Motion Sensor on Porch Lights

[Mac74]

I have two porch lights which are controlled by one switch. My wife wants a motion sensor put on the lights. They're flush mounted so I'm not able to just add a motion sensor switch. I found a light that looks just like the lights we have now with a built in motion sensor.

Is it possible to just change the light directly over the door with the new motion sensored light and just tie the other light into it? Seems like it would be simple but I read a few articles saying its not that simple.

 

[Captain Spaulding]

It depends on the light and how they are wired. If power is jumped from one light to the other and your lights have the ability to control other lights, you probably can. Generally the controlling light will have a red wire which is power out, and instead of feeding the switched hot to the second light you use the red wire to connect it. Then the second light will turn on when the first light is on.

If the wiring runs individually from the switch to each light, then the wiring will be more complicated depending on what kind of access you have.

 

[Mac74]

Ok, thanks. That makes sense. The lights are only about 8ft apart and I didnt want to but two motion sensored lights if I could control them both with one sensor. I will pull the fixture and see if there's a red wire or if they're jumped. I was just concerned because I read an article on some site saying something about some sensors are only rated to work a single fixture.
Thanks for the information.

 

[Captain Spaulding]

Just to be clear, the red wire would be on a motion control fixture and it would connect to the black wire going to the second light.

 

[Mac74]

Understood. Thank you.

 

[Fixin'Stuff]

Most likely, the light closest to the switch is where you'll have to install the motion sensor. To save wire, most electricians will use the shortest run possible to reach the first light, then daisy chain to the second one. It's easy to tell. Remove the light and check the wiring inside. If there are two sets or wires, then that is where the motion light has to go. There will only be one set at the other light.

The incoming black (from the switch) gets tied to the black on the sensor. Then the red on the sensor gets tied to the black wires of BOTH lights. You'll probably have to remove a factory crimp, since pre-wired lights usually already have the red crimped to the black wire feeding the internal bulb(s).

 

[nmk_61802]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001B5QYDU/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[CraigStu]

My only question would be does the switch circuit in one light have the capacity to handle the load of two lights.

 

[cybrdyke]

Why make it so complicated?
Just screw in a motion sensor lamp....

CD

 

[Copymutt]

Understand that it will light up with wind, insects, snow, rain, etc.etc.
Jim

 

[Captain Spaulding]

Understand that it will light up with wind, insects, snow, rain, etc.etc.
Jim

No, they sense heat moving, so those things have no effect on them. I have them all around my house and they never trigger on anything but a living thing moving.

 

[CJ7VFR]

...they never trigger on anything but a living thing moving.

They will also get triggered by vehicles passing within the targeted area. This may be due to the difference in heat as you said. I have several motion sensor lights on the outside of my house, and I have them set to go off if anyone drives into my driveway. Both my garage flood light and my two lantern type light fixtures on my front porch will go off anytime a car comes or goes in or out of my driveway when it is dark.

So anything but a living thing setting them off is not 100 percent correct.

I just looked at every motion sensor light users manual that I have, and they all say that any change in temperature can set them off. They recommend that as you set up the fixtures, that you maintain a good distance between the actual motion sensor and the light bulbs as possible in order to lower the chances of false triggering of the motion sensor due to heat differentials.

It also recommends that you don't point the motion sensor at any "metal" objects, as the temperature change in the metal versus the surrounding area can be different, and that can trigger the motion sensor as well.

Understand that it will light up with wind, insects, snow, rain, etc.etc.
Jim

The motion sensor light on my shed will trigger if it gets too windy, and the maple tree next to the shed that has leaves on it starts to sway in the wind. It has to be really windy though. It won't trigger in a slight breeze.

Jim

 

[Oldbear]

If your sensors are triggering off wind or passing vehicles - you may need to turn down the sensitivity/range of the sensor (if it has the option). We set mine up on the new shop 2 month ago and I'm still fine tuning the sensor position and the settings. One of the sensors lights is 13ft in the air, but is in an isolated spot within my fenced yard - it hasn't been fine-tuned or played with - I'll adjust it when we set up the scaffolding for doing the siding.

 

[Falcon67]

Why make it so complicated?
Just screw in a motion sensor lamp....

OP said lights are controlled by one switch - so that switch would have to stay on for any motion light to work.

 

[cybrdyke]

OP said lights are controlled by one switch - so that switch would have to stay on for any motion light to work.

Yeah?
So, you screw a motion lamp into each socket and leave the switch on.
They have a daylight sensor, so they turn off during the day and at night each one will come on individually if it sees motion.
Easy peasy.
CD

 

[Bert_]

OP said lights are controlled by one switch - so that switch would have to stay on for any motion light to work.

If it's a problem, then remove the switch and blank it. No big deal...

 

[Captain Spaulding]

Yeah?
So, you screw a motion lamp into each socket and leave the switch on.
They have a daylight sensor, so they turn off during the day and at night each one will come on individually if it sees motion.
Easy peasy.
CD

Except usually the one near the door comes on and the other doesn't. That's why you wire them together so both come on if either is triggered. Doing the wiring is so trivial it's not even an effort.

 

[muncie21]

The entry way to my house has 3 light fixtures in it. As I don't normally turn these lights on during the evening/night, I decided to install motion sensor lights. I've had them operating since ~Jan (4 months) and they work fantastic.

Insects, small debris don't activate the lights. However small animals and people will definitely trip them. After 30 seconds or so of inactivity, they turn off. During the evening they are a great way notify me (my office/study is near the entry) that someone is approaching the front door.

Purchased these on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01F1PCZFG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075FKKXR3/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[cybrdyke]

The entry way to my house has 3 light fixtures in it. As I don't normally turn these lights on during the evening/night, I decided to install motion sensor lights. I've had them operating since ~Jan (4 months) and they work fantastic.

Insects, small debris don't activate the lights. However small animals and people will definitely trip them. After 30 seconds or so of inactivity, they turn off. During the evening they are a great way notify me (my office/study is near the entry) that someone is approaching the front door.

Purchased these on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01F1PCZFG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075FKKXR3/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

^^^^This product.
These work really well.
CD

 

[80sBMX]

I purchased a few different LED motion bulbs, for the front porch, from Amazonia about a year ago. Some were too sensitive but this one did the trick. Been very happy with the purchase.

Signstek E27/E26/B22 5W PIR Infrared Sensor Motion Detector LED Light Bulb Warm White