# "bathroom occupied" light



## 480sparky

Perhaps a light operated through an occupancy sensor.


----------



## Grimlock

Yea, occupancy sensor would be your best bet. Wattstopper will have what you need.


----------



## drsparky

How about using the KISS principle? Add a lamp to the bathrooms light circuit and mount it in the hall, when you turn on the bathroom light a second lamp in the hall turns on. Or even simpler, put a small window with opaque glass in the door, the current bathroom light will shine through it.


----------



## knowshorts

If you install a sensor, occupied light will stay on after person leaves room. If you set the time at the lowest level, lights could go out while someone is "in a meeting". If you tie occupied light to inside light, occupied light will stay on if someone leaves room and doesn't turn off lights. I have done this install before. I installed occupied light above door wired in series with both the internal switch and a NO door switch. But, someone could leave the light on and close the door. My situation was for a fat burning machine room at a spa. So it was never really an issue. 

They do make locksets with vacancy/occupied signs. What's wrong with those?


----------



## MDShunk

I never really understood occupancy sensors in bathrooms. The payback period is something like 16 years in the typical public restroom (if the occupancy sensor lasts that long!). Well beyond the 2 year benchmark most businesses tend to use for approving/rejecting energy savings proposals.


----------



## knowshorts

MDShunk said:


> I never really understood occupancy sensors in bathrooms. The payback period is something like 16 years in the typical public restroom (if the occupancy sensor lasts that long!). Well beyond the 2 year benchmark most businesses tend to use for approving/rejecting energy savings proposals.


If your seeing them, you could blame CA T24. 

I would rather be in a public head with a sensor and no toggle. I had the lights turned off a few times on me and was forced to check cleanliness with a zippo.


----------



## cobra50

Install a lockset on the br door with only one key. Key not on the hook, then the br is occuipied...saving that LONG TRIP down the hallway


----------



## RIVETER

I would tie a low wattage, maybe an LED in parallel with the ceiling or wall light in the bath. That way it can double as an (accidentally) left on light , as well.


----------



## 480sparky

MDShunk said:


> I never really understood occupancy sensors in bathrooms. The payback period is something like 16 years in the typical public restroom (if the occupancy sensor lasts that long!). Well beyond the 2 year benchmark most businesses tend to use for approving/rejecting energy savings proposals.


They're not looking at money, they're looking at not having to walk all the way down the hall to find someone already in the head.


----------



## 220/221

Not the easiest, but the most foolproof would be a lock activated micro switch. It _could_ be relatively simple if you have a deadbolt on the door.

The easiest would be to connect with the switched light but some clown would always be leaving the light on. Light switch with a sign reminding them to turn off light.

Maybe add another switch and a flasher to the circuit if someone wanted to leave a five minute warning for the next visitor.:thumbup:


----------



## Voltech

Had a buddy install something like this not to long ago. Not sure what switch he used. It was a remote sensor that mounted on the ceiling so it could could read motion from anywhere in the bathroom. Of corse it triggered the light to come on and he had put a small red light on the switch leg just outside the door on the ceiling. Indirect lighting is key.

I will see if I can get anymore info


----------



## cobra50

This is what I was talking about. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ig5vcY9R50
:laughing::laughing::laughing:


----------



## WMA

This is a cancer treatment/therapy facility, where the users will frequently be new to the building, and very possibly not altogether with it physically, emotionally or cognitively.
Something actuated by the lock would probably be the most "accurate."


----------



## Shockdoc

Atlight had an exit sign housing with that cover, NYC 9" letters. We had installed a system like that not to long ago but the budget was tight so we used a cheap HD Heath/Zenith head and left in in test mode so it would only stay on as long as a presence was picked up.


----------



## MDShunk

Shockdoc said:


> Atlight had an exit sign housing with that cover, NYC 9" letters. We had installed a system like that not to long ago but the budget was tight so we used a cheap HD Heath/Zenith head and left in in test mode so it would only stay on as long as a presence was picked up.


Last I looked, those cheapie motion sensor heads said "outdoor use only" on them. This was pointed out to me by the Watt Stopper guy when I stopped in to eat his hot dogs on a counter day they sponsored.


----------



## MisterCMK

Does the door have a closer on it? Will it be closed only while somebody is in the "executive office"?


----------



## Fredman

Cut in a sound activated switch with time delay next to the main light switch so you can obtain power. Wire in an LED on opposite side of wall outside bath. 

I know I could keep that puppy lit without even trying. :whistling2: The wifey might have to cough or clap her hands sometimes...


----------



## Dennis Alwon

You could just use a 15 minute timer switch that activates the light in the John as well as a small light outside. If someone leaves the switch on when they leave then the timer will shut it off shortly.

Can't these people be train to think about this if it is brought up at a meeting. Education, man....


----------



## Toronto Sparky

Just install the old fan I have in my washroom , then everyone could hear it's occupied.


----------



## Going_Commando

I'd get something like this with a deadbolt. Pop a low volt power supply above the drop ceiling and hit a relay to activate a light down the hallway. 
http://www.sdcsecurity.com/Latch-and-Deadbolt-Monitoring-Strikes.htm


----------



## MechanicalDVR

nobody special said:


> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Toilet-Rest...-In-Use-Lock-Deadbolt-Indicator-/252809734094


It's amazing what has come out since this thread was *last posted on 7 years ago.*

Welcome aboard nobody! I hope you enjoy your ride here.

I'll add you really breathe some new life in here with your first post resurrecting life into this thread.


----------



## splatz

It's old but it is not a bad question! Since it's a medical facility, I'd figure there is some money available and since it's for the comfort of the patients it's worth a little extra effort. 

You could roll your own and use 

an alarm type motion sensor on the coil of
a timing relay that will stay on 15 seconds after the last pulse from the alarm sensor 
a low voltage "Vacant / Occupied" sign in the corridor on the NC / NO contacts of the relay 

but the Vacancy Sensors they have now are probably better. 

http://www.leviton.com/en/products/o3c10-mdw


----------



## telsa

Any scheme depending upon the lock being thrown... is for idiots.

It's as common as dust for the elderly to entirely forget to throw the lock...

Something that no-one does in their private lives.

Any such scheme must use body-heat (IR) sensors... which are ten-a-penny these days.

In a medical facility... an overly-LONG 'stay' in the head is cause for true alarm. I'd think that this ought to be addressed, too. 

( Auxiliary relay to the nurse's station + a _very_ private intercom... and a panic button near the commode. You guessed it. No senior really wants the bathroom door locked against the nurses.)

[ No-one wants to talk about it... but many heart attacks// strokes occur while on the commode. Think about it. Opioids ( pain killers ) trigger brutal constipation. ] 

We're talking about life-safety. Nothing less.


----------



## splatz

Actually putting a nurse call type pull cord in the bathrooms in a health care facility isn't a bad idea. 










For an elderly person living on their own, hooking this up to a monitoring system might be something to consider.


----------



## MechanicalDVR

splatz said:


> *Actually putting a nurse call type pull cord in the bathrooms in a health care facility isn't a bad idea. *


Can't think of a health care facility other than a single docs office where this wasn't SOP.


----------



## splatz

MechanicalDVR said:


> Can't think of a health care facility other than a single docs office where this wasn't SOP.


I have never seen them in a small doctor's office around here, never in a dental office or chiropractor's. 

I was also thinking about a high rise for the elderly I was in, it's just apartments, not assisted living or anything, no staff. It would be a good thing for a place like that, hooked up to a life alert type system...


----------



## five.five-six

480sparky said:


> Perhaps a light operated through an occupancy sensor.


IMO that is a terrible idea.

You have obviously never taken a title 24 mandated dump in the dark.


----------



## MechanicalDVR

splatz said:


> I have never seen them in a small doctor's office around here, never in a dental office or chiropractor's.
> 
> I was also thinking about a high rise for the elderly I was in, it's just apartments, not assisted living or anything, no staff. It would be a good thing for a place like that, hooked up to a life alert type system...


I agree with you there. 

Just different use of terms I guess, to me health care facility isn't an office you visit as much as a place one stays for hours or overnight. 

Dental and chiropractor offices don't apply to my thinking.


----------



## LGLS

Whatever happened to MDShunk?


----------



## HackWork

LawnGuyLandSparky said:


> Whatever happened to MDShunk?


Someone sent a hit squad disguised as a mariachi band to his house to take him out because he was rude to them on the forum.


----------



## five.five-six

This thread is older than my youngest son, and he's in first grade.


----------



## catsparky1

I worked for this place during the 80s slow down . Man o man what a trip !!!!


----------



## telsa

HackWork said:


> Someone sent a hit squad disguised as a mariachi band to his house to take him out because he was rude to them on the forum.


Didn't that make it to the silver screen?


----------



## chknkatsu

restaurant i go to has "occupied" lights outside its bathrooms. the lights turn on when the lock on the door engages. last time i looked out of curiosity, seems like here is a contact inside the door jam. i THINK when the lock bolt closes it closes a low voltage circuit that engages a relay. i will have to try to get a picture next time


----------



## cuba_pete

03-19-2010


WMA said:


> Customer wants a ceiling-mounted light indicating that a bathroom at the end of a long hallway is occupied...


03-30-2017 


five.five-six said:


> This thread is older than my youngest son, and he's in first grade.


06-01-2017 


chknkatsu said:


> restaurant i go to has "occupied" lights outside its bathrooms. the lights turn on when the lock on the door...


_Breathe_ damn you _*BREATHE*_!

effin' horses...always layin' down on the job!


----------



## MechanicalDVR

Use an occupancy sensor to turn on the light, no horse needed.


----------



## chknkatsu

cuba_pete said:


> 03-19-2010
> 
> 
> 03-30-2017
> 
> 
> 06-01-2017
> 
> 
> _Breathe_ damn you _*BREATHE*_!
> 
> effin' horses...always layin' down on the job!


HAHAHAHHA sorry. didnt know this thread was so f'in old


----------



## MechanicalDVR

chknkatsu said:


> HAHAHAHHA sorry. didnt know this thread was so f'in old


LOL, man how things have changed in the last 7 years.

Did LED fixtures even exist back then in the CFL ages?:jester:


----------



## Switched

So similar.... I want something to electrocute the people sitting on the pot too long at work.... I figure I could modify one of those Japanese toilet/bidet things, so that is my starting point.

Also, I am thinking of making them clock out while on poop breaks, one of my business mentors once used to post that was what we should do!

http://www.cletiselectric.com :icon_wink:


----------

