Motion Lights and Security Lights are triggered when the fixture picks up "motion", which is defined as the movement of heat across the detection coverage area.  Keep this in mind when setting up your light fixtures, because false and unwanted light triggers will cause great frustration!

Because motion lights pick up heat across the sensor range, a number of heat sources will trigger your light.  In addition to people and animals, here are other heat sources that many times will cause false positives: 

• Pools of Water (from temperature changes rising off of, and above, the water)
• Air Conditioners
• Dryer Vents
• Fenced-In Animals
• Heating Vents
• Automobile Traffic

There are a number of ways to adjust your security light to avoid and minimize false positives.  If your motion light is coming on when you don't want it to, try some of the following:

1. Reduce the sensitivity using the motion light setting (usually a dial)
2. Use a lens shield, which is included with many motion lights, and provides a cover to block out portions of the sensor, to avoid motion being picked up in certain directions
3. Use the MacGuyver lens shield -- Duct Tape or Black Electrical Tape!  Cover the portion of the motion sensor that is picking up the unwanted heat source
4. Adjust the direction that the sensor faces - usually a simple adjustment with a wrench or even by hand

Good Luck!

Determine the right combination of outdoor lighting around your yard and home can be a challenging task.  With the motion sensor lighting products on the market today, there are many shapes and sizes to choose from.  Well, look no further than the attached Outdoor Lighting Plan for some assistance.  This handy chart is perfect to help you select the right type of lighting for different areas of your home and yard, with a guide to proper light placement and height to get the most out of your setup.  It also gives you a handy grid to plot out and design your lighting placement, and includes some energy savings tips as well!  

Click the "Outdoor Lighting Plan" Link below for this handy resource.  

Note: Read the instructions that come with your new motion sensor light switch first, and make sure you understand them. Once you have done this, make sure to consult the instructions if you have any problems or questions during your installation. If your instructions give you different steps that found in this article, then make sure to follow the instructions and not this article.

Tools you will need:

circuit tester, screwdriver, wire strippers/cutters, electrical tape

First: Identify the room where you want to install the motion sensor light switch to replace a normal wall light switch. Keep in mind that the motion sensor light switch picks up motion moving across the sensor. Any room with a light switch will work, with most people adding motion sensor switches to garages, closets, pantries, foyers or hallways as their 'first' room. Depending on the sensor switch you have, you will be able to set the amount of time that your light stays on after motion is detected. Activation of the light will take place when someone walks into the room.

• The cover of the outdoor electrical box must be waterproof. Your installation kit should contain a rubber gasket to ensure a good seal to keep moisture out of the box.  Seat the rubber gasket carefully. Also, if your electrical box will be placed up against a rough surface, or if you just want to ensure a good moisture-proof seal, caulk it as well.

   

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.

Installation of this motion detector light unit is almost as easy as it gets, with no wiring needed!  The BRK Screw-In Motion Sensor will pick up motion within a 12 foot, 360 degree range.  Once installed, this motion sensor will turn your existing light on when motion is detected anywhere within its range, and turn the light off again after 4 minutes of no motion.  This motion detector is ideal for a laundry room or utility room with an existing bare bulb setup!  Simply remove the existing bulb, screw in the motion sensing unit, and screw the bulb into the unit.

The motion sensor will pick up movement, turn the light on, giving you perfect, hands-free convenience.  The 4 minute light-on time means that once you leave the room, you know the light will shut off shortly after you leave.  I can think of many great uses for this light, including a laundry room with an existing bare bulb light setup.  When coming into the laundry room with hands-full of clothes or a laundry basket, having the light turn on automatically when walking into the room, and off automatically after leaving the room, is ideal!  Other easy uses:  garages, basements, attics, walk-in closets and stairways, etc.

This light works with 25W to 100W bulbs, but note that this motion sensor will not work with CFL (compact fluorescent) bulbs.  Also, note that this detector unit should only be used with indoor, ceiling-mounted, bare bulb light sockets.  Normally $29.99, at $24.50 at the time of this article, the BRK Screw-In Motion Sensor provides a good value for the money and the benefits it provides.  Click here for more information and to learn how to purchase.

A couple of videos with some detail about installation of a motion detector security lights.  The first video includes more specific information about the actual install.  I hope you find these helpful.

Once you have installed a motion detector light, your next step will be to make sure the motion sensors are covering the correct area of your yard.  In following articles, I will go into more detail about the actual installation instructions for an outdoor motion detector light.

In order to set the motion detector, aim the head of the detector unit toward the area where you would like to detect motion.  Then, walk across the detection zone at the farthest point you wish to cover with the sensor.  Note that this is easier to do with a helper involved--preferably a child if you want to make sure the sensors will pick up movement from a smaller child at that range.

Adjust the sensor as necessary, and repeat the steps in the above paragraph until your light comes on from movement in the desired detection zone. You're done!

Always consult the specific manufacturers instructions for proper installation (and safety) steps when working with your light or any electrical connection.

One of the key benefits of motion detector lights is the energy savings these lights bring.  The light stays on less and only when needed, and less energy is used as a result.

Instead of traditional incandescent light bulbs in your motion lights, consider instead using a CFL - compact fluorescent light - or LED energy savings light in your fixture.  These lights provide energy savings over normal light bulbs.  Keep in mind that these lights provide different lighting effect, so make sure to choose the right bulb for your lighting application.

Also, when using CFLs, make sure to choose CFLs that are rated to work with dimmer switches.  This is because CFLs that are not made for dimmers will typically require the full amount of voltage in order to fire the gasses inside the fluorescent bulb.  If the power gets below the required number of volts, which may happen with certain motion detector lights (for example, using the Dual Brite system), the CFL may not receive enough volts to cause the fluorescent light to fire completely, leading to a flicker effect.  Solve this by choosing CFLs that work with dimmer lights.

Otherwise, you should have no trouble using an energy savings bulb in your motion sensor light, and enjoy the extra savings.

Have an overactive motion detector? The sensitivity level on today's motion detector lights may cause the sensor to trigger too frequently, causing the light to stay on longer than desired, or causing the light to turn on too frequently due to motion detected from an unwanted area.  Here are some tips to fix this problem: