Outdoor Sensor Lighting with Manually Activated Off Timer

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Oubadah

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Topic # 84563 2-Jun-2011 13:20

A sensor/security light system to activate for incoming persons is all well and good, but what about outgoing? The physical layout of the entrance area means that the door it'self isn't in the sensor's line of sight. Exiting the house in darkness means stumbling blind down a flight of stairs before finally reaching the monitored zone.

I want a system with the capacity to sense incoming, AND a manual On function from inside that its timer-deactivated (push the button on the way out, and after ~5 minutes the lights go out).

Are there any sensor devices that have this ability?

nickb800

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Reply # 477057 2-Jun-2011 13:28

Theres probably not a single device capable of all that, but a bog standard sensor light could be wired such that a time delay switch also triggers it. You can get standard size switch modules for HPM(/whatever brand) switch faceplates with various kinds of timers inside.

So you would push a momentary switch, which triggers a 5 minute timer, which supplies power to the light fitting directly without interfacing the sensor unit (even if the sensor is part of the light fitting, you can usually trigger the light independently of the sensor.

jim.cox

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Reply # 477063 2-Jun-2011 13:41

I had a similar issue at my place

The easiest solution was two sensor lights - one that triggers at the bottom of the stairs for incoming, and another with the sensor on the front door for outgoing.

Works a treat :)

Jaxson

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Reply # 477067 2-Jun-2011 13:45

jim.cox: The easiest solution was two sensor lights - one that triggers at the bottom of the stairs for incoming, and another with the sensor on the front door for outgoing.

Sounds like the easiest and cheapest solution.

Other option is two sensors, one upstairs and one downstairs, where either is capable of switching both lights on. Could mean any trigger downstairs turns on a light upstairs by bedroom which could be annoying, perhaps.

kiwi_64

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Reply # 477076 2-Jun-2011 13:54

I'd always assumed (maybe incorrectly?) that this was standard functionality of sensor lights. It's certainly the way that the ones at my house work; If turn the light switch on manually, the light comes on for 5 mins or so before turning off and awaiting sensor activation. ... or am I not understanding what you're after...

Jaxson

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Reply # 477080 2-Jun-2011 13:59

Actually yeah, what he says. Mine behaves that way now I think about it too....

trig42

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Reply # 477099 2-Jun-2011 14:40

Same here. I switch the sensor light off then on at the switch inside the door. Light goes on, then turns itself off again after the standard time that it would as if switched on by the sensor. From then on it is activated by the sensor as normal.

Oubadah

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Reply # 477109 2-Jun-2011 15:04

OK, well does anyone know if this one does it: http://www.electricaldirectltd.co.nz/ecommerce.php?func=14&DCI=141&DPT=p&DPI=1483&S=c68f44de219a4c37...

richms

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Reply # 477206 2-Jun-2011 21:03

Just watch out with turning off and on, most of the dirt cheap sensors use that as a way to put them into a manual mode where they stay on all the time. Better ones dont do that.

The securimax ones I have been replacing the junk ones with as I get around to it need 2 or 3 toggles before they latch on, with one off/on cycle they stay on for a while then go off.

Richard rich.ms

Oubadah

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Reply # 477216 2-Jun-2011 21:26

richms: Just watch out with turning off and on, most of the dirt cheap sensors use that as a way to put them into a manual mode where they stay on all the time. Better ones dont do that.

The securimax ones I have been replacing the junk ones with as I get around to it need 2 or 3 toggles before they latch on, with one off/on cycle they stay on for a while then go off.

Yeah, I have the securimax dual spot. One switch sort of does what I want, but it only stays on for 17 seconds which is a bit on the short side...

richms

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Reply # 477227 2-Jun-2011 21:47

Oubadah:
richms: Just watch out with turning off and on, most of the dirt cheap sensors use that as a way to put them into a manual mode where they stay on all the time. Better ones dont do that.

The securimax ones I have been replacing the junk ones with as I get around to it need 2 or 3 toggles before they latch on, with one off/on cycle they stay on for a while then go off.

Yeah, I have the securimax dual spot. One switch sort of does what I want, but it only stays on for 17 seconds which is a bit on the short side...

I think there is a control for that time. I dont worry about it as I never turn the ones here off.

Richard rich.ms

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Reply # 477251 2-Jun-2011 22:48

richms: Just watch out with turning off and on, most of the dirt cheap sensors use that as a way to put them into a manual mode where they stay on all the time. Better ones dont do that.

my sensor does exactly that. and its cheap. and i'm on the third replacement cause it keeps breaking. invest in a *decent* sensor instead of being cheap like i was :)

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bazzer

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Reply # 477296 3-Jun-2011 08:23

Regs:
richms: Just watch out with turning off and on, most of the dirt cheap sensors use that as a way to put them into a manual mode where they stay on all the time. Better ones dont do that.

my sensor does exactly that. and its cheap. and i'm on the third replacement cause it keeps breaking. invest in a *decent* sensor instead of being cheap like i was :)

Don't you just switch them off for a couple of seconds and then switch back on? I think usually they are a quick flick off and on to switch to manual.

richms

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Reply # 477542 3-Jun-2011 18:05

Regs:
richms: Just watch out with turning off and on, most of the dirt cheap sensors use that as a way to put them into a manual mode where they stay on all the time. Better ones dont do that.

my sensor does exactly that. and its cheap. and i'm on the third replacement cause it keeps breaking. invest in a *decent* sensor instead of being cheap like i was :)

I have 4 broken $10 sensors on the house on the queue to replace when I get around to it. They seem to fill up with water and then stop working, the only one that still goes is under a massive overhang.

They keep going into that mode everytime there is a brief interuption to the power on the north shore third world power network, and I had some out the back of the shed that I cant see from the house that must have been stuck on for weeks before the neighbour on that side mentioned it to me. Probably would have paid for the good one with all the power that it wasted.

Richard rich.ms

Oubadah

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Reply # 477582 3-Jun-2011 20:15

richms, which Securimax unit do you have? Is it the 'Trinity' dual 75w wall mounted? I've been trying to get mine to sense properly, but at the moment it's range is ridiculously limited. It can only detect me at 5m (or 7 if I'm jumping and flailing about like a lunatic). There is no sensitivity control.

It's supposed to work up to 12m. At less than half that, it's not much good for anything...

richms

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Reply # 477630 3-Jun-2011 23:11

Yeah thats what I have. Not needed to have more than that range on them, but the one on the top of the house gets me on the ground a good 10m infront of it, its aiming down at about 45? over the carport and gets me when I come in with the car into the carport.

Richard rich.ms