Outdoor sensor lights for Irish homes, from an independent Irish electrical supplier. PIR floodlights, sensor wall lights, solar sensor lights and standalone Steinel sensors that switch an existing fitting. Free delivery applies to every order from the first euro, with no minimum spend.
How do PIR sensor lights work?
A PIR sensor detects the infrared heat given off by a person, animal or vehicle moving across its field of view, and switches the light on for a set time.
PIR stands for passive infrared. The sensor does not emit anything, it simply reads changes in heat across a grid of zones. Movement across the beam triggers it far more reliably than movement straight towards it, which is why a sensor aimed along a path or driveway works better than one pointed at the gate. Most units let you set how long the light stays on after the last movement, usually from a few seconds to several minutes.
What is the difference between a PIR sensor and a motion sensor?
In domestic outdoor lighting they usually mean the same thing. PIR is the specific technology, motion sensor is the general term used on packaging.
There are other detection methods, chiefly microwave and ultrasonic, which sense movement rather than heat and can see through thin materials. For outdoor domestic use PIR is the standard because it is cheap, reliable, and far less prone to false triggering from wind or rain. If a product says motion sensor and gives no other detail, it is almost certainly PIR.
How far will an outdoor sensor light detect?
Most domestic PIR units detect between 8 and 12 metres, across a field of view between 120 and 360 degrees depending on the model.
Detection range falls in cold weather, because the sensor works on the difference between body heat and background temperature, and that difference is what it reads. On a mild Irish night the range will be shorter than the stated figure. Range and angle are both usually adjustable, and it is worth turning the sensitivity down rather than up if the light is triggering on the road.
Where should an outdoor sensor light be positioned?
Around 2 to 2.5 metres high, angled slightly down, and aimed so people cross the beam sideways rather than walk directly at it.
Keep it away from anything that changes temperature quickly: extractor vents, boiler flues, air conditioning units and metal surfaces that hold the sun. Avoid pointing it at a road, a neighbour's garden or a tree that moves in wind. Mounting too high widens the coverage but weakens detection, and mounting too low means the beam is broken by anything passing close to the wall.
Can you stop a sensor light coming on all night?
Yes. Almost every unit has a lux dial that sets how dark it must be before the sensor will trigger, and a time dial that sets how long it stays on.
A light that stays on continuously is usually a lux setting that is too high, so the sensor thinks it is dark all day, or a heat source inside the detection zone triggering it over and over. If it comes on repeatedly with nobody there, look for a vent, a flue or a passing road before assuming the unit is faulty.
Do solar sensor lights work in Ireland?
Yes, for lower output applications like a path, a shed or a side passage. They are less suited to a main driveway floodlight through an Irish winter.
The limit is daylight hours rather than temperature. Between November and February there is little charging light, so a solar unit that runs all night in June may give a much shorter run time in December. Solar suits places where running a cable is impractical and where occasional short bursts of light are enough. For dependable year round output on a main entrance, a mains powered PIR floodlight is the better choice.
Where can I buy outdoor sensor lights in Ireland?
Shamrock Electrical supplies PIR and sensor outdoor lighting across the Republic of Ireland, online with free delivery on every order, or over the counter in Rathcoole, County Dublin.
We are an independent Irish electrical business at Unit 22, Block 613, Jordanstown Road, Greenogue Business Park, Rathcoole, Co. Dublin, D24 TX98, just off the N7 and well positioned for the M50. The counter is open Monday to Friday 7am to 5pm and Saturday 9am to 1:30pm. Call 01 401 9907 or email sales@shamrockelectrical.ie if you want help choosing between a sensor fitting and a standalone sensor for an existing light.
