High-quality lighting of the adjacent territory and sites of industrial enterprises is an important factor in ensuring safety and a comfortable stay. LED floodlight with motion sensor - a reliable and economical option for organizing lighting. The choice of model depends on the tasks and features of the object.
Device assignment
A searchlight with a motion sensor is designed to illuminate the surrounding area when it is in the zone of action of a person or group of people. After leaving the detection zone, the device turns off.
Common places for installing LED lights:
- territory adjacent to the residential building, summer cottages;
- bridges, tunnels, pedestrian crossings;
- parking lots and banner ads;
- entrances of residential, public and administrative buildings;
- warehouses.
Floodlights with sensors are not used at the work sites - a switched off lamp can cause industrial injuries.
Installation of lamps with a motion sensor in places of constant residence of people is impractical.
Composition of equipment and principle of operation
The functional diagram of a searchlight with a motion sensor includes:
- power supply for LED and sensor;
- LED matrix or a separate LED;
- Motion Sensor;
- adjustable shutdown delay circuit;
- light sensor.
The algorithm of the spotlight is that power to the LEDs is supplied only when people or moving equipment appear in the detection zone. The delay unit will turn off the power after a predetermined time after the cessation of the movement of people (travel vehicles). The light sensor blocks the operation of the device during daylight hours to exclude "extra" on-off cycles.
The motion detector can be in a single housing with a lamp or be remote.
Sensor Types
Three types of motion detectors are used in LED spotlights: radio wave, infrared, sound.
Radio waves Sensors are mainly used in streetlights. These devices are of the active type.
Microwaves are emitted into space. The rays reflected from stationary objects are returned to the device with the same frequency. If the wave is reflected from a moving object, the frequency of the “returning” waves will differ from the radiated ones. The device monitors the change and, when a phenomenon is detected, supplies power to the LEDs.
Advantages of radio wave sensors:
- stable work regardless of the season;
- lack of false inclusions with gusts of wind and draft.
The disadvantage is the susceptibility to unnecessary triggering when working in the area of strong electromagnetic interference from powerful electrical equipment.
Infrared sensors analyze the thermal temperature of surrounding objects, "remembering" the total state in different segments. When a person (equipment) appears in the detection zone, the sum of the temperatures changes, the searchlight turns on.
In the heat, when the body temperature is close to surrounding objects, the sensor does not always see the difference, the LEDs turn on intermittently. The same phenomenon occurs in winter, when a person in warm clothing, the surface of which does not strongly contrast with the environment. Luminaires with infrared sensors are more suitable for enclosed spaces or small courtyards.
Sound the sensors respond to noise that may arise from steps or a quiet conversation. Spotlights with this type of detector are better suited for indoor environments. For street lights, the signal may be the sounds of a passing car or a flying airplane.
Type of food
There are three types of devices by type of power:
- working from a network of direct or alternating current;
- wireless with built-in batteries;
- powered by rechargeable batteries from solar cells.
The first type is common in private homes and enterprises. A household 220 V network or voltage from power supplies is used. Installation of backup power sources will allow using the device during short-term power outages.
Built-in batteries will have to be recharged regularly, so it’s better to choose flashlights that are easy to dismantle and install after charging. The motion sensor allows you to save power, including the device for a short time.
The most independent of the network are floodlights with a motion sensor, powered by a solar battery. Do not install such sensors in places where frequent switching on the lamp is possible - in winter, the battery life is not enough for the entire dark period of the day. Often, such lights can be seen at pedestrian crossings outside settlements.
Advantages and disadvantages
Economic and bright LEDs, controlled by motion sensors, make spotlights in demand in many cases. The popularity is due to the features of such lighting equipment:
- a wide range of places where spotlights are in demand;
- reliability and durability - LEDs are much more stable than halogen and incandescent lamps in the conditions of regular on-off cycles;
- low cost, comparable to lamps equipped with halogen lamps;
- energy saving due to LEDs and switching on for a short period of time as necessary;
- high light output per watt of power consumption;
- wide range of operating temperatures;
- automatic switching on without the use of switching equipment, which is important based on compliance with safety measures in street conditions;
- the ability to be powered by batteries due to low power consumption.
Wrong choice of detector type and spatial orientation can cause frequent switching on, which quickly leads to failure of the LED matrix. False positives can be caused by pets.
For working areas, it is necessary to duplicate the lighting, since with minor human movements the spotlight can go out, which is unacceptable during the work, fraught with injuries.
Criterias of choice
When buying, they are guided by consumer properties and technical characteristics of a searchlight, which include:
- safety of use;
- permissible operating conditions;
- profitability parameters;
- power and necessary illumination in the zone of the device;
- viewing angle and color temperature.
An improperly chosen flashlight will bring more worries and will make the user nervous by incorrect operation.
Protection class
When used outdoors, electrical appliances are exposed to dust, rain, and wind. Temperature differences contribute to the accumulation of condensate on the protective glass and in the area where the electronic circuit is located. Each of the factors can cause breakdowns.
The protection class is indicated in the form of the abbreviation IP-XX, where the first figure indicates the degree of protection against solid particles, the second - about the ability to withstand the penetration of moisture and water.
For floodlights used in outdoor conditions without visors and awnings, the first digit in the designation cannot be less than 5, the second less than 4.
If the IP value is less than 54, the lamp will fail after the second or third rain, and the board and glass will be covered with dust.
Case Material
Cheap models are made in plastic cases. For floodlights with a power exceeding 10 W, this design is not suitable. LEDs require high-quality heat dissipation, so it is preferable to choose products with a metal housing. Most often, silumin compounds are used in production.
Plastic is susceptible to cracking, loss of plasticity from direct sunlight, therefore, is not suitable for outdoor areas. Such spotlights can be used for a short inclusion in enclosed spaces.
When buying a flashlight in a plastic case, you need to make sure that the LED matrix (LED) is located on a massive radiator.
For floodlights with metal housings, you can temporarily disable the motion sensor for the duration of the work or when hosting guests. You cannot use the constant light mode in plastic fixtures.
Power and economy
Power directly depends on the required size of the illuminated area.
In households, floodlights with a power of 20 to 140 watts are most in demand, and lamps of 150–250 watts are suitable for industrial facilities.
Profitability depends on power consumption and a properly configured motion sensor. An excessively selected period before turning off contributes to excessive power consumption and quick battery discharge in wireless luminaires.
In most models, the time to shutdown after the last recorded movement can be selected from 15 seconds to 1.5 minutes, sometimes up to 10 minutes. This is enough to overcome the unlit area or open the door of the gate.
The supply voltage is usually in the range of 180–240 V, as stipulated by GOST.
Radiation temperature
The parameter affects the quality of perception of visual information.
Industrial floodlights are available with temperatures from 2700 to 6500 Kelvin. The higher the number, the brighter the color of the radiation.
The choice depends on the preferences of the user, but it is better to dwell on lamps with a parameter from 3500 to 5500 K.
It is worth checking the glow on the stand in the store, or asking the neighbors if they already installed a spotlight.
Viewing area
LED arrays can provide lighting in the horizontal and vertical planes at different angles. The larger the angle, the whiter the powerful flashlight will be required.
They are guided by specific conditions at the facility. Too narrow a beam leaves invisible areas near and far from the spotlight.
Before buying, you should draw a picture on a scale to the actual size of the house and the plot and roughly calculate the required lighting angles in the horizontal and vertical planes.
Lamp installation
For each product, the manufacturer prints detailed installation instructions. A stencil can be inserted into the packaging box, through which holes for mounting can be marked.
Depending on the power of the spotlight, the cross section of the supply wire is selected. For most LED models, 0.5 mm² cable is sufficient. Number of cores 2. If the existing wiring allows grounding, purchase a 3-wire cable.
Power is supplied from the nearest soldering box or outlet. If necessary, draw a line from the distribution panel. It is important to be able to turn off the power for maintenance.
Installation is carried out on a hard surface, eliminating vibration from the wind or passing vehicles. The wire is drawn along the walls in a corrugated pipe, which is fastened every 50–70 cm. The cable is laid by air or underground to poles or fences.
Wire marking must comply with the standard:
- blue or black - working zero, attached to the terminal marked "0" or "N";
- red, white or brown - the phase marked "F" or "L";
- yellow-green - grounding.
External sensors are connected according to the instructions.
After installation and test run, the motion sensor is set up. Part of the spotlights allows you to adjust the detection zone of the sensor regardless of the direction of the beam, which allows you to select this mode of inclusion, when a person has not yet entered the lighting zone.
With the onset of twilight, the threshold of the light sensor is set. Typically, the control knob is indicated by the words “DayLigh”. The “Time” setting sets the on time. The “Sens” knob is needed to adjust the sensitivity. By setting a threshold, they control the range of the sensor, or roughen the device so that the light does not turn on from the movements of pets. Adjustment is not available on cheap models.
If necessary, connect the searchlight through a separate switch or machine. This will allow you to control the device in manual mode.
The best manufacturers and models
Most of the market was occupied by floodlights of several companies.
Manufacturers and reliable models of luminaires with motion sensors for domestic use:
- WOLTA, Germany, WOLTA WFL-05 series with a power of 10, 20, 30 and 50 W;
- NAVIGATOR, Russia, production in Klin, NFL-M series;
- GAUSS, Russia, Gauss Elementary series;
- NANOSVET, Russia, part of the production is located in China: FAD series;
- FERON, Russia, SEN series;
- Falcon, China, Falcon Eye Series.
Installing LED floodlights with motion sensors is an easy way to get an illuminated space, while saving money on paying electricity bills. Installation and configuration are available to any property owner who has basic skills in working with electric networks.
