Motion-Sensor Porch Light

Motion-Sensor Porch Light

Postby monik7 » Mon Sep 01, 2014 10:54 am

Since my unhappy experience in early June when my solar panel was stolen, I've been thinking if I had had a motion-sensor porch light, it might have scared the thieves off. So yesterday I decided to install one. The hardest part was getting the old porch light off. It was unbelievable how much adhesive the manufacturer used to secure it along with 4 screws. It took close to an hour to get the back plate off and all that gunk cleaned away. The plate was bent in half by the time I got it off. No turning back at that point! Installation after that was easy. Since I keep my rig in storage, I was too tired in the evening to go back and calibrate its sensitivity in the dark. That will be tonight. Without having to keep the light on constantly, it should come in handy at CGs when walking the dogs at night or wandering back to my rig after a campfire at the KS GTG :lol: (and hopefully scaring off any would-be thieves wherever we travel). I know you can only do so much, but at least this is something.

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Re: Motion-Sensor Porch Light

Postby cnq50b » Mon Sep 01, 2014 1:02 pm

Very cool! Don't you love it when you are able to do things like this yourself? :D Can't wait to see it in a couple of weeks.
Catherine & Sadie
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Re: Motion-Sensor Porch Light

Postby avalen » Mon Sep 01, 2014 1:13 pm

good idea :D
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Re: Motion-Sensor Porch Light

Postby chalet05 » Mon Sep 01, 2014 1:19 pm

I have one but can't take credit. Leroy installed it
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Re: Motion-Sensor Porch Light

Postby Acadianmom » Mon Sep 01, 2014 4:50 pm

I had one installed but they didn't tell me it could be calibrated. If there was any instructions that came with it they didn't give it to me.

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Re: Motion-Sensor Porch Light

Postby Liz » Mon Sep 01, 2014 6:09 pm

I have one too, but had it installed. Works good.
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Re: Motion-Sensor Porch Light

Postby monik7 » Mon Sep 01, 2014 6:13 pm

Acadianmom wrote:I had one installed but they didn't tell me it could be calibrated. If there was any instructions that came with it they didn't give it to me.

Martha

Martha, does yours look like the same brand as mine? If so, the clear plastic on the front can be removed by taking the screws out. On the right in the oval area, there are two places where with a Phillips screwdriver you can increase (clockwise) or decrease (counterclockwise) the sensitivity of the motion detectors on the right and left. For example, you might want to decrease it if it was being activated by every squirrel that came by.
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Re: Motion-Sensor Porch Light

Postby Acadianmom » Mon Sep 01, 2014 8:34 pm

Yes, my light looks like yours. I never really messed with it before and it only operates as a porch light. I found the manual online and the trouble shooting guide says it's wired wrong. I will get my son to look at it the next time he's here or put it on the list for the next repair visit.

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Re: Motion-Sensor Porch Light

Postby monik7 » Mon Sep 01, 2014 9:14 pm

Acadianmom wrote:Yes, my light looks like yours. I never really messed with it before and it only operates as a porch light. I found the manual online and the trouble shooting guide says it's wired wrong. I will get my son to look at it the next time he's here or put it on the list for the next repair visit.

Martha

To activate the motion sensor feature, did you turn it: on-off-on? At that point there should be a blue light pulsing. If you just turn it on, it only works as a porch light.
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Re: Motion-Sensor Porch Light

Postby Acadianmom » Mon Sep 01, 2014 9:28 pm

They told me about turning it off and back on. Sometimes it flashes blue and sometimes it flashes green but it won't come on unless I turn it off and back on. I even went out there in the dark because I thought it might not come on in the daylight but no luck.

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Re: Motion-Sensor Porch Light

Postby monik7 » Mon Sep 01, 2014 10:00 pm

I've been waiting for it to get dark enough to test. When it switched to the night mode, it started blinking green. Seems to be working sensing when I get near.
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Re: Motion-Sensor Porch Light

Postby snowball » Mon Sep 01, 2014 11:03 pm

I have a motion light but forget about it being motion...and now the light bulb is burned out
need to replace it and remember that it is motion ....
you will really like it
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Re: Motion-Sensor Porch Light

Postby bluepinecones » Mon Sep 01, 2014 11:07 pm

Good job, Sandi
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Re: Motion-Sensor Porch Light

Postby retiredhappy » Tue Sep 02, 2014 8:59 am

Had mine at home taken down. Neighborhood cats, squirrels, etc kept setting it off and my bedroom was lit up.
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Re: Motion-Sensor Porch Light

Postby gingerK » Tue Sep 02, 2014 9:04 am

Nicely done, Sandi!
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