Automatic night lighting when and where you need it; learn how to install a motion sensor light

A motion sensor light will calm your fears when it automatically lights up a dark garage, a dark sidewalk or even a dark area of your yard. Whether you’re coming home at night, have to navigate a dark, icy sidewalk or wonder about strange noises in you back yard, you’ll be safer when any nearby motion activates your outdoor lights and they switch on. Motion detector lighting is inexpensive and easy to install.

How motion detectors work

Motion detectors are small electronic eyes that detect infrared waves—heat waves that radiate from moving objects. When the detector senses an object moving across its field of view—especially warmer objects such as people, animals and cars—it electronically turns on the lights. The motion sensing light stays on anywhere from 1 to 20 minutes, depending on how you preset the timer. Then the detector automatically shuts the light off unless it continues to sense movement. A photocell deactivates the motion sensing light during daylight hours. A motion sensored light has a semicircular field of view of up to 240 degrees and a distance range, adjustable on most detectors, that extends to 70 ft. or more. An outdoor motion sensor light will react to the movement of your dog, an approaching person, a passing car or sometimes even wind-blown leaves.

An outdoor motion sensor light allows you to operate the light in the conventional, manual way, usually by flipping the motion sensor light switch off for a second, then back on. This allows you to keep the motion lights on at night when you want to, even when there’s no motion. By double flipping a second time, you return to automatic motion sensing lighting.

Where to put them

For best effectiveness, position a motion sensor light to cover the walks leading to your front and back doors and the driveway (see lead illustration). That way the lights will come on when you come home at night. You can also use them to light up decks, patios and any potentially hazardous locations such as around stairways and swimming pools.

If improved security is a priority, position the motion sensored lights to cover all the approaches to your house, including fence gates, the patio door, the darker areas of your yard, and around trees and bushes. Good lighting can’t guarantee security, of course, but it’s one of the best low-cost ways to get unwanted intruders to back away.

Motion detector lights are easy to install, but each brand has a few different details, so read the instructions. You’ll find the basic information printed on the outside of the box. Read the box before you buy the unit so you know what you’re getting. You’ll find more detailed instructions inside the box.