best motion sensing outdoor flood light?

[Vintage Veloce]

My motion sensing flood light has been failing and it's time for a new one. I think this one lasted about 8 years.
IMO, a fixture should last way more than 8 years. Yeah, I know the sensor is sensitive... but I still would like it to last longer.
If you look closely at the sensor in the picture, it is cracked horizontally, all the way through.
Any recommendations for a long lasting, quality, motion sensing outdoor floodlight?

 

[Chuckster in NJ]

I always have had good luck with RAB. www.rablightingshop.com

ALL the motion sensing products at the big box stores are Chinese **** and last 2-4 years at best.

 

[Vintage Veloce]

I always have had good luck with RAB. www.rablightingshop.com

ALL the motion sensing products at the big box stores are Chinese **** and last 2-4 years at best.

FWIW, the two Home Depot units I have lasted 8 and 10 years.
I'll look at RAB. But a quick look shows at least some of that is also made in China.
Personally, I don't care where it's made, provided it is well made.

 

[kabinenroller]

Econo light is a division of Cree Lighting. One of their manufacturing facilities is a few miles from here, I have a number of their fixtures, they are well made and definitely better than big box quality.

NaturaLED® LED Dual Head Security Light w/ Motion Sensor | LED-FXBFD20 Series

Replaces 200W Incandescent 1400 Lumens

www.e-conolight.com

 

[cybrdyke]

We dont use them because there isn't a good one out there. The weak link is the sensor, as you've found out. We use timers and photocells instead.
CD

 

[BillK]

You can get replacement sensors. Pretty sure HD has them.

 

[gahrajmahal]

I have been enjoying my Ring video motion sensor lights. I now have 24 hr. monitoring for when we are away overnight, but I am surprised how much I like knowing a package has been delivered. The Ring app on my phone gives a chime or buzz then starts recording when anyone (me included) is in the driveway.

 

[road_king]

Another vote for RAB lighting products. Last much longer than the cheap box store options. Their motion detector flood lights rarely trigger false on situations compared to the cheaper units

 

[sparky 1971]

Any recommendations for a long lasting, quality, motion sensing outdoor floodlight?

There's no such thing. Some, like RAB, are better than others but there isn't one that I am aware of that I would consider worth owning. I use photocells for myself, photocells and/or timers for customers, and on the rare occasion I can't get that explained to someone that read online that the best lights are motion sensors, I make them get their own so that I don't have to warranty it.

 

[BurtEggley]

the lights I bought ten to fifteen years ago were great other than UV cooking the plastic. The current generation of stuff is ****. I'll look over the recommended lights but lately nothing works well. It is either on or off and doesn't motion sense well, meaning that it is either wave your hand next to it and it will come on, or with a small adjustment every car driving by sets it off. Everyone I know is complaining about the quality of things. $350 for a RAB two cell LED, including shipping plus tax. No way. I'll go back to being dark out there. All the components in it are going to be made of Chinesium even if they are assembled here.

 

[Chuckster in NJ]

Just buy TWO of the cheapies when you need one and then you will have replacement for when the first one goes bad…….. Basically it’s "wash rinse, repeat" when it come to these cheap POS motion sensors.

BTW! I live in the woods and I have motion sensing lights all over…….. When the fox and deer start running around my house the yard looks like a disco.

 

[Codyboy]

I installed several heath Zenith motion floods in 2006.
They seem to hold up pretty well. Had 1 out of 5 fail , it lasted 10 years and have another that is finicky in that the stay on feature doesn't always work. But they're 20 years old.
I don't know what wattage they are rated for but they've been put through the paces.
Each sensor controls up to 6 bulbs at 100w each.
Well they did before when I had all incandescents. Now all the bulbs are LEDs.

The last ones I just bought for the shop I don't have much faith in. Defiant brand from HD.

 

[lund]

There's no such thing. Some, like RAB, are better than others but there isn't one that I am aware of that I would consider worth owning. I use photocells for myself, photocells and/or timers for customers, and on the rare occasion I can't get that explained to someone that read online that the best lights are motion sensors, I make them get their own so that I don't have to warranty it.

A true pro above! Smart to have the customer pick with something there is no control over quality.

I do not think today that you can tell where key electronic parts are coming from and the potential longevity. All you can probably do is judge the quality of the mounting structures. The key electronic components may be from the same Asian/Chinese factory whether they are upscale brands or not. Not to go political here, but the USA has made a severe error outsourcing so much production at all levels. But I have my doubts what is going on now is going to change much other than cost.

Keep in mind motion sensors can sometimes work better when the sensor and light are placed in different positions. You can put the sensor where it should most easily trigger (good signal) and the light where it is needed. These are not necessarily co-located. I ended up modifying some commercial units (take apart and splice in wire) to do this more effectively ... but it is possible there could be commercial products to do that. My modified ones have been going 15 and 9 years running now. I am not sure if that modification is related to the stable long term longevity or not.