We are currently planning the placement of a motion sensor for our new build. The house is 11m (36 feet) wide and is located 3m (10 feet) from the street. Outdoor lights on both sides of the front door, which is centered on the house, should be activated by the motion sensor. The detection area should cover only the 3m by 11m (10 feet by 36 feet) space in front of the house, as I do not want the lights to turn on every time a car drives by. Where should the motion sensor be installed? Centered above the door on the exterior wall, or under the eaves? What type of motion sensor would be suitable?
Hi,
I have the motion sensor "Gira Tectiv 220 degrees."
Installed above the roof overhang by the front door. Distance from wall to street: 3m (10 feet).
The device is definitely not a bargain. But it is absolutely precise to adjust. For me, the exterior light turns on as soon as someone steps onto the first stone of my front entrance or the area in front of the house, including the driveway. Not before that (you do have to spend about an hour adjusting it). The maximum detection range is 16 by 24m (52 by 79 feet). With a hold-back function (opening the front door from the inside turns the light on!).
Even with bulky winter clothing, the sensor detects clearly and reliably; it works perfectly in all seasons and weather conditions. In short: the device is simply superb. I am absolutely impressed and do not regret the expense at all.
I can recommend this motion sensor with complete confidence (and have already done so to the satisfaction of others here in the building area). You spend a bit more money once and then have something really useful! Further information can be found on the manufacturer’s website.
Best regards
Thorsten
I have the motion sensor "Gira Tectiv 220 degrees."
Installed above the roof overhang by the front door. Distance from wall to street: 3m (10 feet).
The device is definitely not a bargain. But it is absolutely precise to adjust. For me, the exterior light turns on as soon as someone steps onto the first stone of my front entrance or the area in front of the house, including the driveway. Not before that (you do have to spend about an hour adjusting it). The maximum detection range is 16 by 24m (52 by 79 feet). With a hold-back function (opening the front door from the inside turns the light on!).
Even with bulky winter clothing, the sensor detects clearly and reliably; it works perfectly in all seasons and weather conditions. In short: the device is simply superb. I am absolutely impressed and do not regret the expense at all.
I can recommend this motion sensor with complete confidence (and have already done so to the satisfaction of others here in the building area). You spend a bit more money once and then have something really useful! Further information can be found on the manufacturer’s website.
Best regards
Thorsten
That sounds good! I assume you meant the installation spot under the roof overhang and above the door on the exterior wall. At what height exactly? On the right side of the house, there is still an access driveway to the carport. This area should not be included, as a side entrance door and separate lighting will be installed there. Is a remote control included? I would also like to be able to keep the light on continuously at times...
Häusle77 schrieb:
That sounds good! I assume you meant to install it under the roof overhang and above the door on the exterior wall. At what height exactly? On the right side of the house, I still have an access driveway to the carport. This area should not be covered because there is a secondary entrance door and its own lighting installed there. Does it come with a remote control? I sometimes want to leave the light on permanently...Hi Häusle77,
yes. I installed the device below the roof overhang (we have a downward-extended roof overhang as rain protection around the front door) near the gutter and basically slightly to the right of the front door. Measured just now: height is almost exactly 3 m (10 feet).
On our right side of the front door is the access driveway to the parking area (possibly a carport in the future). I will also install separate lighting there later.
The sensor is adjustable, so I can set it so the light turns on from the parking area side.
There is no remote control included. You don’t really need one.
Control is via a switch (a standard outdoor light switch; a 5-conductor cable is required). There are three modes: permanently off for two hours, permanently on for two hours, or automatic.
In addition, I mounted two switches below the main switch. One switch allows you to turn on the ground-level lighting in front of the house together with the light over the roof overhang with motion detector. The other switch turns the ground-level lighting on permanently, independent of the motion detector. Both switches together override the Gira Automatic system and enable the ground lighting (LED globe lights plus an outlet) and the roof overhang lighting (4 × 15 W LED, airport-style lighting!) to stay on permanently without any time limit.
You can easily set the brightness and choose which sensor reacts using the button inside the sensor. Just wait until the desired brightness is reached and press the button. Programming is done.
Best regards
Thorsten
How does it work with the push button and the 3 modes? We want to install a rotary knob for the motion detector (On, Off, Automatic), but I still prefer the timer function... How does it work with the sensors and the socket? Are they connected together? We have a socket planned on the facade with a control switch inside...
You can use a push button or a standard light switch.
With "On/Off" combinations, the switching happens via pulses. In other words, it works by impulse. A rotary switch definitely won’t work with the Gira system. The timing function is handled internally by the Gira. So if you’re using Gira, just replace the rotary switch with a push button or switch (which is usually cheaper anyway). I chose a push button myself. One click: automatic mode. Double click: lights on for 2 hours. Triple click: lights off for 2 hours.
The socket outlet and the ground-level lights in front of the house are wired together. There are plenty of sockets around the house, but this particular one at the front (on the ground) was installed at the special request of someone for outdoor Christmas tree lights and similar decorative flicker effects—purely for ornamental lighting and other decoration gimmicks.
I wouldn’t integrate the socket outlet you planned for the house facade into the motion detector. It’s better to keep it switchable from inside, as you originally planned.
PS: The little trick with switching the ground-level lighting with a motion detector/separately on and everything always on—that was my idea, and my electrician handled the implementation. It involved quite a tangle of cables and rewiring back and forth. But it works perfectly without computers, KNX, or anything else, using simple relay technology. I prefer straightforward solutions that do exactly what they’re supposed to do.
Best regards,
Thorsten
With "On/Off" combinations, the switching happens via pulses. In other words, it works by impulse. A rotary switch definitely won’t work with the Gira system. The timing function is handled internally by the Gira. So if you’re using Gira, just replace the rotary switch with a push button or switch (which is usually cheaper anyway). I chose a push button myself. One click: automatic mode. Double click: lights on for 2 hours. Triple click: lights off for 2 hours.
The socket outlet and the ground-level lights in front of the house are wired together. There are plenty of sockets around the house, but this particular one at the front (on the ground) was installed at the special request of someone for outdoor Christmas tree lights and similar decorative flicker effects—purely for ornamental lighting and other decoration gimmicks.
I wouldn’t integrate the socket outlet you planned for the house facade into the motion detector. It’s better to keep it switchable from inside, as you originally planned.
PS: The little trick with switching the ground-level lighting with a motion detector/separately on and everything always on—that was my idea, and my electrician handled the implementation. It involved quite a tangle of cables and rewiring back and forth. But it works perfectly without computers, KNX, or anything else, using simple relay technology. I prefer straightforward solutions that do exactly what they’re supposed to do.
Best regards,
Thorsten
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