The benefits of outdoor motion sensor lights are real, including security, convenience and energy savings.  But I've covered those in other articles, and will probalby cover them in future articles as well.  Outdoor motion sensor lights generally come in two varieties - motion sensor flood lights, and motion sensor decorative lights.  As you can see from our site, there are a number of choices of both flood and decorative lights - but which light is best for you?

This article is intended to outline some of the major differences between these two types of motion sensor lights, and hopefully help you make the decision of which type of motion light to focus on.  Any question, don't hesitate to ask!

Motion sensor lights turn on automatically when they detect motion in the sensor range.  There are many reasons that outdoor motion lights provide benefits over non-motion lights.   These lights provide cost-effective convenience and security.  Listed below are some top security benefits of outdoor motion sensor lights for you to consider - post any others you can think of.

Outdoor home lighting provides a number of great benefits - convenience, security, and beauty to name a few. But when choosing outdoor home lighting, there are a number of reasons to choose motion sensor lights over standard, non-motion lighting. This article will highlight some of the top reasons you should choose motion lighting for your outdoor home lighting needs.

• Save money and only use the lights when you actually need them - when motion is detected. Whether coming home after dark, looking for your keys outside a front or side door, or taking your pet out at night, motion lighting will automatically provide light once you move in the motion detector range. You'll save money as a result and get the automatic lighting convenience.

Dusk to Dawn Feature

Many times we are asked about the meaning of the "Dusk to Dawn" feature of motion lights.  This is a very nice feature that you will find on most motion sensor lights, so understanding this will help you make the best choice when choosing the light that is right for you. In short, the dusk-to-dawn feature of a light will cause your motion light to only activate when it is dark.  In daylight hours when existing and ambient light is present, the light will not activiate when motion is detected.  This feature uses a small photocell like the one pictured above to detect the presence of available and existing light.  If light is detected, the motion light will not trigger.  If light is not detected, then the light will turn on when motion is detected.

How and where you place your motion lights will directly effect the security and convenience you get from your lighting.  Before installing (or even purchasing!) your motion lights, make sure to think about your intended use for your lighting, your home layout, and placement of your lights.  One factor will be whether you are using existing non-motion lighting (and simply adding a motion sensor to that existing lighting).  Also, you should consider whether you are using existing light wiring, or are adding new wiring to your desired installation location.  Here are some additional tips to maximize placement of your motion detector light.

Best Convenience

For best convenience out of your motion light, place the motion detection sensor to cover the walks and pathways leading to your front door, your back doors and your driveway.  This will ensure that your motion lights will turn on when you come home at night.  Motion lights also add great convenience to light up patios, decking, stairways, and areas around swimming pools.  Also, consider using motion lights to cover any areas you use at night to take out your pets.

Motion detectors sense moving objects by picking up the heat that radiates from the object.  The motion light will automatically turn on when the motion detector senses an object moving within its detection range -- the sensor will work especially well when warm objects move within the detection area, such as animals, people and cars.

Once motion is detected and the light turns on, the light will remain on for a set period of time.  Most outdoor motion lights will allow you to set the amount of time that the light will remain on, typically anywhere from 1 minute to 25 minutes.  Then, if the detector no longer senses movement after the set time, the light will automatically turn off.  In addition, most outdoor motion lights include a photocell that will deactivate the light during daylight.  As a result, the light will only turn on when motion is detected during darkness.