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Motion sensors use passive infrared sensors, which monitor any infrared energy changes, turning on an associated electrical switch when they are engaged. The electrical switch is attached to the light, which then illuminates. Infrared sensors can be tripped by any individual, animal, or object that has a heat signature at a certain level but can be interfered with if you have a heat vent or other heat source near the sensor. Final thoughts on the best outdoor motion sensor lights Editor's Note (September 2023): This product review was originally written and published in 2020. To make sure we are still recommending the best products for your needs, we recently reviewed this story to make sure it is still accurate and that we stand by what we wrote. Despite newer models and options being available, we still feel confident that this product is one of the best choices, and therefore have included it in The Best Outdoor Motion Sensor Lights and The Best Outdoor Floodlights. On the bottom of the motion sensor are a switch and three knobs. The switch lets you choose between three modes and you can control illumination and timing:
You can also change the light’s brightness from 20 to 100 percent capacity as well as choose between different color temperatures. The light has dual sensors, one with a 240-degree detection range and another 360-degree sensor. The 240-degree sensor will detect motion of up to 100 feet in an outward direction while the 360-degree sensor works when it’s mounted 14 feet above the ground. The light fixtures are heat and frost-resistant, so they can keep working through all sorts of weather and in a variety of climates. A large solar panel helps make these lights more efficient, reducing the charging time needed and helping them to work better on cloudy, rainy days.Dusk-to-Dawn: It turns the light off during the day and schedules it to turn on only at night. You can adjust the light sensitivity using the Lux nob to turn the light on earlier or later in the day. The lumens of an outdoor motion sensor dictate how large an area it can light up. Lo recommends that, “up to 4,800 lumens should be sufficient.” Less is fine if you’re lighting a smaller area, while you may need more if you have a very large yard or driveway that you want to light up. The average residential street light puts out about 5,000 lumens, so keep that in mind if you have a large area to cover. Outdoor motion sensor lights can help keep your home safe from intruders by bathing its exterior in bright light whenever they sense movement. They can also provide ambient lighting for your yard, illuminate walkways, and some even include built-in cameras to catch would-be intruders in the act. In many cases, you can install outdoor motion sensor lights yourself. Solar-powered and battery-powered units are the best outdoor motion sensor lights to install yourself because you don’t need to hook them up to electricity. Some hardwired lights are also possible to install yourself, though it’s possible you’ll need an electrician. Brightness: You might assume that brighter is better, but that’s not always the case with outdoor motion sensor lights. Whereas a lumen rating between 6,000 to 10,000 lumens lights up your entire yard, stairway or pathway lights can go as low as 100 to 200 lumens and still provide optimal illumination.
In addition to the sensor range adjustment, this light also includes controls for sensitivity, the light timer, and a toggle switch for the three lighting modes. The sensitivity and range adjustments allow you to keep the light from activating due to the wind blowing through nearby trees or your neighbors walking around in the yard, and the timer adjusts how long the light stays on. The lighting modes allow you to keep the light on at all times, only activate when motion is detected, or remain on every night from dusk until dawn. to 40 feet works well for most people,” says Terry McGowan, director of engineering with the American Lighting Association. You’re not going to get an overnight feature, meaning you can’t use it dusk-to-dawn, but you can set the duration of the motion sensor light from 10 seconds all the way to 10 minutes, or simply turn it on. Each of the three lights is independently adjustable, as is the motion sensor unit. You can either bend all three of the light areas to focus on one spot, or widen them out to cover the most area possible. This unit is relatively easy to install, no more so than expected with an outdoor light fixture. The motion sensor is built directly into these bulbs, so they’re entirely self-contained without any additional hardware to install. The catch is that the detection angle is only 100 degrees. While that is a huge improvement over the previous version that had a 40 degree detection angle, you’ll still get the best results if you install these bulbs in an adjustable fixture that can be angled toward the ground. There is no way to adjust the sensitivity of the sensor or the shut-off timer, but they do have a decent detection range and stay on for well over a minute after they stop detecting motion.The first thing you should consider is the range and angle that you’ll need for your property—and your property only! It’ll be highly annoying for your neighbors if they can easily trip your motion sensor lights from their yard or, even worse, from their home! So, if you live on tighter lots, a shorter range might actually be better, while if you live on a large piece of property, you’ll want something that extends a long way out. Range & Angle: The range of an outdoor motion sensor light refers to how far away an object or movement can be to trigger the light. Detection ranges are typically 20 to 100 feet, and some motion sensor lights let you customize the distance. The angle of detection usually falls within 180 degrees horizontally, and some models are adjustable.
We used the “auto” motion sensor mode as we don’t need that side of the house illuminated all the time. Well-made housing and hardware gave us confidence that this light will last for a while. We were impressed with the features of almost everything that came with the LeonLite, especially considering its affordable price. The only thing we didn’t love was the quality of the foam gasket that came with it, which is standard for lights at this price range. Compared to the rest of the construction, it stood out as being lower quality than the rest of the included hardware. The light’s motion sensor is a bit limited, which is typical of battery-powered motion sensor lights, offering only 120 degrees. The range is surprisingly strong, besting our best value model by 4 feet. The spotlight is quite small, meaning it’s excellent for side doors, pet areas, or as a supplemental light when the main light is turned off. In most cases, it’s as simple as replacing an old lighting fixture with a new one,” Klosterman says. “However, if you need to run a new electrical line and install a switch, the job may be better suited for a home pro.” Angle refers primarily to the detection angle, which is the field of view that the sensor can cover. A motion sensor light with a detection angle of 180 degrees can sense movement anywhere in front of it, so placement isn’t a big concern. If a sensor has a lower detection angle, then you need to consider placement more carefully. Shahidi recommends mounting motion sensor lights angled 30 degrees down to ensure optimal visibility around the perimeter of your home. Larry Campbell, licensed electrical contractor and The Spruce's Home Improvement Review Board member, additionally recommends mounting the lights 8 to 12 feet above the ground, noting that, in his experience, 6 feet seems too low.
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Since the lights are battery-powered they’re easy to install just about anywhere. You install this light fixture with screws, so you can put it on garages, doorways, sheds, fences, and even trees. The lights produce 200 lumens of light, which is a moderate amount of light. However, its reflective face helps to spread the light to cover a wider area of up to 600 square feet. With this light, you can choose from four different modes: auto motion sensor, dusk to dawn, on-time, and test mode. The auto motion sensor will turn the light on from one to 10 minutes at night when motion is detected while the on-time mode lets you switch the light on and off like a normal light. The test mode turns the light on for only five seconds when it detects motion during the day or night, and the dusk to dawn mode automatically turns on the light at dusk and off at dawn. This article was written by Jeremy Laukkonen, a freelance writer and product tester for The Spruce. Laukkonen has hands-on experience with dozens of both residential and commercial motion sensor lights over the years, and his own home is protected by an array of smart sensors and lights. His work has appeared in other outlets like Lifewire and Digital Trends in addition to The Spruce. The detection range is adjustable so you can opt to have it cover a smaller portion of your driveway or yard. The heads can also be rotated 360 degrees to point the light in different directions. You can also set the timer for the motion sensor light from five seconds to five minutes, depending on your preference. As a light, the Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Pro isn’t quite as powerful as a dedicated outdoor motion sensor light. The lights only have a range of about 30 feet, though the camera can see and follow motion beyond that in daylight. However, the motion sensor itself has a great radius, more than 180 degrees, which is better than many other models.
These LED lights put out a bright white light and typically one set of batteries will last for one year. An optional GlowMode allows you to have the lights on at a low light level all night to mark the edge of the stairs—the light will then get brighter when someone approaches. You’ll also need to consider the angle of detection for the motion detector. If you’re putting your lights flush against a wall of your home and want detection on all sides, you’re going to want 180 degrees, while if you’re affixing it in a corner, you may not need to worry so much about having such a wide angle. The best outdoor motion sensor lights to use near the front door should pair function and style, like this pair from Brightever. These decorative lights have a detection range of 40 feet and a detection angle of 220 degrees, so they provide enough coverage for a porch or side-of-the-house entryway.
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Once you connect and set up your network of smart bulbs and motion detector(s), you’re going to have more options than you ever expected. You can change the color of your bulbs, creating ambient light or different lighting for different functions. That includes softer light when you arrive home at night and stronger light when you’re asleep to deter animals and criminals. You can use a phone app to adjust your settings, or turn your lights on or off at any time. Made of die-cast aluminum, the fixture is durable, waterproof, and resistant to corrosion. The LED bulb will save energy when compared to similar incandescent bulbs and should last up to 50,000 hours. The light’s color temperature is 5,000K for a daylight appearance when turned on. Because it’s hardwired into the home’s electrical system, keep in mind that you may need to have an electrician install this fixture for you. You should probably get an outdoor motion sensor light if you’re considering them. You’ll feel more secure, they’ll give convenient, energy-saving light, and you might even have a lower power bill. Which of our recommended units you buy will depend entirely on your needs, but all can confidently be called the best outdoor motion sensor lights. Why trust us This is a very affordable light, on top of being battery-powered, which is reflected in its capabilities. It has a decent detection angle, at 120 degrees all around, and the range and brightness are both on the lower end. You can’t adjust the timer that shuts off the light 20 seconds after it stops detecting motion, but modest lumen output and a relatively short cut-off timer help contribute to excellent battery life. When used in a low-traffic area, the batteries in this light can last a year or more.
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