Motion sensor light bulbs
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First check the socket base already in place, then the installation location: these two points decide the model before the light colour. A motion sensor light bulb turns the room on as you pass and switches itself off after an adjustable delay, with no switch to hunt for in the dark.
- How does a motion sensor light bulb work?
- Which motion sensor light bulb should you choose?
- Where should you not install a motion sensor?
- What are the 3 settings on a motion sensor lamp?
- Why does the motion sensor lamp stay on?
- Wiring 3 bulbs in parallel: how do you do it?
- Which light for a motion sensor light bulb?
How does a motion sensor light bulb work?
The bulb contains a passive infrared sensor that picks up a warm body moving within its field, then switches the LED on for an adjustable duration. With no movement, it switches itself off. Some models add a dusk sensor so they only work when it is dark.
LED motion sensor light bulb: the sensor housed in the globe
On an LED bulb, the sensor sits at the top of the globe, sometimes in a small side window. The LED lights instantly, without the warm-up of a halogen, which matters when you cross a staircase with your hands full. The shape of the globe determines the detection field: a wide globe sees further than a compact model squeezed into a wall light.
Passive infrared sensor: what it really detects and what it ignores
The sensor reacts to sideways movement in front of it. A person sitting still eventually stops being seen, and the lamp cuts out. It passes poorly through glass, and high ambient heat reduces its range. These limits explain most failed settings, far more than the quality of the bulb. To compare the available technologies, the bulb collection groups models by use.
Which motion sensor light bulb should you choose?
The collection has 3 models. The choice comes down to the installation location, indoor or outdoor, and whether or not there is a dusk sensor. A model intended for outdoor use must be stated as such on its product page.
Indoor motion sensor light bulb: hallway, staircase, cellar
Indoors, point the globe towards the walkway and not towards a window. In a narrow hallway, a compact model is enough. In a stairwell, aim at the first step: the light must arrive before your foot. A large E27 base bulb covers most ceiling lights and pendants, while a slim E14 socket fits small wall lights.
Outdoor motion sensor light bulb: entrance, garage, covered terrace
Outside, look for the outdoor rating and the protection index on the product page, and shelter the lamp from direct rain. A spotlight in a GU10 socket fits well under a canopy. For a corner with no electrical supply, a wireless battery-powered motion sensor lamp saves running a cable, at the cost of regular recharging. In all cases, avoid dazzling the street.
| Base | Light fittings concerned | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| E27 | Ceiling lights, pendants, wall lights, floor lamps | The socket diameter and the space around the globe |
| E14 | Small ceiling lights, wall lights, bedside lamps | The bulk of the sensor in a small space |
| GU10 | Recessed or track spotlights | That a sensor version actually exists in this base |
| G9, G4 | Chandeliers, small wall lights, low-voltage spotlights | Whether a sensor version exists in this format |
Unsure about the socket? Unscrew the bulb in place and read the marking: the base reference is printed on it. The rest of the catalogue is in all our bulbs in one place, including the small G4 and G9 bases.
Where should you not install a motion sensor?
Avoid rooms where you stay almost still for long periods: living room, study, bedroom. The lamp would switch off while you read or work. Also avoid aiming at a heat source, a picture window or a street passage that triggers the sensor with no real presence.
- Living room and study: you stay seated there, and the sensor cuts out after a few minutes. See instead the bulbs for lighting a living room, without a sensor.
- Bedroom: switching on at the slightest movement wakes you. Bedroom bulbs are controlled by the switch.
- In front of a radiator or a chimney flue: the heat is read as a moving body.
- Facing a window or a ventilation outlet: reflections and draughts trigger the sensor.
- Near a window overlooking the street: passers-by become a permanent trigger.
For these rooms, a conventional light fitting remains more comfortable. Browsing all our light fittings helps you choose a model suited to the room rather than forcing a passage detection.
What are the 3 settings on a motion sensor lamp?
Three settings appear on almost every model: the time delay, which sets how long the light stays on after detection, the sensitivity, which sets the sensor range, and the brightness threshold, which decides whether the lamp works only at night or at any time.
How do you set a motion sensor so it switches on day and night?
Disable the dusk sensor, or push the brightness threshold to maximum: the lamp then reacts in broad daylight. This is the setting to use in a cellar or a windowless garage, where darkness never really comes. Remember to switch back to night mode before placing the same bulb outdoors.
Short or long time delay depending on the room
Short in a hallway crossed in a few seconds, longer in a garage where you manoeuvre with your hands full. Each new passage restarts the countdown: the lamp stays on as long as someone moves in front of the sensor. Permanent mode, for its part, keeps it on continuously.
| Room or use | What the lamp should do | Time delay to aim for | Point to watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Staircase, hallway | Switch on before the first step | Short to medium, long enough to cross | Aim at the staircase, not the front door |
| Outdoor entrance | Light an arrival then switch off | Short | Check the outdoor rating on the product page |
| Garage, cellar | Stay on during the manoeuvre | Long | Do not aim at the street or the neighbour's door |
| Utility room, WC | Follow a brief passage | Short | Do not leave the room in the dark while occupied |
| Dressing room, storage | Light when your hands are busy | Medium | Point the sensor towards the entrance of the area |
Why does the motion sensor lamp stay on?
A lamp that stays on often comes from a time delay set too long, a sensor that sees a heat source or a detector stuck in permanent mode. If it switches on in broad daylight, the brightness threshold is badly set or day and night mode is activated.
Why does my motion sensor switch on in broad daylight?
The dusk sensor is probably disabled, or its threshold pushed to maximum, which makes the lamp active at any time. A low grazing light hitting the lens produces the same effect. Put the setting back to the night position, then observe for a full day before concluding.
Phantom detection: heat, insects, reflections
A radiator, a window pane, a ventilation outlet or a small animal is enough to trigger it. On an outdoor lamp, cobwebs and dust on the lens create false detections: a clean often solves the problem. To isolate the cause, mask the lens and see whether the lamp finally switches off.
Wiring 3 bulbs in parallel: how do you do it?
Wiring several bulbs in parallel means connecting each socket to the same supply point: all the live wires together, all the neutrals together. Each receives the same voltage and switches on independently. The built-in sensor of each bulb then works separately, with no common control.
Series wiring, where the sockets follow one another, is reserved for other uses: the voltage is shared and the lamps dim. In parallel, each socket starts from the same point, with proper identification of live and neutral and correct tightening in the terminal block. Cut the power before any work, and entrust the connection at the consumer unit to a professional.
Another option: a separate sensor that controls the whole circuit, rather than three sensor bulbs that each switch on as you pass. The latter arrangement suits rooms with several entrances. 220 V models install on the standard domestic supply, without a transformer.
Which light for a motion sensor light bulb?
For a hallway or a staircase, a warm white around 2700 K gives a light close to halogen, less harsh on waking. A 3000 K, more neutral, suits an entrance or a garage. The result also depends on the diffuser and the colour of the wall.
Warm white 2700 K or 3000 K: which atmosphere for a hallway?
2700 K warms a passage used in the evening and at night, without the waiting-room effect of a light that is too white. 3000 K, crisper, helps you read a lock or find a tool in a technical room. Compare a 2700 K light and a more neutral white at 3000 K depending on the room.
Amber glass and filament: what you have to accept
An amber glass globe or a filament look softens the light and improves the appearance of a visible wall light. On the other hand, the stop-start switching of a sensor lamp puts this decor on show repeatedly: reserve it for passage areas, where the effect is visible without getting in the way. It remains to check compatibility if a dimmer controls the circuit, with dimmer-compatible bulbs.
Ordering from Designix
Payment is secure, delivery is tracked and returns are provided for if the model does not match the socket. Designix customer service answers questions about base and settings before you order. Check the base, indoor or outdoor use and the mounting method: three pieces of information that save a round trip.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a presence sensor and a motion sensor?
A motion sensor reacts to movement: if the person stays still, it cuts out. A presence sensor also detects a still person, through variations in heat or micro-movement, and keeps the light on during occupancy. In bulbs, the most common technology is motion, suited to passages.
What are the drawbacks of a motion sensor?
It switches off when no one moves, which is awkward for reading or still work. It can trigger on a heat source, a reflection or a passage outside. Finally, each bulb has its own detection field: in a large room, several light points are sometimes needed.
Why does my motion sensor switch on in broad daylight?
The dusk sensor is probably disabled or its threshold is pushed to maximum, which makes the lamp active at any time. Some models also have a deliberate day and night mode. Put the setting back to the night position or lower the threshold.
Indoor motion sensor lamp, which rooms should you favour?
Passage areas: hallway, staircase, entrance, cellar, utility room, dressing room. You stay there briefly and often have your hands full. For a living room, prefer a conventional switch or a bulb without a sensor, more comfortable for long occupancy.
Do you need a special bulb for a light fitting with a built-in sensor?
If the fitting already has its sensor, the bulb does not need one: a standard LED bulb with the right base is enough. The sensor bulb is useful when the fitting does not have one, or to add detection without touching the installation.
