How would one combine a low voltage (12V DC) motion sensor, with a low voltage (12V DC, but high current (>15A)) switch? And is there a recommendation for a specific high current 12V switch to use? I find motion sensors for sale, but I am ignorant on the subject of relay switches and the combination therefore isn't obvious to me. I have searched and searched for a DC sensor/switch to buy, but do not find anything off the shelf. Many options exist for the 120V AC world, but the 12V DC world appears underserved by manufacturers. I would like to construct my own combination for this and future applications, since I have become an LED convert. Thank you for thinking about it.
Some background: After completing a large project with 12V led light strips (36 feet of them) for a walk-in closet, I had the idea to use a motion sensor as a switch, one switch for all lights, rather than a mechanical switch.
My problem is that, after a great deal of research, I cannot find a combination Passive Infra Red (PIR) sensor and switch which can handle the current I need to draw (12 Amps, 143 Watts) AND which is for low voltage DC (12V). There is a large array of very cheap 12V sensor/switch combinations available for sale on Ebay and Amazon from Chinese (I don't know why, but then why not) outfits.
There are a few of these which are advertised for high current/power, but actually (I have tried three) they quickly heat up and begin to melt (false advertising). One or two I have found for sale simply don't work well (about what would one expect from a less than $10 sensor-switch). Surely this is a simple problem for a sensor/switch expert, but that person is not me (yet). Thank you for thinking about it.
Some background: After completing a large project with 12V led light strips (36 feet of them) for a walk-in closet, I had the idea to use a motion sensor as a switch, one switch for all lights, rather than a mechanical switch.
My problem is that, after a great deal of research, I cannot find a combination Passive Infra Red (PIR) sensor and switch which can handle the current I need to draw (12 Amps, 143 Watts) AND which is for low voltage DC (12V). There is a large array of very cheap 12V sensor/switch combinations available for sale on Ebay and Amazon from Chinese (I don't know why, but then why not) outfits.
There are a few of these which are advertised for high current/power, but actually (I have tried three) they quickly heat up and begin to melt (false advertising). One or two I have found for sale simply don't work well (about what would one expect from a less than $10 sensor-switch). Surely this is a simple problem for a sensor/switch expert, but that person is not me (yet). Thank you for thinking about it.