the black line, which would now be energized but unconnected in the
> other switch's box. To avoid the safety hazard, you would have to also
> disconnect and terminate the red wire at terminal 3 in the remain switch
> box - then all you have is a piece of wire running through the walls.
>

> One of the things you don't say is how you want this to work. Do you
> want the light to go on and off with the motion sensor detection, but
> have the switch override it, so you can turn it on and leave it on? Or
> turn it off and leave it off? Or both?

> William Underhill wrote:

> > ppw...@gmail.com wrote:

> >> Hello, first time poster at DIY,
> >> My house currently has two 3-way switch controlling a light at the
> >> downstairs entrance. I like to turn one of the 3-way switch located at
> >> the lower floor to a motion sensor wall switch.
> >> I opened up the existing 3-way switch box and it has 3 terminals with
> >> 3 wires (black, red, white), how do I hook it up to my motion sensor
> >> switch which has 2 black wires and 1 green (ground wire)? My goal is
> >> to make the top floor switch either an independent switch, or "3-way"
> >> with the motion wall switch.
> >> Any help is appreciated. Thanks.
> >> Peter

> > Actually, if you look, you'll find your three-ways actually have 4 wires
> > - red, black, white and bare copper (the ground)
> > The problem you're going to have is that a three-way switch actually
> > works like this (bad ascii art coming up)
> > 2 black 4
> > 1 / o-----------------o \ 6 black 7 8 white
> > black ----o/ \o-----------o(L)o-----------.
> > o-----------------o |
> > 3 red 5 |
> > |
> > white ----------------------------------------------------------'
> > Consider the "o"s to be the terminals on the switch body; the ground
> > line is left off since it's not electrically part of the circuit. Each
> > switch can move to either the 'red' connection (terminals 3 and 5) or
> > the 'black' (terminals 2 and 4). The idea is if both switches are on the
> > same line, the light will be on. Since they have to be on one or the
> > other, changing just one switch can turn the light on or off, at either
> > end.
> > Now if you replace one of the switches with the motion sensor switch,
> > since it has only two connections (the black wires; again, the ground
> > doesn't count, for our purposes), you could connect to either the red
> > line or the black line, but not both.
> > 2 black blk
> > 1 / o---------x---[M]---. blk black 7 8 white
> > black ----o/ `-----x------o(L)o-----------.
> > o---------x |
> > 3 red |
> > |
> > white ----------------------------------------------------------'
> > Let's say it was connected to the black line from terminal 2. A safety
> > problem then arises, as it would be possible for the switch to be set to
> > the black line, which would now be energized but unconnected in the
> > other switch's box. To avoid the safety hazard, you would have to also
> > disconnect and terminate the red wire at terminal 3 in the remain switch
> > box - then all you have is a piece of wire running through the walls.
> > One of the things you don't say is how you want this to work. Do you
> > want the light to go on and off with the motion sensor detection, but
> > have the switch override it, so you can turn it on and leave it on? Or
> > turn it off and leave it off? Or both?

> Nice ASCII art.
> I agree that the OP is unclear what the swtiching is intended to do.
> As shown, in one switch position the light will come on only when there
> is motion. In the other switch position the light will never come on.
> Another possibility is one switch position the light comes on only when
> there is motion. The other position the light is always on. To get that
> - at the motion detector end connect the red to the black going to the
> light - terminal 5 to 6.
> You could also connect it so both 3-way switches work but a motion
> detector will always turn on the light.
> In the first diagram the white wire will probably connect to terminal 1
> or 6. In any case, when you look at the existing 3-way switch, 2
> terminals will be the same color and one will be different. The
> different color will be terminals 1 and 6. Keep track of which wire it is.
> What powers the motion detector?
> --
> bud--- Hide quoted text -
> - Show quoted text -

> > William Underhill wrote:

> > > ppw...@gmail.com wrote:
> > >> Hello, first time poster at DIY,
> > >> My house currently has two 3-way switch controlling a light at the
> > >> downstairs entrance. I like to turn one of the 3-way switch located at
> > >> the lower floor to a motion sensor wall switch.
> > >> I opened up the existing 3-way switch box and it has 3 terminals with
> > >> 3 wires (black, red, white), how do I hook it up to my motion sensor
> > >> switch which has 2 black wires and 1 green (ground wire)? My goal is
> > >> to make the top floor switch either an independent switch, or "3-way"
> > >> with the motion wall switch.
> > >> Any help is appreciated. Thanks.
> > >> Peter
> > > Actually, if you look, you'll find your three-ways actually have 4 wires
> > > - red, black, white and bare copper (the ground)
> > > The problem you're going to have is that a three-way switch actually
> > > works like this (bad ascii art coming up)
> > > 2 black 4
> > > 1 / o-----------------o \ 6 black 7 8 white
> > > black ----o/ \o-----------o(L)o-----------.
> > > o-----------------o |
> > > 3 red 5 |
> > > |
> > > white ----------------------------------------------------------'
> > > Consider the "o"s to be the terminals on the switch body; the ground
> > > line is left off since it's not electrically part of the circuit. Each
> > > switch can move to either the 'red' connection (terminals 3 and 5) or
> > > the 'black' (terminals 2 and 4). The idea is if both switches are on the
> > > same line, the light will be on. Since they have to be on one or the
> > > other, changing just one switch can turn the light on or off, at either
> > > end.
> > > Now if you replace one of the switches with the motion sensor switch,
> > > since it has only two connections (the black wires; again, the ground
> > > doesn't count, for our purposes), you could connect to either the red
> > > line or the black line, but not both.
> > > 2 black blk
> > > 1 / o---------x---[M]---. blk black 7 8 white
> > > black ----o/ `-----x------o(L)o-----------.
> > > o---------x |
> > > 3 red |
> > > |
> > > white ----------------------------------------------------------'
> > > Let's say it was connected to the black line from terminal 2. A safety
> > > problem then arises, as it would be possible for the switch to be set to
> > > the black line, which would now be energized but unconnected in the
> > > other switch's box. To avoid the safety hazard, you would have to also
> > > disconnect and terminate the red wire at terminal 3 in the remain switch
> > > box - then all you have is a piece of wire running through the walls.
> > > One of the things you don't say is how you want this to work. Do you
> > > want the light to go on and off with the motion sensor detection, but
> > > have the switch override it, so you can turn it on and leave it on? Or
> > > turn it off and leave it off? Or both?

> > Nice ASCII art.
> > I agree that the OP is unclear what the swtiching is intended to do.
> > As shown, in one switch position the light will come on only when there
> > is motion. In the other switch position the light will never come on.
> > Another possibility is one switch position the light comes on only when
> > there is motion. The other position the light is always on. To get that
> > - at the motion detector end connect the red to the black going to the
> > light - terminal 5 to 6.
> > You could also connect it so both 3-way switches work but a motion
> > detector will always turn on the light.
> > In the first diagram the white wire will probably connect to terminal 1
> > or 6. In any case, when you look at the existing 3-way switch, 2
> > terminals will be the same color and one will be different. The
> > different color will be terminals 1 and 6. Keep track of which wire it is.
> > What powers the motion detector?
> > --
> > bud--- Hide quoted text -
> > - Show quoted text -

> Hi,
> Here it is:http://lighting.heath-zenith.com/products.cgi?type=4
> Model number I have is SL-6105 (single pole)
> Manual is:http://12.153.20.74/manuals/595-4881-09J.pdf
> I like the idea of using the motion sensor as a over-ride, meaning it
> will be triggered on by motion but only comes off when I turn off the
> switch.
> Can it be done? How?
> Thanks.
> Peter- Hide quoted text -
> - Show quoted text -