Save Money and Electricity by Installing a Lutron Motion Sensor Switch

Our garage lights are in constant use throughout the day. From moving our car in and out of the garage, to needing the lights when we use the garage as a workshop. We’ve replaced the halogen bulbs with CFLs, which save a lot on energy, but more often than not we would always leave the lights on instead of turning them off—mostly because we are lazy. We recently installed Lutron’s occupancy sensor switch that turns the lights on and off for you, and we no longer live without the guilt of leaving lights on and we also save money each month on our electric bill.

A couple years ago we replaced our standard garage light switch with a timed light switch, that we could set at 5, 10, 30, and 60 minute intervals. This switch ensured that the light would always turn off after the time expired but it has it downsides. Because it doesn’t have a sensor, the light would switch off after an hour and I’d need to stop what I was doing and set the light back on again. This became extremely inconvenient at night and when I would be in the middle of a project. Finding my way in the dark in the garage is a risky proposition.

With our new Lutron Sensor light, it will stay on as long as it senses motion in the room and you can set the timer to turn off the light after 1, 5, 15, or 30 minutes of inactivity. The sensor can also be adjusted for auto-on and off or manual-on and auto-off, or auto-on daylight and auto-off. This many features makes this switch valuable for a variety of applications. We’re considering adding another switch to our bathroom and kitchen since it’s so convenient.

Installation

The installation was simple. The Lutron sensor comes with screw nuts and screws. You can use your existing wall plate which will fit directly over the sensor.

1. Turn off the breaker that brings power to the switch. Use a multi-meter to confirm the power is off.
2. Remove the two screws that secure the wall plate.
3. Remove the two screws that secure your old switch in place.
4. Gently pull the old switch out and make note of the wiring.
5. Connect the wiring and make sure the ground is attached or the switch won’t work. There is no neutral required.
6. Switch your break back on.
7. Test the switch before securing it to the wall and covering it with the wall plate.

It should take roughly 15-20 minutes to install the new switch and the only tool you need is a screwdriver. We’ve neglected to make some drywall repairs around our switch because the switch is in the garage and appearance isn’t as important, but our fancy new Lutron light is just begging for a better looking wall.

We use our sensor to control our garage lights which are a mix of CFLs and LEDs. The sensor can work with any bulb type.

If you’re seeking a hands-free lighting solution that is both convenient and money-saving, then look no further than the Lutron occupancy sensing light switches.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of LUTRON. The opinions and text are all mine.