Motion Sensor control on a carport light, with “over-ride” or “reversing” action from a 2 or 3 way light switch

motion-sensor

This project is to create a "security" system to light up the carport anytime someone enters or drives into the carport, but also with the ability to be remotely turned on for security suspicions or on/off for convenience use.

Best Answer

You really need to go with smart switches/sensors and a smart light -- the kind that gives you a simple programming language so you can define how each sensor and switch action behaves. That way you can program exactly the effect you want for each of the large variety of conditions.

You're creating a lot more combinations of potential conditions than you think you are. Just to name a few:

  • Light off, sensor detected motion, light on. User threw switch. Now what?
  • The above happened and now after 1 minute there is motion again.
  • Motion sensor detects motion. User operates switch within 1 second. Is this commanding the motion sensor off, or did user see/hear same thing?
  • Motion sensor times out, and turns light off. User operates switch within 1 second. Is this a command to turn the light back on?
  • Light is turned on 6 hours ago because of manual command and it is now daylight.

The usual blunder here is doing the minimum wiring necessary to make the various items connect, and then expecting the assembly to do exactly what a butler would do. They won't.

If you want to keep it simple, just have 2 lights - one under control of the switches, one with the motion sensor.

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