Motion sensor light

[flipper35]

We moved into this house June 2007. Since then I have had the original that came with the house and two replacement motion sensor lights go bad. I don't know how old the original was but it stopped sensing any motion. We put a new one up and the daylight sensor stopped working and it would turn itself off when the lights came on. I taped over it and moved it to another location that doesn't get much to set it off. Mom and dad bought a high end one with halogen lights instead of regular floods to replace it with and it no longer senses motion so the lights never come on.

What is a good reliable brand and what else should I check? We don't normally go through bulbs and the old one still works but pops on day and night. This is up in the peak so we need a sensor that reaches out a bit. The current one is two years old. Don't mind the mess, it is from storm damage, but you can see the location.

[Don Ro]

Reposition it - or a new one - just above the garage door?

[1990C4S]

I would be more concerned about the door....

But I have a halogen outdoor light with motion sensor. Works better than any of the cheap incandescent versions I've owned.

Defiant 270 Degree Outdoor Bronze Motion Security-Light-DF-5311-BZ at The Home Depot

[Gogar]

I don't have a recommendation for a replacement;

What's behind those windows? Seems to me if it's a living space you would get annoyed as hell with a motion light going on and off above the window all the time.

If you put the motion light above the garage door you could probably open up those windows again and get a more reliable action from the sensor.

[flipper35]

Those blinds get closed at night regardless since they are to the bedroom. The lights point out from the house and aren't noticeable inside really.

I could move it to just above the garage door, but I still don't want to replace them every 18 months or so. All I need is for the light to come on when someone pulls up to the garage or walks up to the entry door. I could flip them on manually for clearing the driveway in the winter time. I get better coverage for clearing when they are up there.

The garage door was replaced long ago. The unconfirmed tornado came through and punched the motorcycle trailer through the door. It hit behind the truck and wrapped the lower panel around the trunk bumper but didn't touch the 911. There was definite rotation of the winds because that trailer went 75' from behind and left of where the picture was taken but the patio furniture went from just left of the driveway to way left and across the county road deep into the hay field. one of the window screens went with the furniture and the fascia on the soffit went ahead and to the right into the top of our maple tree.

Is there something in the box or wiring that could cause the issue? It is always the sensors that quit.

[JAR0023]

Originally Posted by 1990C4S

I would be more concerned about the door....

But I have a halogen outdoor light with motion sensor. Works better than any of the cheap incandescent versions I've owned.

Defiant 270 Degree Outdoor Bronze Motion Security-Light-DF-5311-BZ at The Home Depot

I have a Defiant brand one as well. Been up a couple of years. When I bought it, it replaced the 10 year old (at the time) motion light that came with the house. Mine has a single Halogen and a pair of floods. It took a bit of adjusting to get it to come on only when I want it to. Mine is tucked up tight to the eave so it has better weather protection that yours. I wonder if water is your culprit? -J

[flipper35]

I suppose it could be water. It is pretty well caulked and it is always the motion sensor that goes bad. Maybe I should caulk the back side of that part as well before I attach it or put a rain cover over it. We get some pretty hard thunderstorms from the west and this is the west side.

I looked at some LED lights but evidently they don't work in cold weather. We get cold weather, it was down to -25*F this past winter. It isn't as bad as Minnesota though.

I will look at the Defiant brand. Would want more than one light like in the link above. I assume they are available more places than HD? We have a Lowes and Menards and Farm and Fleet. No HD near here. Ordering on Amazon or something would be fine.

[Noah930]

I had an over-garage door motion sensor go bad, too. I actually kept the warranty info/box/etc. It came with a 10-year warranty, and died at around 2.5 yrs. So I rang up the manuf and asked for a new one. The new one arrived....and I noticed that it now has a 2-year warranty. When I installed the replacement, I caulked the $*!% out of the new one, where it attached to the wall. We'll see if that makes any difference in bone-dry SoCal.

I don't know the brand off the top of my head, but I don't recommend that you follow in my purchasing footsteps.

[Don Ro]

Let me google that for you

[Eric Coffey]

Yeah, all the ones readily available from the big-box home improvement stores are junk. Service life seems to be only a few years if you are lucky. Shielding them from the elements is key. Keeping the sensor dry, but also shaded is best.
If you can tuck it up under an eave, that should help a bit.

[Por_sha911]

Direct sunlight will kill the motion and/or daylight sensors. Move the light to over the door and point the sensor slightly downward and you'll have no worries.

[john70t]

Originally Posted by Eric Coffey

Yeah, all the ones readily available from the big-box home improvement stores are junk.

5/5 junk so far.
I use LEDs so at least they don't waste $$.