Make your yard sparkle with a motion sensor light (or three)
Motion sensor lights are a great way to help protect your home and save on that monthly energy bill. You can place them anywhere outside where you desire a bit more visibility, so it may seem like a great DIY. However, because installation likely requires detailed electrical work, it isn’t a good fit for everyone.
In other words, inexperienced DIYers should hire a local electrician to install one of these lights. The process may be possible for an everyday DIYer if they boast enough experience with electrical systems, but we’d really recommend a pro. Learning how to install motion sensor lights and actually doing the job are two very different things.
Note: Don’t forget to don the appropriate safety gear, such as rubber gloves and eye protectors, and proceed with extreme caution if you do choose to try the DIY.
First off, this is an easy job if you already have flood lights or another type of outdoor light that integrates with motion sensors. If you have to run a new electrical line or install a brand new motion sensor light switch, the job increases in complexity and difficulty.
For a simple installation process, look for fixtures that install by simply swapping out the old fixture for the new one.
Having said that, the best spot to position motion sensor lights is 6 to 10 feet above the ground. Angle the lights so that the sensors catch the maximum amount of movement to keep your property safely illuminated. For example, place motion sensor lights to cover the walk from the driveway to the front door and another set to cover the back door. Do the same for any other entrances and fixtures of your choosing, such as decks, pools, and stairways.
If you are wiring in new lights, please note that again, this is a difficult job, so work carefully and slowly, and always wear protective gear when dealing with electrical components. If you’re not comfortable or experienced with electrical work, skip this one and hire a pro.
Electrical work requires appropriate permits and licenses. Consult a local electrician or your city’s authorities to ask if this job needs a specialized permit and a post-completion inspection. If you work with a pro, they’ll handle all the paperwork. The pro may also visit your home to check out any pre-existing outdoor lighting to see the work needed to complete the job. They’ll also come up with a list of purchase options for motion-sensing lights.
For pre-existing floodlights, go with motion detectors that affix to the lighting fixtures. They cost around $20 per sensor. Make sure you purchase sensors that work with your pre-existing lighting setup, which all comes down to wattage. Add up the wattage ratings of the lights the sensors will control and compare them to the rating attached to the sensor.
A motion sensor’s wattage rating must be at least as high as the total watts of the fixtures controlled. For example, if your sensor activates two 100-watt floodlights, the rating must be 200 watts or more.
If you are going with a full installation from the ground up, make sure to purchase all of the required electrical equipment, including junction boxes, circuit boxes, wires, and the like.
Before you start, turn off the power at the service panel or main panel and remove the floodlight or floodlights from the socket. You may need a screwdriver for service panel access. Don your rubber gloves and goggles now. For added safety, use a voltage tester to ensure complete stoppage, rub the lead against the ground, hot, and neutral wires.
Expertise comes into play here, as installing a junction box to accommodate the new wiring is not an easy task. In some cases, pre-existing junction boxes get the job done, saving time and money.
Sometimes, larger boxes fit into pre-existing holes, which is the preferred outcome since it cuts down on labor time.
If not, install a new junction box by cutting a hole through the stucco with a chisel and a jigsaw. Vinyl siding, wood, and cement necessitate different approaches here.
Some setups require multiple junction boxes for the lights and sensors.
This part of the job varies on many factors, including the light type and the demands of the motion sensors. In most cases, motion sensors work best at 6 to 10 feet above ground level. The lights have more wiggle room, especially if they’re moveable and sweepable. Simply install the fixtures in the appropriate location and affix any motion sensors.
Wiring options vary according to your current electrical system and the needs of the motion-sensing lights. There’s no one-size-fits-all option here, but there are some general best practices to consider.
The simplest method? It’s to run power from a switch box to the sensor and then the lighting fixtures.
It really depends on how close your sensors are to a light switch. This is another point of the process that benefits from experience.
If needed, install an entirely new switch to handle the additional electricity and usage requirements.
In some cases, there is not an efficient route to the switch from the junction box or circuit box. If this happens, run wires through the home to arrive at the appropriate location.
Once you finish setting up the wiring, it’s time to connect the sensor and lights.
Connect any remaining wires to the sensors and place any light bulbs into the required fixtures.
If desired, mount the fixtures on the wall or another desired area.
You are in the home stretch now. Activate the motion sensors according to the manufacturer’s instructions, setting your desired sensitivity and frequency.
Look for a setting called “on-time,” which refers to the number of minutes the lights remain on after being activated.
Set it to one minute, five minutes, or even 10 minutes.
Some sensors automatically stay illuminated for a certain timespan after dusk, so make adjustments as needed.
Of course, many modern fixtures are programmable via mobile devices.
Now, it’s time to turn the electricity back on and test your handiwork.
Head back to the service box or main panel and turn the electricity back on.
Many motion sensors include a testing mode, so engage that now. This mode runs through some diagnostics to ensure proper operation.
Finally, aim and adjust the sensor and lights until they work as they should, repeating any step as necessary.
If you lack a pre-existing outdoor lighting setup and you are worried about handling delicate electrical components, you should absolutely hire a pro instead for a safe installation and a favorable final outcome. Outdoor lighting is a great project in its own right as it enhances safety, but only if installed properly.
You’ll pay around $50 to $100 per hour for labor, but your safety is well worth the cost. For those with experience, it still bears repeating that you should take your time, wear protective gear, including protective eyewear and gloves, and use caution.
Sara Coleman contributed to this piece.
Yes! As a matter of fact, there are many sensors that add motion to existing outdoor lights. These motion sensors attach to pre-existing flood lights and other outdoor lights without any fussy and potentially dangerous electrical work. Additionally, some flood lights and related fixtures ship with motion sensors built-in.
This depends on personal preference, but to maximize safety, make sure the lights are set to activate from dusk until dawn. To save on energy bills, adjust the settings to match each season so your lights aren’t wasted at 4:30 p.m. during the summer. Some HOAs and municipalities mandate certain hours for use, so check with officials before diving into the settings.
Before investing in motion sensor lights, there are a couple of disadvantages worth noting. For starters, they’re not as reliable as other forms of lighting. Motion sensor lights can be accidentally triggered by pets or wind, which can become a nuisance after a while. The opposite situation can occur, too, where they don’t turn on when you need them to.
Motion sensors are actually an eco-friendly option and don’t use as much electricity compared to other lighting sources. Motion sensor lights are always on “standby,” which requires a phantom source of power at all times, but for most sensor light models, this is only a small amount of electricity—typically around one watt of power.
