Motion detection for landscape lights

[Revin]

I want to put in some landscaping lights way down the driveway. I would like them to be activated by motion (like a car coming down the drive)

Can I use a standard floodlight sensor?
if so How the heck would I wire it up using standard low voltage wire and transformer. add another wire?
Sensor has red black and white coming out.

Thank you

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Would need a motion sensor thats rated for the same or higher input rating as the transformer. And this would be an inductive load.

Or you could use a 12v relay with the motion sensor and switch the 12v power going to the lights.

 

[Revin]

Wylie,
the sensor is same as transformer 110V.
Could you show me a rough schematic?
like an automotive relay? or is there a nicer looking one?

 

[Sevenhills1952]

Easy.
A floodlight motion detector is $10 from Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart. Instead of screwing in two light bulbs you screw in one of those bulb/A.C. socket adapters.
Plug your outdoor light transformer plug into that.
I would of course mount detector out of the weather, and screw in a burned out (open/bad) light bulb in the other socket, or another adapter to keep bugs/fingers out.

 

[LXCam]

Do you know what wattage bulbs your using and the total count? Add that up then multiple that total times 12 (as in the 12v supply) then divide that by 120 (the supply voltage). That'll give you the load value for the supply circuit. I'd also add in a fudge factor of a minimum of 20% to compensate for transformer losses. Then get a motion detector rated higher then that value. Then it's as simple as providing the supply circuit to the motion detector location and switch leg to the transformer. Btw, the black wire on the sensor connects to the supply circuit and the red wire is the switch leg, that goes to the transformer input.

 

[Viper98912]

This assumes you are using a transformer that is strictly changing the voltage so the lights are on all the time - that it's not actually a transformer AND timer that turns them on and off at a certain time of day (like most systems sold in stores are). If so, then the idea won't work; you'd have to use a relay on the output side of the transformer to interrupt the flow.

 

[alfredeneuman]

Transformers work both directions.
You could add a small 120VAC primary to 12VAC secondary (outdoor rated) transformer.
If you apply your 12V supply on the secondary side it would measure 120V on the other side and power the sensor.
You'd have to keep in mind the transformer load when buying the original 120-12 xfrmr and when running the wire.

 

[Sevenhills1952]

Why people love complexity vs simplicity is beyond me. Post #4...
$10 Motion detector, has adjustable range, area, photocell, etc.
Then screw in this...plug Malibu lights into it.

 

[alfredeneuman]

"I want to put" says he hasn't installed in yet.
"How the heck would I wire it up using standard low voltage wire and transformer" was the question.

Post 4 assumes he already has some 120 lights in that area; otherwise the sensor would be out if range.
Any 120 outlet, even in a screw in adapter, is required to be GFI protected, so it would have to be on a GFI breaker. The transformers are equipped with 3 prong plugs, and the socket adapter are only 2 wire.

 

[dogdog]

Maybe this thread helps, I remember seeing a question about these...

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=322682&highlight=sensor

just keep in mind that most landscape lights are low voltage, 12 to 24Vs... you'll needed to decide if you wanted a higher voltage motion sensor activating turning on or off the transformer or a lower voltage sensor that turning on/off lights...

 

[dogdog]

OTOH... I just installed 3 sets of these solar motion sensor lights for my parent's place 75' driveway, total darkness boondocks area... last year or two ago... and they still worked great... although I got them for $29.99 on sale.... I just hate digging and burring those low voltage wires then risk the chance my parents dig and cut it.... they do that in the springs lol....



https://www.costco.com/Sunforce-Solar-Motion-Security-Light.product.100395523.html

 

[alfredeneuman]

How about this? The easiest, quickest, and cheapest solution.
https://www.ledsupply.com/accessori...MI-uXu06GW3QIVAS1pCh2uwQYMEAQYAiABEgJd6PD_BwE

I Googled "12volt motion sensor" and that was the second result.

 

[Revin]

Thank you guys! I think I have what I need now.

So placement goes like this.
Out near the beginning of the driveway I place the motion sensor. and about 1000' down the driveway I have the lights on the side then at the end of that run is the transformer by the shop.

I replied earlier but it did not show up.

 

[Sevenhills1952]

Again...why complexity?
OPs original post is...
"I want to put in some landscaping lights way down the driveway. I would like them to be activated by motion (like a car coming down the drive)"
1) install landscape lights down driveway
2) decide which end of that you want the transformer supply. It should be close to an a.c. power source AND where you want detector (cars coming up driveway).
3) mount $10 floodlight.
4) screw in adapter
5) plug transformer a.c. cord into that

I would have detector under an eve, out of weather as normal...usually about 8ft. up.
Instead of screw in adapter you could simply remove floodlights and wire to a 3 prong outlet.

 

[Shiftless]

Thank you guys! I think I have what I need now.

So placement goes like this.
Out near the beginning of the driveway I place the motion sensor. and about 1000' down the driveway I have the lights on the side then at the end of that run is the transformer by the shop.

I replied earlier but it did not show up.

Wow! A thousand foot long driveway.
That was a lot of wire. No voltage drop problems?

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Again...why complexity?
OPs original post is...
"I want to put in some landscaping lights way down the driveway. I would like them to be activated by motion (like a car coming down the drive)"
1) install landscape lights down driveway
2) decide which end of that you want the transformer supply. It should be close to an a.c. power source AND where you want detector (cars coming up driveway).
3) mount $10 floodlight.
4) screw in adapter
5) plug transformer a.c. cord into that

I would have detector under an eve, out of weather as normal...usually about 8ft. up.
Instead of screw in adapter you could simply remove floodlights and wire to a 3 prong outlet.

I guess you missed alfreds comment about the transformer having a 3 wire cord and plug.

Your screw in adapter idea doesnt work because its not grounded...

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Thank you guys! I think I have what I need now.

So placement goes like this.
Out near the beginning of the driveway I place the motion sensor. and about 1000' down the driveway I have the lights on the side then at the end of that run is the transformer by the shop.

I replied earlier but it did not show up.

Youre missing a few things in between the sensor and the transformer.

And 1000' is quite the distance.

I would move transformer to near where sensor will be.

What size wire did you run for the 12v lights? Ans how many lights did you run? Thata gonna be an awful lot of voltage drop...

 

[Sevenhills1952]

I guess you missed alfreds comment about the transformer having a 3 wire cord and plug.

Your screw in adapter idea doesnt work because its not grounded...

Have you ever seen a 3 prong to 2 prong a.c. adapter...? The one with the green pigtail? That is ground. Wire that to the motion detector ground which is most likely connected to the metal case.
Residential service look inside the panel and you'll see the white (neutral) and the bare (ground) connected to the same bus strip.
But...make it even better...remove the detector floodlights. You'll see three wires, black (hot), white neutral, green ground. Connect those to an a.c. outlet box. So simple. I would probably use a small metal utility box, sensor on that, then conduit for 120v in and low 12v wire pair out. Transformer inside box.
Now...1000ft voltage drop. If there's a way to have motion detector/outlet box in middle, that's much better since you go 500ft. either direction.
Otherwise the end lights will be a little dimmer depending on 12v wire gauge and light wattage.

 

[Shiftless]

Even with 12 ga. wire and only one amp flowing (assuming 12 volts and 12 watts total) the voltage drop over 1000 feet is over 26 %.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Have you ever seen a 3 prong to 2 prong a.c. adapter...? The one with the green pigtail? That is ground. Wire that to the motion detector ground which is most likely connected to the metal case.
Residential service look inside the panel and you'll see the white (neutral) and the bare (ground) connected to the same bus strip.
But...make it even better...remove the detector floodlights. You'll see three wires, black (hot), white neutral, green ground. Connect those to an a.c. outlet box. So simple. I would probably use a small metal utility box, sensor on that, then conduit for 120v in and low 12v wire pair out. Transformer inside box.
Now...1000ft voltage drop. If there's a way to have motion detector/outlet box in middle, that's much better since you go 500ft. either direction.
Otherwise the end lights will be a little dimmer depending on 12v wire gauge and light wattage.

the contraption you suggest would not be code compliant and adds complexity to which you called out others on

 

[Sevenhills1952]

Okey dokey!
A $10 Motion detector adds complexity. Something designed to instead of running two floodlights turns on a transformer.
Thanks! Let's see your design![emoji2]

 

[alfredeneuman]

Okey dokey!
Let's see your design!

https://www.ledsupply.com/accessori...MI-uXu06GW3QIVAS1pCh2uwQYMEAQYAiABEgJd6PD_BwE

This would be all you'd need to complete the job. It costs $7.99 + shipping

$10 is the price for your sensor alone, and you'd still have to buy all that extra **** to do a job that any self respecting Electrical Inspector on Earth would turn down.

 

[Revin]

So my goal is to have the motion at one end of the line and transformer at other end by shop and A/C with lights in between.

!000' of any wire is a lot so I my cut it down to only a 150' run under the pecan trees.

I will take a pic for ya'll and maybe a better drawing of the plan.

 

[Sevenhills1952]

https://www.ledsupply.com/accessori...MI-uXu06GW3QIVAS1pCh2uwQYMEAQYAiABEgJd6PD_BwE

This would be all you'd need to complete the job. It costs $7.99 + shipping

$10 is the price for your sensor alone, and you'd still have to buy all that extra **** to do a job that any self respecting Electrical Inspector on Earth would turn down.

That will be fantastic! Only $7.99 with free shipping! 96 Watts of pure waterproof power...and 10 seconds of light! "Once the sensor stops detecting motion for 10-seconds the switch will turn-off. These switching are often used with LED lighting in applications like closet lighting or areas where you want light to activate by movement."
Good going! Go for it.

 

[alfredeneuman]

With 96 watts of power, by using LED lamps he would be able to install up to 14 of these 50W equivalent spots in enclosed fixtures.

https://images.homedepot-static.com/catalog/pdfImages/4d/4dd592cf-b468-4bad-8311-feb70abfd86d.pdf

"Once the sensor stops detecting motion for 10-seconds the switch will turn-off."
So what? Do you think it should remain on for 15 minutes? Half an hour?

 

[Sevenhills1952]

"What...Me Worry?"[emoji3]
Go for it your way!
I'm only trying to help as a retired electronic technician for 43 years. Here's how I would do it, for what it's worth...
I'd rather switch the primary 120v than secondary 12v. I would get a detector floodlight, weatherproof box, the landscape lights (as a kit...includes everything).
Remove floodlight sockets, mount detector on box. Put transformer in box, primary wired to the floodlight black, white, green wires. Low voltage 12v cable out to landscape lights. Need more lights/power? Of course you match transformer to #lights (total wattage). There are over 12k eBay listings for 120v relays, inexpensive, 20+ amps (2400+W).
Advantage? Weatherproof...detector has several adjustments...range, delay, on time.
A car/person comes up driveway...lights turn on. Set it for time to get to house.

But...forget all that...do it another way!

 

[alfredeneuman]

I worry when someone posts something this preposterous.
You ASSUME that a 120V circuit is existing at the end of the driveway
If there isn't, then he'd have to install one.
The minimum burial depth for 120 is 12", and that's with a GFI circuit. The minimum burial for low voltage is 0".
What about Electrical Code compliance? Your method would never fly
His first post clearly asks "How the heck would I wire it up using standard low voltage wire and transformer"
Either way, at 1000' there would wire some huge wire involved

"...........retired electronic technician for 43 years"
I'm a retired electrical contractor with 46 years in the trade.