Motion sensor lights all have different sensitivities. Some can sense even the slightest changes in ambient temperatures as an object moves through the light’s motion detection range. Motion sensor lights can increase the security and safety around your home when they work correctly.
Unfortunately, this is not always the case, and there are a few reasons why your motion sensor light stays on and does not operate properly. Doing some troubleshooting will allow you to find the reason why it is not working as it should and reset the light
Why Does My Motion Sensor Light Stay On?
The first step is to work out why the light is staying on. This can be for numerous reasons. This is how to work out which reason is the one causing your motion sensor light to stay on.
- Start by moving your motion sensor for the light into a position that is away from any heat vents, dryer vents, or air conditioning units. The heat from the devices can trigger your motion detector and cause your light to stay on as it is perceiving a heat signature.
- Next, place the sensor in a position away from objects like shrubs and trees. Often, the wind blowing through leaves and branches can cause the motion sensor to detect motion, causing the light to stay on. Also ensure that the light has been mounted to a solid, sturdy surface that does not move, such as a wall or pole. If the surface it is mounted to moves, it can cause the sensor to trigger falsely and switch on the light. Also check that the sensor isn’t pointing towards the road. Passing cars, animals, and people can cause the light to come on, especially if you live in a busy area.
- Take a look at the time switch to make sure that it hasn’t been set to “test” mode. If it is in test mode, this could be causing the light to stay on indefinitely. If you find it has been set to test mode, change the switch to one of the time settings.
- Lastly, reset your light to check that it hasn’t been set on manual operation. Turn off the switch which operates the motion sensor light. Keep the switch off for 1 to 2 seconds and then turn the light switch on again. This will reset your motion sensor light to automatic.
When it comes to motion sensor lights staying on all the time, it is normally for one of the above steps, which means that the steps to fixing the issue are very simple.
If you find that you have a motion sensor light that stays on even after you have tried the above steps, you may need to call a professional to help you. In the meanwhile, you may want to switch the motion sensor light off temporarily so that it does not keep you awake at night.
Additionally, you don’t want to struggle with the annoying off-and-on switching of your motion sensor light once you have it fixed and you are moving under it in the evening for a family barbecue or when you are moving to and from your vehicle.
Most motion sensor manufacturers make it very simple for your to turn off the automatic feature on your sensor light.
How to Turn Off Your Motion Sensor Light Temporarily
On you device, there will be a switch that says, “on time.” This switch is usually located directly below the motion sensor section of the device. Turn this switch to be on any setting other that the test setting and the turn off the switch that your light is connected to.
If you are unsure which switch you need to flip, try all of the different options before you do anything with the “on time” switch. Turn the flip off and then turn it back on within 2 seconds. This will let you have control of your motion sensor light directly from the switch instead of through motion detection.
Restoring the Motion Sensor Feature
When you are ready to turn the motion detection action on again, you just need to do exactly what you did above. This time, the motion sensor will be restored to its motion sensor feature where it will turn on when someone or something passes under or in front of the sensor.
This is especially helpful if you find that the light is staying on all the time due to tripped power or power surges that trick the sensor into thinking you switched it off for a second. This way you can easily switch it back again.
