motion sensor switch

[aptpupil]

i have a couple single pole switches for which i'd like to have a motion sensor switch instead. the current switches have two wires connected: a hot coming into the bottom and then the switched hot going out of the top to the light bulb. when i looked around at the motion sensing switches it has four wires (black, red [for the load], white and green) and says it requires a neutral. i've never come across a switch that has a neutral hooked up to it. what am i missing here? tia, c

[RBM]

Some of these switches require a neutral to power the device itself, some don't. For example RAB makes a model LOS 800 occupancy sensor which requires a neutral, and a model LOS 1000 , which does not : Here's a link:

[aptpupil]

thanks to all who didn't have a smart ass answer. it makes sense that the electronics within the device would need a neutral to be powered, so this illuminates (ha ha) everything for me.

-c

[dpb]

I saw no "smart ass" answers????

--

[gfretwell]

There are some "device type" that replace a switch that do not need a neutral. They scavange power through the load. There is really no "off" position on the switch but the electronic load is so low a light bulb won't light. YMMV on CFLs