Motion sensing bathroom mirror - advice please
Motion sensing bathroom mirror - advice please
Author
Discussion

Le Gavroche

Original Poster:

201 posts

14 months

Monday 3rd February
quotequote all
Hi all,

The one slight issue/error I'm stuck with after building my house is that I have a 230v cable sticking out of the wall where the downstairs WC mirror needs to go. It is currently covered by a non-illuminated wall mirror.

I wanted a light up mirror on the wall, which switched on when the WC lightswitch was turned on, so the feed to the mirror should be live when the ceiling light is live, and off when the ceiling light is off.

The electrician misunderstood the assignment somehow, and thought I was fitting one of those mirrors that turns on when you wave your hand under it, or touch a button on it, and therefore added a permanently live feed.

The mirror needs to light up automatically when someone walks into the WC for it to be any use.

Does anyone know of a sensor mirror that will detect a person within a couple of feet, rather than one where you have to wave your hand under the senor on it?


clockworks

6,815 posts

161 months

Monday 3rd February
quotequote all
I use a Tapo motion sensor to turn on the bathroom lights - GU10 smart bulbs in downlighters.
I can also control them with Alexa.

I've also got a Luka Sensio cabinet, demisting mirror doors, lights, and Alexa. I could set it up so that the motion sensor turns on the cabinet lights, but prefer to just use voice control.
There's a Shelly switch controlling the extractor fan too.

If I say " Alexa, shower", the cabinet lights, downlighter over the shower, and extractor come on.
Just walking into the bathroom, the motion sensor turns on one downlight.

For a mirror with lights, I think you could just use a Tapo motion sensor with a Shelly One wifi switch behind the mirror - if you can link them in software. I think Alexa should be able to do this (without having to use voice control).

Alternatively, use a Shelly motion sensor with the Shelly One switch, linked using the Shelly app. Only downside is that the Shelly app is cloud-based, which can cause a small delay of a second or two.
Alexa is obviously cloud-based too, but I guess their severs are better.


LooneyTunes

8,304 posts

174 months

Monday 3rd February
quotequote all
Bite the bullet and get the cable correctly routed? A good sparky can be like a keyhole surgeon with a set of rods.

Le Gavroche

Original Poster:

201 posts

14 months

Monday 3rd February
quotequote all
LooneyTunes said:
Bite the bullet and get the cable correctly routed? A good sparky can be like a keyhole surgeon with a set of rods.
Well... I've just had the sparky round today, which is why I'm asking.

He has looked at the various ways of doing it, and if I want the bathroom mirror wired to the ceiling light feed then it will involve chasing the walls and putting a new cable in, either on the WC side of the wall, or the other side of the wall (Utility room) as there is no way other round it.

But if I can get a mirror that lights up when someone enters the WC then I have no need to anything apart from connect the cable and hang it on the wall.

Byker28i

76,396 posts

233 months

Monday 3rd February
quotequote all
Didn't know such was available. I have one of the swipe hands types, but generally put the normal lights on the use the bathroom

Le Gavroche

Original Poster:

201 posts

14 months

Monday 3rd February
quotequote all
Byker28i said:
Didn't know such was available. I have one of the swipe hands types, but generally put the normal lights on the use the bathroom
We've got the swipe hands type in a couple of bathrooms, but I was hoping for one that detects a person.

Maybe they don't exist...

Jeremy-75qq8

1,411 posts

108 months

Monday 3rd February
quotequote all
Firstly kick the sparky!

Most ( well mine !) runs cables like that to a central point at the switch so any decision as to live or not etc is simple to change.

There are 2 ways of doing this.

1. If the cabinet allows put a pir on top of it facing the room. Depending on the pir and the cabinet this could range from invisible to total bodge.

2. Us a smart switch like Shelly i4 on the switched supply to then talk to a Shelly 1 and turn it on when the lights are live. This then gives you in effect a switched supply.

Le Gavroche

Original Poster:

201 posts

14 months

Monday 3rd February
quotequote all
Jeremy-75qq8 said:
Firstly kick the sparky!

Most ( well mine !) runs cables like that to a central point at the switch so any decision as to live or not etc is simple to change.

There are 2 ways of doing this.

1. If the cabinet allows put a pir on top of it facing the room. Depending on the pir and the cabinet this could range from invisible to total bodge.

2. Us a smart switch like Shelly i4 on the switched supply to then talk to a Shelly 1 and turn it on when the lights are live. This then gives you in effect a switched supply.
Well it wasn't his fault. He didn't wire the house smile He's just trying to solve a problem for me.

Thanks for the info on the wifi smart switch. I have a similar wifi switch thing that switches the main supply for my outside lights, and it's been brilliant.

Tymb

194 posts

111 months

Monday 3rd February
quotequote all
Have a look at the Quinetic stuff. You can trigger more than one thing from one or switches all wirelessly.
Have some WC’s at work with the pir which turns the light on and starts an extractor fan.
Also have a wall mount switch to turn off/on manually.

https://www.quinetic.co.uk/#products





OutInTheShed

11,651 posts

42 months

Monday 3rd February
quotequote all
For the cost of some gadgets, you can leave a small LED light running for years....

Just saying!

skilly1

2,785 posts

211 months

Monday 3rd February
quotequote all
These apparently have motion sensors, as you walk in the room not the ones you wave a hand under. That’s what it says in the description…

https://www.plumbworld.co.uk/motion-sensor-bathroo...