[Shop-talk] Update: Remote electric meter readout

[Doug Braun]

I tried using a couple of those motion detector
switches with my garage lights, but gave up.  There
were several problems:

1:  Many electronic light switches do not get along
with fluorescent bulbs.  My fixtures started buzzing
and flickering.

3: The ligths have 3-way switches, and it is hard to
find a electronic switch that works in that type of
circuit.

3: It gets real hot in my garage, and in the summer
the motion detector would stop working in the
afternoons, and leave the lights on all the time.

I like the concept all the various home automation
gizmos, but they fact that they have to be retrofitted
into a century-old wiring architecture makes them a
pain to use...

Doug


--- Michael Lye <mlye at risd.edu> wrote:

> A lot of the "occupancy sensor" type switches have
> exactly this  
> feature with the benefit that they will sense if
> you're in the space  
> and not turn of the lights until some time after
> you've left.