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Author Topic: Two PR511s Driving Relays To Control Lighting  (Read 2338 times)

Dave4720

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Two PR511s Driving Relays To Control Lighting
« on: February 20, 2009, 05:06:32 PM »

I want to have two PR511 sensors, one on each of two sides of my house.  I want to effectively “OR” the sensors so if either is triggered, I will light four sets of dual 150W floodlight fixtures.

I have a high power relay to run power to all the floodlight fixtures, so the PR511 will not provide power to any lamp.  I want to drive a 120VAC low-power relay coil from each of the PR511s and “OR” those relays to drive my 120VAC high power relay coil, therefore isolating each PR511 from each other.

So, the basic question is can the PR511 nicely drive an AC relay? I notice a two-wire (H&N) into the PR511, and a two-wire output.  Seems possible.

I also assume that the X10 communication signals flow in and out of the two-wire input, and my scheme should not affect proper communication.

Thoughts?  Experience?
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HA Dave

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Re: Two PR511s Driving Relays To Control Lighting
« Reply #1 on: February 20, 2009, 05:33:43 PM »

I want to have two PR511 sensors, one on each of two sides of my house.  I want to effectively “OR” the sensors so if either is triggered, I will light four sets of dual 150W floodlight fixtures. Thoughts?  Experience?

Mechanical automation is OK... which is really what your talking about when using relays, wire, and such. You could just spend a little more and get the Leviton floodlights which can turn each other on... when any one of them detect motion.

But there are better ways.. ways that have more flexibility and allows more control. I really like floodlights (PR511) and use them myself. If you used AHP (Active Home Pro) you could write a macro or macros that would allow all sorts of variables that you just can't get with wire and relays. You can even add Voice Control and REPORTING... that would not only light all your lights... but actually tell you which sensor detected the motion.

I have my perimeter detection setup so it announces (inside and OUTSIDE) to any tresspasser that they have been detected. It does more than that too.



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Dave4720

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Re: Two PR511s Driving Relays To Control Lighting
« Reply #2 on: February 20, 2009, 06:10:35 PM »

I so often leave out details.  I already have four dual-lamp lights (no sensor) already wired.  I don’t want four sensors; two will do.

Also, I want to emulate the Heath/Zenith Dual Brite function, but I didn’t mention that the other pole of my high power relay (NC) would be connected to dimmers to set the low-level light.  When the sensors “fire”, they pull the relay into the 100% hot-feed position, then fall back to the dim position after timeout.

Yes, the feed to the dimmers would be controlled by one of the PR511s on one of the Dusk/Dawn channels.  No lights during the day, but dim all-time with bright w/motion sensed light.

Yes, I’d really love to find X10 compatible, dual-brite functionality, 300w in-fixture, 1000w total load capable sensor fixtures.  But if I cannot find them, I’ll have to build it piecemeal.
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