They are meant for your safety as well as security. In the past, motion sensor lights used ultrasonic technology, but nowadays, passive infrared technology and microwave radiation are also used.
Purchasing Motion Sensor Lights – A complete guide
Motion detectors are used for a variety of purposes. While purchasing motion sensor lights, the first thing to consider is if you want to buy it for your safety or security reasons.
Safety
If purchasing motion sensor lights for protection, it will light up the dark areas, thus preventing you from falling over or hitting something in the dark. It senses the object at a specific range and lights up accordingly. Safety motion sensor lights are less expensive than security sensor lights for illuminating a large area.
Security
Motion detector lights for security are meant to secure one’s belongings or to prevent any of the intruders from entering your property. They are expensive but do the job. You must be aware of the proper features of these sensor lights before buying.
Types of motion sensors
Different sensors use different technology for sensing motion. It is essential to know what kind of technology a sensor uses before investing in it. The two main types of motion sensors are active and passive motion sensors.
Active motion sensors
Active motion sensors work by sending out energy waves and recording the feedback to detect changes. The sensor then measures and compare changes from previous readings to recognize motion. These signals can be infrared light, sound waves, microwaves or ultrasonic waves.
Passive Motion sensor
Passive motion sensors do not send out signals but receive them instead. Detecting heat as opposed to the motion, they don’t respond to every object, making them better for safety as well as security. They scan the area for heat and show no activity for small animals or objects that produce low heat change. Passive motion sensor lights work most efficiently when they can sense a human body.
Dual technology motion sensor
These sensors combine both active and passive technology. If you don’t want to be bothered by false alarms, they are a good option. However, their disadvantage is that if one of the sensors is not working other will also be rendered non-functional, increasing the security danger of the system.
Which motion sensor is best?
While choosing between active, passive, and dual sensor light, there are few things to keep in mind:
If you want to observe all of the motion in an area, then go for the active sensor. If you only want to detect human presence, then it makes more sense to invest in passive motion sensors.
Important Features to Consider
Brightness
The brightness of the sensor is important to consider and will depend on if you want a light for safety or security.
For security purposes, it is recommended to have at least 300 watts For safety purposes, the light of 150 watts would suffice
Range
The most important feature in any motion sensor is the range of detection the sensor is going to cover. A light with large range will be more expensive and vice versa. Choose the sensor depending on your need and requirements of the given area in which you want to install the sensor light.
Detection zone
Detection zone refers to the width of coverage of the motion sensor. An ideal light for an open area has a detection zone of at least 40 feet. Motion sensors with the following ranges have been launched:
For motion sensors in the corner, an angle of 90 degrees is enough For motion sensors on the flat walls, an angle of 180 is enough Motion sensors with 270-degree angle offer enhanced detection Motion sensors with an angle of 360 degrees cover everything and are placed in ceilings
Solar Energy
They should have the functionality to be charged using sunlight, which saves a lot of power consumption and cuts down on utility bills.
Weather-resistant
The sensor lights should be weather resistant. They should be waterproof and able to tolerate heat, cold, and heavy winds. Motion sensor lights are marvelous inventions which are very useful in today’s world. One can have security issues at either a home or office, but after using these sensors; a person can stay protected from intruders and/or other unwanted issues. Make an informed decision, and have motion sensors installed, fulfilling your safety and security needs immediately.
