Hi all,
On my hols I saw some interesting new products which for various reasons we don't commonly have here.
One which I thought might be useful is an interior wall mounted PIR unit. It fits onto a standard electric accessory backplate. It has a small discrete override (0-Auto-1) switch. The idea is that passage way lighting comes on where there is activity and goes off when there is none.
Usually when this is done (I've implemented an external version of this in the passage under my house.) there is an annoying blink when the PIR comes to the end of its time period and then re-sets as you move by.
The timer units abroad seems not to do this i.e the time period runs from the last detected movement not the first movement.
Anyone seen this type of product in the UK? I didn't unscrew the unit to find out if it needed a neutral - and series PIR units damage the low energy bulb as most of us have found out at some time. Since the bulbs were low energy types (but they had enough of them in each fitting to work well). I expect the unit did have a neutral. This would make retro-fitting them for staircase lighting difficult, unless they used the earth and leaked only a few micro amps to it?
*******Anyone know what the pay back period (by water saving) for a PIR operated basin mixer would be? My rough guess is something like 100 years. I.e. Would it be better to invest the money in saving water by other means? Comments?