DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

Hello

Our newbuild property has a "security" light wired into the rear facing wall. It's a very small LED that only serves to alert us if someone comes near to the patio doors. The power to the light is also controlled by a switch, so it can be manually turned off to prevent it from switching on this happens.

I'd like to replace it with a better flood-light that would illuminate the garden; I'm confident in how I'd remove the existing light feature with something more appropriate. However I would like to know how I could set it up so that the switch either manually turns it off, keeps it on, or allows it to only switch on if it PIR sensor is tripped.

I'd really appreciate the feedback or guidance here.

Some (Not all) PIR/Lights have a "feature" that if you turn it off, then back on again very quickly the light will stay on until you switch it off. To change it back to "normal operation" you switch it off for around 30 seconds (To be sure) then switch it back on again, it will then light up for its preset time and when this time has expired it will not come on until it is dark and sees movement.

If it is wired as you suggest, turning the switch off will disable the PIR/light until you switch it back on again.

A word of caution.
Although you want to get a light to illuminate your whole garden, be aware that it may also illuminate your neighbours gardens too (Which is annoying for them) so choose wisely and do not mount it too high. You would actually be better off with several smaller lights than one big light.

I had a 60W bulb in a coach lamp at back door, it worked well, until next door decided to fit a 300W flood lamp also PIR controlled, when my light switched on, it triggered their light, when their light switched on it switched off my light, when their light switched off it re-triggered my light, I am sure you can see the problem.

So I fitted a 8W compact fluorescent which was not triggered by light or movement so did not cause the lights to start their cycle.

Moved house, and this house no street lights to light behind the house, and there are two old quartz PIR controlled spot lights, they need changing, the light is very good, however as I walk up to main house I no longer trigger the PIR, so get plunged into darkness, worst than having no light in a way.

So at the moment I have a wifi switch and a lamp so I can switch on from the car with phone when required, and any intruder I am not worried if they trip and hurt themselves, they should not be there.

If you want a flood light to see garden at night, then set up lights to do that, but get the idea of security and lights out of your head, security lights help the intruder, and by time the trigger they have already selected your house, so to deter intruders lights want to be always on, and with LED lights 10W is not expensive to run, so just have it switch on at night, front of my house lights switch on at 5 pm and off at 10 pm to help visitors, not to scare them away.