New Zealand PIR problems

[jmc1683]

so I was looking at office building in London, lights in corridor and stair well operated by PIR's, mounted on ceiling and walls. I am unfamiliar with exact type, looks like single plastic surface box with blank plate. problem is they walk through the corridor and they could be at the other end before lights come on, basically delayed action. I checked in a couple of the PIR's, there is sensitivity switch, they were all set near minimum, I turned few of them to max and said to test it out over night and next day or two, when I was back there they said there was no difference, dodgy PIR's? never saw this kind of thing before

 

[telectrix]

are the lenses blanked, or are the PIRs badly aligned?

 

[ipf]

Expert needed.....where's TC when you need him, no wiring required.

 

[jmc1683]

not sure what you mean by blanked, but don't think so, like I said I'm not familiar with these type, looks like just a blank plate to me, wasn't sure it was PIR until I opened it. they are all in good places, detection wise. I was thinking of changing a few here and there to ones I am more familiar with to see if it sorts it, wanted to check here first

 

[ipf]

so I was looking at office building in London, lights in corridor and stair well operated by PIR's, mounted on ceiling and walls. I am unfamiliar with exact type, looks like single plastic surface box with blank plate. problem is they walk through the corridor and they could be at the other end before lights come on, basically delayed action. I checked in a couple of the PIR's, there is sensitivity switch, they were all set near minimum, I turned few of them to max and said to test it out over night and next day or two, when I was back there they said there was no difference, dodgy PIR's? never saw this kind of thing before

Get details of the units and then have a look for the spec on google...after a good cleaning and visual check. Wouldn't think they were all faulty.

 

[telectrix]

you need to see where the lens is covering. that'll give an idea.

 

[Richard Burns]

Sounds like with a blank plate they are probably microwave senors rather than PIR sensors. They may have a time lag setting that has been wired so that they only come on after, rather than staying on over, the time period.

They could be wired so that one (or more) of the sensors is working correctly but all the others are wired to the switched output of that sensor so they will not be powered until that particular one comes on.

Are they turning on CFL lamps that just take time to come on?

 

[diditrain]

Have they always had this issue or has it just started to occur?

 

[jmc1683]

2D, 38w fittings

 

[jmc1683]

They moved in to the office in March, they said it's been like this from beginning, I think the place was re wired in November.

 

[Richard Burns]

2D, 38w fittings

They can take a high current spike on starting which can damage some electronic switches, check if you have relays or not in the sensor. And at least double the rating of the sensor e.g. 100W but check the manufacturers data.

 

[Engineer54]

PIR'S are nothing but trouble, from my experience with them, be they high end or budget units!! None seem to last more than a year if you're lucky!! Ok the units may be in higher traffic situations than most, but these PIR's don't seem to like switching any form of inductive lighting for too long!!

This time round, they will be more likely to be switching LED fittings, so we'll just have to wait and see whether or not they will perform better with LED lamps...

 

[vaughant]

Probably too late now but I prefer lightbeams to switch high traffic areas,fitted down low so they detect the feet rather than a persons height.
id have them through a timer relay then etc but I know that can over complicate matters!!!!

 

[jmc1683]

sorted out the problem today, there microwave sensors. 6 out 12 of them were faulty. turned the time down on all them and did thouragh testing. don't like these sensors at all, prob will get different type to replace them, thanks all for the help.