Customer Reviews

GE SmartHome Motion-Sensing Light Switch (White) (PIR617M)

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Dont waste your money on this switch. While it does work, I find it flaky and inconsistent. Sometimes I can wave my hand in front of the switch for a minute before it finally turns on. Look for a better switch.

Doesen't work w Fluorescents including 2 bulbs >30Watts as it claims.

Motion switch doesen't work w Incandescent either.

I found an occupancy sensor called Watt Stopper RS-250 - universal vacancy sensor turns lights on or off based on time and motion. Adjustable and light level sensing. Excellent product which works w all types of fluorescents and incandescents. Fuss free.

As other reviewers have noted, I have tried 4 of these switches and they do not work. I have tried them with 2 8' florescent lights in the garage, and they have a terrible flicker and the sensor only works occasionally. Stay away from these!

If you have a flourescent light then don't buy this product. It won't work. It will flicker. I've searched for a solution but there are no solutions for the flickering flourescent problem.

***NOTICE***

I just now wired it up only to be disappointed. Googling the issue led me here, so I'll share my experience.

The product specifically states that it is compatible with rapid start fluorescent lamps; however, when in auto mode, the fluorescent lights will only flicker. The fluorescent lights will stay on when placed in "on" mode, but that defeats the purpose of the product. The best suited locations for this device are in laundry rooms and/or garages. Generally you're using compact fluorescent or rapid start fluorescent lighting in those areas.

The packaging clearly misleads the consumer during purchase; therefore, this product is garbage.

***STAY AWAY***

Purchased mine at Costco, and my Flourescent lights ups, but very dim. It says it good for 500 watts, my two Flo lights are 30 watts max. Wasted an hour of my time installing and now they have to go back to Costco. Does not operate as stated on the package.

Yes it does require some adjustment while setting it up,as per the directions,but if you do it correctly it works just fine.

I too bought this switch for laundry room light. It utterly failed to operate my 2 4' fixtures. When hooked up, my lights rapidly blinked, like an oldtime movie projector.

The package states that it will operate fluorescent bulbs min 30 W - Max 400 W. I figure that my fixtures total about 70 W, well with in the working parameters. So I went to my local Hardware store and found another brand, Cooper I believe. The unit itself appeared be identical to these GE switches. And the package stated similar min and max Watts for various devices (Incandescent, Fluorescent, ect). But with one additional warning. The cooper package also stated that it did not work with Electronic ballasts, only magnetic.

I don't know if you can even buy magnetic ballasts anymore!!!

Point is, I suspect that these GE switches also will only work on magnetic ballasts as I KNOW my fixtures are electronic. But I could be wrong. They might not work on ANY fluorescent fixtures.

So if you want to use this for fluorescent fixtures . . . DON'T BOTHER WITH THESE.

this item has 3 very tinny little screws to adjust light, range and time, so if you are over fifty, you'll need a magnifier and good luck. It only works with incandecent bulbs, otherwise, you get a lot of flicker or doesnt't turn off, or on. Once you set the adjustments and switch to incandescents bulbs, it works perfect!

If you have a multiples CFL lights hooked up to this switch, the flickering problem goes away if you use one low/high watt incandescent bulb. The switch I have controls 3 bulbs, 2 CFLs and one incandescent (7watt), the flickering problem went away after I removed one cfl and replaced it with the incandescent bulb. It is strange that this a simple problem that engineers at GE with all the resources are not able to build a solution for. Overall the product is fine except for the flicker issue with CFLs.