Adding new outdoor lights to an existing sensor

..Brian..

I have a question about wirig up outside lights to a sensor I hope someone may be able to help me with.

So currently we have 4 outdoor lights at the side and back of the house operated by a sensor and a timer switch.

I want to add 3 new lights to the front of the house and have them operate off the same sensor but a seperate timer switch at the front door.

The idea being you drive in and the sensor turns on everything. Or you go out the back door and use the timer switch and just the back lights go on, or you go out the front door and use the new timer switch and just the front lights go on.

Does that make sense? Is that possible and how would I go about it? Or should I just add another sensor and make a seperate circiut for the 3 front lights? I don't really want a lood of sensors hanging off the front of the house either though!

Bull76

So the sensor is a PIR? Standalone unit? When you say a timer switch, does it operate for a fixed time and then turn off the lights. Assuming here your switching the power to the PIR and it triggers the lights for a fixed period. When you turn on the switch, it turns on all the lights?
I'm assuming it does. Really you want separate control over the front and back of the house? Then you need another PIR for the front. Can be done, just depends on where the closet lighting circuit is and whether you need a switch by the front door to operate the front lights. If you do then some chasing for the switch would be needed. You haven't said whether your home is a single or two storey, this can add to the complexity.

brightspark

Simplest way would be to wire a relay coil in parallel with the existing lights and use the contact of that relay in parallel with the timer switch for the new lights.

Obviously the relay needs to be appropriate coil voltage and switching current.

Tuco88

Does the pir not have a built in timer?