Motion detection light for front door.

[CluelessDIYer1]

We have a light at our front door. The only thing i don't like about it is that it's controlled from the inside...
...so in winter, or at night, when you're heading to the front door in the dark, you're fumbling for your keys & you're getting frustrated as you can't see what you're doing.

If we had a motion detection light then that problem would be solved.

The thing with this is that the wife was complaining people walking on the pavement would trigger it, so i suggested pointing it sideways, so that it would point towards our living room wall.
She then complained cats (there's a lot on the street) would end up setting it off.
So i thought - why not just decrease the sensitivity if that's possible?

Here's what we have now:



I was thinking just point the detection sideways into the small window on the right. That way if my theory is right, it would only be triggered by someone approaching the door.

Not sure about the cats thing yet though.


Any of you wise folk have any ideas?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

You can get PIR lighting that will work during darkness that will detect over desired range and area, and some also allow for nuisance sensors of pets, and wildlife, so they are not triggered by them.

 

[CluelessDIYer1]

You can get PIR lighting that will work during darkness that will detect over desired range and area, and some also allow for nuisance sensors of pets, and wildlife, so they are not triggered by them.

Know of any decent units off the top of your head, or anything i should look for - specific wording, naming etc?

My only experience of these is a £20 one my mum got off Amazon. It had 2 twisty dials that were a bit of a horror to calibrate. One for the length of time the light stayed on & the other for how sensitive.

 

[sparkwright]

Maybe you could fit a weatherproof 2 way switch. If the existing switch is on an exterior wall, you may be able to drill through and add extra switch.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

When setting them you do require to do a walkthrough test and can bit a little tweaky to get them as required!

 

[CluelessDIYer1]

Maybe you could fit a weatherproof 2 way switch. If the existing switch is on an exterior wall, you may be able to drill through and add extra switch.

The existing switch is inside.

Not 100% sure i'm keen on a switch being outside. Think i'd prefer a motion detector one for night time. I'll have a gander tomorrow to see what's on the market.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

I fit a lot of these http://www.screwfix.com/p/iq-single-pyro-pro-symmetric-pir-sensor-floodlight-graphite-120w/50908, although the descripton does not specify non-nusiance activity from pets/wildlife, they seem to not be triggered by them. You will still need to set the dusk-dawn and time setting via the dials but not too complexed a procedure, the beam and sensor both allow for individual pan and tilt which is useful. You can also insert the blinding plate, that will allow you to give the sensor blind spots, so will not pick up your neighbours movements to and from their door.
The housing of the unit allows for cable to be directly routed through wall into unit, so no need for surface mounted or externally exposed cable/flex.
But as you have an existing lantern you may want go down that style, but you could keep the lantern and just link a PIR to it or keep lantern and still fix the above linked light.

 

[sparkwright]

Maybe you could fit a weatherproof 2 way switch. If the existing switch is on an exterior wall, you may be able to drill through and add extra switch.

The existing switch is inside.

Not 100% sure i'm keen on a switch being outside. Think i'd prefer a motion detector one for night time. I'll have a gander tomorrow to see what's on the market.

An exterior wall, on the inside.

 

[AndyPRK]

Your correct that you should point it sideways.

It's possible cats would set it off or they may not.
You would just have to live with that. Not a big deal.

You could always turn it off at night or summer if it was trouble some.

 

[diynoob]

You can get PIR bulbs if you don't want to do any wiring. Looks like your bulb points upwards though so may not trigger effectively in your lantern.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias=lighting&field-keywords=pir+bulb