Annoyed: Motion sensing lights for power savings

[lupi]

now this is a thread full of win.

 

[WHAMPOM]

There's only one button. It can either be "in" or "out". When "out" the light stays off all the time. When "in" it's set to this dumbass 15 second mode.

I've tried pushing it a few times, have tried holding it, have tried seeing if there's some third state the button can be in, nothing.

Light switch > me

The controlls are under the switch cover. 15 s. is test mode.

 

[Strk]

They have those at my work. It's not set to 15s, but still can suck when you have to go to the bathroom and no one else does.

 

[silverpig]

this

it should be at least 5 minutes
or 10 minutes
^_^

put this in the sensor area

I was thinking of that exact thing. Then I decided it'd be better to just use a toaster and bring a lot of bread.

1500W of spiteful toaster power would be great punishment for the eco-bot who decided to use the bloody switches.

 

[silverpig]

Are the lights fluorescent?
If they are, that's going to kill them in a damn big hurry - fluorescents really don't like frequent power cycling.

Save electricity, annoy people, and require more frequent bulb replacement. :confused;

And this is the problem with a lot of these "green" ideas. People implement them haphazardly thinking that they'll save the planet when they just cause more harm than good.

 

[Jeff7]

And this is the problem with a lot of these "green" ideas. People implement them haphazardly thinking that they'll save the planet when they just cause more harm than good.

Though I guess the whole power-cycling thing with fluorescents isn't really common knowledge. The manufacturers' only hint that power cycling is bad would come from voluntary labels such as:
"30,000hrs life at 12hrs per start
10,000hrs life at 4hrs per start"

People capable of solving this kind of puzzle may see a pattern in that, and deduce that more startups = less life. However, I've only ever seen that label on some Philips fluorescent tube packages, though I don't really go around looking at a whole bunch of lighting products.

And I think if you tried to explain the workings of a fluorescent tube to the layman, much less anything about the stress that power cycling generates, you'd probably cause a mild stroke.

 

[ShawnD1]

Are the lights fluorescent?
If they are, that's going to kill them in a damn big hurry - fluorescents really don't like frequent power cycling.

Save electricity, annoy people, and require more frequent bulb replacement. :confused;

Some people are just stupid. I've seen faucets where it only runs as long as a part of it is pushed in. That means you soap your hands, get soap all over this button, do a shitty job of rinsing your other hand, then switch back and forth to get as much soap off your hands as possible. It's almost like some people are trying to make the most inefficient design possible.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Though I guess the whole power-cycling thing with fluorescents isn't really common knowledge. The manufacturers' only hint that power cycling is bad would come from voluntary labels such as:
"30,000hrs life at 12hrs per start
10,000hrs life at 4hrs per start"

Wow... It's almost like it's the number of starts that is the chief limiting factor.

ZV

 

[Jeff7]

Wow... It's almost like it's the number of starts that is the chief limiting factor.

ZV

Here's a cookie. Don't forget to chew it before swallowing. :awe:

 

[bignateyk]

Some people are just stupid. I've seen faucets where it only runs as long as a part of it is pushed in. That means you soap your hands, get soap all over this button, do a shitty job of rinsing your other hand, then switch back and forth to get as much soap off your hands as possible. It's almost like some people are trying to make the most inefficient design possible.

OH MY GOD. I fucking HATE those goddamn faucets. You feel like a god damn cripple trying to wash one hand at a time while touching the faucet with your free hand.

 

[Rubycon]

Motion sensors can actually be a good thing if implemented properly. When a space is occupied per schedule the motion sensor should be disabled. Then after hours it could be active so when the custodians come in to do the floors the lights will turn on for them. After that scheduled time if the motion sensor is triggered it could send an alarm condition of intrusion, etc.

With spaces beneath a roof skylights can be installed so they provide supplemental illumination. A photosensor would then allow the lights to be dimmed proportionately to the outside insolation. If daytime dim conditions are necessary for watching films, etc. the skylights can be equipped with shutters or LCD panels that allow them to be closed off.

 

[jalaram]

Motion sensors can actually be a good thing if implemented properly.

This. I have the sensor in my office and it works fine. It doesn't take much movement to turn it on.

It's entirely possible that it's harder to tweak correctly in a very large room. Or the contractor/custodian was too lazy to adjust it properly.

 

[ViviTheMage]

This reminds of me of the episode in Better Off Ted, where they change the light/door/security sensors to turn off if no one is in the room, but it could not recognize Lem, because he's black, haha that was hilarious.

 

[BoomerD]

A few of the classrooms at the local community college are so equipped. Real PITA when they shut off the lights in the middle of a test or lecture. Minor movements such as students writing aren't enough to trip the sensor...you have to actually wave your arms or walk down the aisle.

 

[Rubycon]

A few of the classrooms at the local community college are so equipped. Real PITA when they shut off the lights in the middle of a test or lecture. Minor movements such as students writing aren't enough to trip the sensor...you have to actually wave your arms or walk down the aisle.

That's why they need occupancy sensors to override the motion sensors. As long as the thermal print of a mammal in the room it would be flagged as occupied. Rodents would not count. (well perhaps the two legged ones hehe). CO2 sensors can also be used as occupancy sensors.

 

[silverpig]

This. I have the sensor in my office and it works fine. It doesn't take much movement to turn it on.

It's entirely possible that it's harder to tweak correctly in a very large room. Or the contractor/custodian was too lazy to adjust it properly.

The room in question is maybe 10'x12'...

I'm bringing a screwdriver.

 

[TheVrolok]

When Penn State/State College built their new college/minor league baseball stadium they had numerous motion sensing lights set with a motion threshold that was entirely too short. I'd be treating a patient in the first aid room, and without gross movement the light would go out within 15-20 seconds. That was fantastic.

 

[Jeff7]

Motion sensors can actually be a good thing if implemented properly. When a space is occupied per schedule the motion sensor should be disabled. Then after hours it could be active so when the custodians come in to do the floors the lights will turn on for them. After that scheduled time if the motion sensor is triggered it could send an alarm condition of intrusion, etc.

With spaces beneath a roof skylights can be installed so they provide supplemental illumination. A photosensor would then allow the lights to be dimmed proportionately to the outside insolation. If daytime dim conditions are necessary for watching films, etc. the skylights can be equipped with shutters or LCD panels that allow them to be closed off.

This requires both thought and some additional expense to be incurred at the time of installation. We love to have short-term gains at the expense of long-term costs - and planning is also an additional cost, so it gets hacked.
Motion sensor for $15 at Walmart? Good, get it. Done.

"We need to keep replacing fluorescent tubes every 2 months because of excessive wear? And we need to keep replacing the motion sensors due to "tampering"? Why didn't anyone think of this ahead of time?":awe:


Some rooms on campus had motion-activated lighting. I don't know if it had presence detection, or how its threshold and timing were set, but I never had a light go out on me while I was still in the room.


Well-implemented lighting is pretty cool to see in action though.

 

[ShawnD1]

When Penn State/State College built their new college/minor league baseball stadium they had numerous motion sensing lights set with a motion threshold that was entirely too short. I'd be treating a patient in the first aid room, and without gross movement the light would go out within 15-20 seconds. That was fantastic.

Thank god hospitals have strict building codes and can't pull this hippy "kill everyone lulz" crap.

 

[Rubycon]

The best lighting is long discharge Xenon tubes. But were discussing 75fc classroom lightning not simulation of 550 langley insolation over 13 hour photoperiod for a 30 million gallon oceanarium.

Does walmart sell Crouse Hinds, Hubbell, or Allen Bradley?

The proper lamp drivers mated to the lamps won't experience much wear either way because of the way they are started, run, and shut down. Of course this is a lot different than your typical Advance Class P 277V four lamp tar ballast that's so prominent in North America...

This requires both thought and some additional expense to be incurred at the time of installation. We love to have short-term gains at the expense of long-term costs - and planning is also an additional cost, so it gets hacked.
Motion sensor for $15 at Walmart? Good, get it. Done.

"We need to keep replacing fluorescent tubes every 2 months because of excessive wear? And we need to keep replacing the motion sensors due to "tampering"? Why didn't anyone think of this ahead of time?":awe:


Some rooms on campus had motion-activated lighting. I don't know if it had presence detection, or how its threshold and timing were set, but I never had a light go out on me while I was still in the room.


Well-implemented lighting is pretty cool to see in action though.

 

[Newbian]

Uhh, because I get to sit at the teacher's desk?

"Oh wow, man !"
"Wait a second man. Whaddaya think the teacher's gonna look like this
year ?"
"My butt, man !"

T-T-Teacher stop that screaming, teacher don't you see ?
Don't wanna be no uptown fool.
Maybe I should go to hell, but I'm doin' well,
teacher needs to see me after school.

Chorus:
I think of all the education that I missed.
But then my homework was never quite like this.

Got it bad, got it bad, got it bad,
I'm hot for teacher.
I got it bad, so bad,
I'm hot for teacher.

spoken:
"Hey, I heard you missed us, we're back !"
"I brought my pencil"
"Gimme something to write on, man"

I heard about your lessons, but lessons are so cold.
I know about this school.
Little girl from cherry lane, how did you get so bold ?
How did you know that golden rule ?

chorus

(guitar solo)

"Oh man, I think the clock is slow"
"I don't feel tardy"
"Class dismissed"

 

[Rubycon]

That's probably my least favorite Van Halen song. The beginning sounds like one of those chopper bikes! :biggrin:

 

[duragezic]

Though I guess the whole power-cycling thing with fluorescents isn't really common knowledge. The manufacturers' only hint that power cycling is bad would come from voluntary labels such as:
"30,000hrs life at 12hrs per start
10,000hrs life at 4hrs per start"

People capable of solving this kind of puzzle may see a pattern in that, and deduce that more startups = less life. However, I've only ever seen that label on some Philips fluorescent tube packages, though I don't really go around looking at a whole bunch of lighting products.

And I think if you tried to explain the workings of a fluorescent tube to the layman, much less anything about the stress that power cycling generates, you'd probably cause a mild stroke.

I'm guessing the lights in the Walmart freezers are fluorescent, which I thought was dumb when they added the motion sensing for every ~6' length of freezer. You'd walk down the aisle and it would light up as the ones behind you went out. The things must have been on/off a thousand times per day.

Though maybe they aren't fluorescent? And I actually don't recall that happening lately. I think they've been always on and that motion crap was temporary.

 

[Rubycon]

I'm guessing the lights in the Walmart freezers are fluorescent, which I thought was dumb when they added the motion sensing for every ~6' length of freezer. You'd walk down the aisle and it would light up as the ones behind you went out. The things must have been on/off a thousand times per day.

Though maybe they aren't fluorescent? And I actually don't recall that happening lately. I think they've been always on and that motion crap was temporary.

Motion detectors on freezer cabinets? That's quite funny! :biggrin: