Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[birdzeye]

Hi,
If I put a socket rocket in one socket of a motion activated floodlight(non x10 floodlight, not halogen, just regular), will this socket still turn on when motion is detected? For that matter, will the socket work OK at all? I haven't tried it yet because I don't want to fry anything.

[HA Dave]

The motion detection part... of a motion detection/activation floodlight actually severs as a switch. If you put a SocketRocket on ANY switched lamp... the result will be the same. The SocketRocket will NOT function until the switch is turned ON. After the light is switched ON.. the default for the SocketRocket will be OFF, however it will remember it's assigned H/U codes.

Since the floodlight switch would be motion activation... the period of time available to use the SocketRocket [turn it ON]... will be limited to timed lighted period following motion.

I've been trying to figure how using a SocketRocket this way might be useful. I would guess... the motion activation could turn on one lower wattage floodlight (I use some CFL floodlights myself) for a extended or longer timed period. If this got your attention and you wanted to get a better look... or if this was a "work area" where you would sometimes need additional brighter lighting. You could then turn ON the SocketRocket.... with say a 90 watt floodlamp.

After the motion stops, and the timed period of lighting ends. The SocketRocket will default to it's OFF position.

You may want to keep in mind.... that anytime a SocketRocket has been removed from power, when it is introduced to power again... for about the first 30 sec's it can be RE-programed with three ON signals.

[Saber Dog]

I set up two socket rockets in the garage with a motion detector.  I put a receiver in a nearby outlet so the signal from the motion detector's signal would get into the house wiring.  I set up a timer so that the lights would stay on ten minutes after the motion detector sent its signal.  It worked fine, up to a point.  The lights would flash and I didn't want them to.  But then I opened the garage door and it hit one of the bulbs and broke the socket rocket on it.  Oops.

What I'd like to know is what triggers the flashing?  I think it was a security feature.

[birdzeye]

I've been trying to figure how using a SocketRocket this way might be useful.

Actually, I would like to be able to turn on the floodlights using my remote whenever I want to check-up on the area these lights illuminate, without having to wait for the lights to be activated by motion. That's why I asked about use of socket rocket in this situation.

But thanks for the very informative info. You're a walking x10 encyclopedia!

[Charles Sullivan]

I've been trying to figure how using a SocketRocket this way might be useful.

Actually, I would like to be able to turn on the floodlights using my remote whenever I want to check-up on the area these lights illuminate, without having to wait for the lights to be activated by motion. That's why I asked about use of socket rocket in this situation.

But thanks for the very informative info. You're a walking x10 encyclopedia!

You might be better off getting an X-10 PR511 motion detector/floodlight.  Those floods can be controlled by X10 powerline signals as well as by the motion detector.

[HA Dave]

You might be better off getting an X-10 PR511 motion detector/floodlight.  Those floods can be controlled by X10 powerline signals as well as by the motion detector.

Charles Sullivan is [of course] correct! I can't say enough good things about these floodlights (PR511). They are at the heart of my perimeter detection.. and featured near the end of my YouTube X10/BVC Video... which can also be seen from my Web Page (without joining YouTube).

Not only are the PR511 a fine motion detection floodlight... they can turn on (& off) up to 4 separate Unit codes when the flood is activated. It can also control an additional 4 unit codes for day/night control/activation.

I use one that (besides lighting the area where motion is detected) Turns on a camera, and video sender/receiver pair. The video receiver causes my auto-switching modulator to automatically display the cameras image on my TV. My BVC software "hears" this and turns on an outside speaker and announces that "activity has been detected in a restricted area". At the same time my AHP sends a RF signal to a VCR Commander which tapes the activity... plus... images are emailed to me. It also turns on a light inside.. and chimes a chime too.

And.. if you just want to light up your home... to make it easy for friends or emergency personnel to to find.. you can do it with your remote. Or a voice command.

[Saber Dog]

I got one of the socket rockets to set!

Another one doesn't seem to work.  It doesn't even respond to A-1