In-wall Motion sensor

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1

I’m not sure what I’m looking for exists, but I’m hoping it might, and someone can point me in the right direction.

I have an outlet box that only has 1 switch in it, but it’s part of a 3 way, and is a GE Add On switch, so I have no mains power to that box. I’d like to add a motion sensor to that box, looking for something in the decora form factor, and battery powered. If I had mains power, I’d just add a motion switch, and not hook it up to anything, but I don’t have that option where I want to put it. I’m good with either z-wave or zigbee, if there is something out there I missing.

2

I don't think what you want exists (battery power decora motion sensor) Only mains powered ones are available...

3

You could install a GE Motion switch with no load. Your existing GE Aux only requires 2 wires so you have the 3rd unused wire where you can feed line power to the new GE motion switch and then Aux already has neutral.

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4

Hadn’t thought about that, and I think the newer GE switches don’t require a neutral anymore.

5

Some don’t but motion switches and dimmers do. Regardless a no load switch could work for you.

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6

This probably isn’t going to work because you only have ground and a traveler from the mains switch, which isn’t full power.

7

Typical 3 ways have a 14-3 Romex running to the second switch. In this situation one of the wires isn’t necessary for the GE Aux switches so you cap it. I am recommending using that for line power and pigtail neutral from Aux leaving traveler untouched.

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8

No neutral switches need to be connected to a load because the return path for the current is through the load.

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9

Yeah I just looked at the specs, the motion switch still needs a neutral. I could use the ground as a neutral, but not sure I want to do that. I’m not 100% sure, but I think that wall has decking above it in the attic. It might be close the edge of the decking, so I might be able to fish a wire into. I’d like to avoid a typical motion sensor, aesthetically I just don’t like them.

Didn’t someone make a battery powered wall switch/scene controller a couple of years ago? That just may be the way I go.

Edit, found it, Zen34. I just need something to trigger some switches and disarm the alarm if I get up in the middle of the night and need to go out in the garage. This should work perfect. I can just tap the switch on my way downstairs, and tap it when I come back up.

10

I was just going on what I’ve seen in some of the houses I’ve lived in and remodeled, but actually I think it was the neutral that was missing from the secondary control switch. Sorry, I’m still waking up :yawning_face:

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11

There is one that is made by Nyce that I believe people have recess mounted in the ceiling. It’s rather expensive and appears to be large, but I have not read anything negative about it here.

13

Definitely don't use ground as neutral.

If you have an existing GE Aux switch currently, it has neutral already so you are good there. You will just need to confirm if you have that extra wire to run line power to it from the master switch if you plan to expand that single gang to a double gang to install an additional motion switch.

The newer GE Switches support scenes and doubletap even from the Aux switch. So you could doubletap the Aux and have a rule looking for that "button" is doubletapped to disarm the alarm.

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