4 way connecton to motion sensor switches

[bbqbrisket]

I am beside myself. I am trying to figure how to connect the motion sensor switches with 5 wire setup to my existing 4 way. All the wiring in each switch is different. The motion switches I want to use is a Levitron DOS 15. See attached photos of switch wiring as is now. It goes with saying I would appreciate any help.. Thanks

 

[bigb56]

A 4 way system always has two 3 ways in it, one at each end. One gets the line, the other gets the load. Then, every switch in between the two 3 ways will be a 4 way which only reverses the 3 way travelers. In your case switch number 3 is a 4 way and the other two are 3 ways.

Depending on where you want to put the motion switches and what kind they are, you may not get them to work at all locations. You probably need a neutral to make the motion switch work. Can you post up a picture and a link to the switches you are trying to hook up?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[bigb56]

Are they Leviton DOS15s? Did you buy companion switches? It may be possible by re-configuring your wiring to supply a neutral, line and load wire at each location.

 

[Reach4]

I was trying to picture the use of a 3-way or 4-way motion sensor switch.

If somebody walks in, change the lights to the opposite condition? Doesn't seem useful.

 

[bigb56]

I was trying to picture the use of a 3-way or 4-way motion sensor switch.

If somebody walks in, change the lights to the opposite condition? Doesn't seem useful.

With companion switches each location will initiate an "ON" when it senses motion. No switch will initiate an "OFF", the lights will go off after the pre-detemined shut off time is reached on the last switch that initiated an "ON".

 

[Reach4]

With companion switches each location will initiate an "ON" when it senses motion. No switch will initiate an "OFF", the lights will go off after the pre-detemined shut off time is reached on the last switch that initiated an "ON".

For that, no 3-way or 4-way switches would be called for. Instead, the ordinary SPST switch contacts would be in parallel. https://www.electricaltechnology.org/2012/11/how-to-wire-switches-in-parallel.html

 

[bigb56]

For that, no 3-way or 4-way switches would be called for. Instead, the ordinary SPST switch contacts would be in parallel. https://www.electricaltechnology.org/2012/11/how-to-wire-switches-in-parallel.html

Yes that's correct on the actual wiring with one small difference in the actual operation, and it's why the wiring needs to be re-configured to use the motion switches. The motion switches are also "special" in that you use companion switches that communicate with each other so when you manually over-ride at one location with the button it can communicate with the other switches and turn the lights ON or OFF at that instant when the button is pressed. In that sense the system still operates like the 3-way/4-way without using travellers. In a strictly parallel setup with "dumb" switches you would have to manually switch off all of the switches for the lights to go off. With the Smart switches, you switch one off with the button and it tells any of it's brothers that happen to be closed to open as well.

 

[bigb56]

You can install regular motion switches without using any companions if you re-configure your wiring. To do so you need to find where the line comes in and where the load goes out, then it's just a simple matter of arranging the existing wiring for line-load-neutral. The only thing that will be different is pressing a switch button manually at one location won't turn the lights off if any of the remaining switches were on and haven't timed out yet.

In your setup it looks like they fed either the line or the load through as they used red and white for travellers. If so, you'll need to feed the neutral through on the white, the line on the black and the load on the red.

In your pics it appears that switch #2 is a dead end, is that correct? Only the one cable in the box? If so your line and load will both be at switch #3. Once you find them the re-configuration is a breeze.

PS I tried to embed a video but it won't work on this site.

 

[Fitter30]

Three switches? What them to over ride the switches? 2 wire and a neutral motion lights? They make 4 way motion sensors.

 

[bbqbrisket]

A 4 way system always has two 3 ways in it, one at each end. One gets the line, the other gets the load. Then, every switch in between the two 3 ways will be a 4 way which only reverses the 3 way travelers. In your case switch number 3 is a 4 way and the other two are 3 ways.

Depending on where you want to put the motion switches and what kind they are, you may not get them to work at all locations. You probably need a neutral to make the motion switch work. Can you post up a picture and a link to the switches you are trying to hook up?

 

[bbqbrisket]

HI. So far your're the only one that has made sense to me.
I want the #2 and #3 switch to be motion senor and #1 to be it's companion (not motion sensor)
Leviton DOS 15 1LZ for motion and Leviton DD0SR-1Z for #1.
Do I need to run an additional wire to the boxes?
Thank you for the help.

 

[bigb56]

There are probably enough wires between all the boxes to make it work. First you need to find out which box has the line and which one has the load. They may be in different boxes or they may both be in one box. Where they won't be is in box #1 where the 4 way is located, that box should only have one cable in and one cable out. If box #2 contains only a single cable with a black/red/white/ground that means both the line and the load are at box #3.

 

[bigb56]

One thing confusing on Leviton's site is when you go to the DDSOR-12 product page and click on the instructions it brings up instructions for the DDLO6