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How to install motion detector lights

How motion detectors work

Motion detectors are small electronic eyes that detect infrared waves—heat waves that radiate from moving objects. When the detector senses an object moving across its field of view—especially warmer objects such as people, animals and cars—it electronically turns on the lights. The light stays on anywhere from 1 to 20 minutes, depending on how you preset the timer. Then the detector automatically shuts the light off unless it continues to sense movement. A photocell deactivates the light during daylight hours. Most motion detectors have a semicircular field of view of up to 240 degrees and a distance range, adjustable on most detectors, that extends to 70 ft. or more. The detector will react to the movement of your dog, an approaching person, a passing car or sometimes even wind-blown leaves.
Nuisance “trips,” such as blowing leaves or a passing car, can fool the detector and turn the lights on when you don’t want them. These can be annoying to both you and your neighbors, and in fact, some homeowners won’t install motion detector lights for this reason. However, you can solve most unwanted switching-on by adjusting the distance-range setting and by carefully aiming the sensor to limit its field of view. You can also narrow the field of view even more by applying tape to the sensor, as shown in Photo 7. If nuisance trips concern you, be sure to buy a light that has an adjustable distance/range setting, and an aimable detector unit as shown in Fig. A, Nos. 1 and 3.
Motion detectors allow you to operate the light in the conventional, manual way, usually by flipping a switch  off for a second, then back on. This allows you to keep the light on at night when you want to, even when there’s no motion. By double flipping a second time, you return to automatic.

Motion detector and light styles

Figure A: Motion detector and light styles

There are many motion detector and light styles to choose from.

Where to put them

For best effectiveness, position motion detector sensors to cover the walks leading to your front and back doors and the driveway (see lead illustration). That way the lights will come on when you come home at night. You can also use them to light up decks, patios and any potentially hazardous locations such as around stairways and swimming pools.
If improved security is a priority, position the lights to cover all the approaches to your house, including fence gates, the patio door, the darker areas of your yard, and around trees and bushes. Good lighting can’t guarantee security, of course, but it’s one of the best low-cost ways to get unwanted intruders to back away.
Ideally, it’s best to mount motion detector lights 6 to 10 ft. above the ground and position them so that most movement will occur across the sensitivity zone rather than directly toward the detector. Obviously you can’t always do that if you use existing light locations. One solution is to buy a remote motion sensor unit that you can mount some distance away from the light itself (Fig. A, #3). The wires connecting them to the light are low voltage and may not be dangerous, so you don’t have to enclose them in metal or plastic conduit.

How to install motion detector lights, step-by-step

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Photo 1: Shut of the electricity

Turn off the power to the fixture at the main panel, then test the wires to make sure the current is off. Rub one lead of a voltage tester (from hardware stores or home centers) against the ground wire and rub the other lead first against the hot wire (black), then the neutral wire (white). If the tester lights up in either case, the power is still on. Shut off the correct circuit at the main panel.

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Motion detector lights are easy to install, but each brand has a few different details, so read the instructions. You’ll find the basic information printed on the outside of the box. Read the box before you buy the unit so you know what you’re getting. You’ll find more detailed instructions inside the box.
Our step-by-step photos and tips from our experts provide a general guide of how to do the job. In most cases, you’ll simply replace an existing fixture with the new one, as our photos show. Make sure to turn off the power to the fixture at the main panel before removing it.
However, if you have to run a new electrical line and install a switch, the job can get much more complex. Outdoor electrical lines must be encased in approved conduit and weatherproof electrical boxes. If you’re not familiar with conduit or the rules for running new electrical circuits, call in a licensed electrician.
Working with old electrical boxes can be tricky too. Sometimes they don’t contain a ground wire (bare wire or one with green insulation) or other grounding means such as metal conduit. The National Electrical Code requires all electrical boxes and fixtures to be grounded. If you’re not sure yours is, check with your electrical inspector to determine if you have to run a new ground wire.
Additional installation tips:

• The cover of an outdoor electrical box must be waterproof. Seat the rubber gasket carefully (Photo 4). And if you are placing it against a rough surface, caulk it as well.
• Moisture can seep into the detector and light and ruin them. To prevent this, either locate the fixture under an eave or other protected area or buy one that has bulb seals  and angle the bulbs downward so water can’t run into the
• Heat from the light bulb itself can confuse the detector. Keep the bulb and detector as far apart as possible
• Adjust the field-of-view angle and set the distance range of your motion detector to avoid nuisance trips from normal passing traffic, animals, pools of water, air conditioners, heating vents and wind-blown trees and shrubs

Get an electrical permit from your local department of inspections. Check for special local rules and have your work inspected when finished.
CAUTION:Don’t let your ladder or your body touch lethal overhead power lines while you’re working.
CAUTION: Aluminum wiring requires special handling. If you have aluminum wiring, call in a licensed pro who’s certified to work with it. This wiring is dull gray, not the dull orange that’s characteristic of copper.

Size requirements of electrical boxes

You also need to check out the size of your electrical box. A shallow box like the one shown in Photo 1 no longer meets code requirements, and we had to replace it with a larger box, shown in Photos 2 and 3.
The computation table gives the method for calculating minimum box-size requirements. To do the calculation, count the number of wires coming into the box. However, some other things besides wires are counted as “wires” for computation purposes. For example, all the cable clamps used count for one wire, and we recommend always counting the fixture as two wires. Then multiply this total wire number by 2 cu. in. for 14-gauge wire (or 2.25 cu. in. for 12-gauge wire, even if there’s just one of the heavier wires in the box).
The computation method given here sometimes overestimates the minimum box size required by code, but it simplifies the calculation.Required Tools for this Project

Have the necessary tools for this project lined up before you start—you’ll save time and frustration.

• 4-in-1 screwdriver
• Wire stripper/cutter

Required Materials for this Project

Avoid last-minute shopping trips by having all your materials ready ahead of time. Here's a list.

Motion detector light
Electrical box, remodeling type
Wire connectors
Clear silicone caulk
Electricians tape, plastic

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Garage Safety and Storage Tips

For many Americans, garages are the most well worn entryway to their homes.  Besides the daily family traffic, the garage is also a place where we risk safety by mixing things together for storage that would never be found in the same place anywhere else in our home.  Toys and toxins are a dangerous combination but check any garage and you are likely to see just that:  toys, bikes, and balls stored within inches of insecticides, turpentine and gasoline.
It should be no surprise, then, that these same spaces can be the source of many injuries.  Here are the main sources of garage dangers and what you need to know to make your garage safe:
DANGEROUS DOORS - The overhead door is most likely the largest and heaviest door in your home.  It is also the cause of three types of injuries:

• Crushing - According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, 4 children a year are crushed by garage doors.  These doors, powered by automatic openers, come down and simply don't stop.  While garage door openers have been required to have automatic reversing mechanisms since 1982, these mechanisms can wear out or fail if not properly maintained.  To be safe, test your door's ability to reverse by placing a 2x4 under the door.  When the door hits the wood, it should reverse and go back up.  If it doesn't, replace it.  Also, if your opener is more than 5 years old, it is also a good idea to replace it.  Garage door openers are an important piece of safety equipment and it's just not worth taking a chance with an old one.
• Pinching - Most garage doors are made of 4-large, horizontal, panels on hinges.  Unfortunately, these door sections can pinch children's fingers and cause severe injuries.  The solution is a pinch-free door design, which effectively pushes a child's fingers out of the way as the door closes.
• Flying Springs - Most garage doors are powered by very large, heavy, springs that provide the extra strength to lift the door.  The problem is that eventually, these springs WILL break.  When this happens, they'll fly off the door and across the room, potentially injuring anyone in their path.  The solution is a simple do-it-yourself safety trick.  When the door is in the closed position, thread a wire (picture hanging wire works well) inside the extended spring and secure it to the eyelet at each end.  With the wire in place, a broken spring will have no where to fly except safely back on the wire itself.

UNSAFE STORAGE - Playthings and poisons are a bad combination.  To keep your family safe, be sure to store dangerous chemicals out of the reach of children, or better yet, in a locked cabinet.  Also, be sure to keep chemicals in their original container with the labels in good condition.  Never purchase chemicals in quantities more than you will use in a reasonable period of time.  While it might make sense to buy a case of canned vegetables at the local supermarket warehouse, having to store leftovers from a 6-pack of ant poison isn't worth the risk.
Storing combustibles like gasoline, propane and kerosene is also something that needs careful planning.  These fuels must be stored in containers designed especially for them.  Gasoline cans, for example, have special vents to avoid the dangerous build up of combustible fumes.  Storing gas in anything else is an explosion waiting to happen.
Finally, common, everyday products like ladders and lawn tools can be unsafe if not stored correctly.  Ladders, for example should always be stored in a horizontal position so that children can not climb on them and tumble over.  Rakes, hedge trimmers and shovels left on the garage floor or leaning against a wall can easily fall under foot and cause injuries.  To be safe, use wall space and get as many of your tools off the floor as possible.
ELECTRICAL SAFETY - Electricity and water don't mix but this dangerous combination can easily happen in a garage.  To be safe, all garage circuits should be protected with a GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter).  While regular circuit breakers are designed to prevent wires from overheating and causing a fire, a GFCI breaker is specifically designed to prevent shocks. A GFCI can be installed at an outlet or in the main circuit breaker panel and works to prevent a shock.
Secondly, most garages are not properly lit.  Fluorescent lamps tend to dim in colder weather and most garages simply don't have enough fixtures to help you see your way clear of storage and other hazards.  To avoid trouble, make sure that all garage outlets are protected by GFCI's and add additional lights as needed to see your way to safety.
SAFE STRUCTURES - Building codes require that garages be constructed to protect the rest of the home from fire damage should they become engaged in flame.  For the most part this is accomplished by what is known as the fire wall, a wall-assembly constructed to keep fire at bay by the use of fire resistant drywall and other similar tactics.  Unfortunately, older homes may not have a firewall and even modern homes may have had their firewalls rendered ineffective.  For example, in an effort to make use of every available space, many families install an attic stairs in the ceiling of the garage.  Unfortunately, doing so creates a hole in the fire wall and a short cut for fire to take out your entire home.  To ensure safety, make sure all walls and ceilings between your garage and your house are constructed with at least 5/8ths inch thick drywall and that any attic stairs are covered with sheet metal for fire resistance.
Finally, make sure your garage has a fire extinguisher rated A-B-C.   This means the extinguisher can handle all types of fires, including fires from wood and paper, electrical and gasoline or grease.
GREASY RAGS MUST GO - Old towels or t-shirts might make convenient rags to have in a garage, but when they become soiled with grease, oil, gasoline or any other flammable materials, they must be tossed.  These rags are nothing more than kindling that, with the right ignition source, can become the fireball that destroys your house.
Never try and wash rags like these.  The petroleum will leach into your washing machine and leave your next load of laundry smelling like yesterday's lawn mowing session.  Also, placing any rag that has contained a flammable substance into a hot dryer is extremely dangerous. Rags are cheap.  Always toss them and find new ones for your next project.
Garage safety is not hard to achieve.  The key is to get storage organized so that unsafe situations never have the chance to develop. For help with your projects