Installing an Outdoor Security Light
Electrical and Lighting, Exterior by Danny Lipford
Replacing your existing yard lights with ones that contains motion sensors will not only enhance security but provide needed illumination automatically when you come home at night. Since this DYI project involves some basic electrical work, it is a good idea to check any bare wires with a voltage tester before handling them.
- Start by turning on the existing yard light and making sure it is working.
- Turn off the circuit breaker to the fixture and check to be sure the light has gone off.
- Remove the old light fixture and unscrew the wire nuts holding the wires together in a counterclockwise direction.
- Attach a bracket to the box to accommodate the center mounting point of the new fixture.
- Pair each wire in the new fixture with the same color wire from the box, and screw on wire nuts in a clockwise direction to hold them in place. Be sure to ground the fixture as well.
- Attach the fixture to the box, using the rubber gasket include with it to provide a waterproof seal.
- Set the sensitivity and duration of the motion sensor.
March 9th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
Installed 2 motion type Zenith SL-5316 halogen lights 1 yesr ago - nothing but problems, first sensor, then both fixtures needed new lamps variously three time in one year. Not reliable at all. What is the most reliable and best quality manufacturer of outdoor under eve flood lighting? Money is NO OBJECTY -We need top of the line reliability for both the fixture and the lamp itself. Can you help?? Bill
June 8th, 2008 at 9:57 pm
I also installed a motion sensor set of floodlights, not as high quality as yours but I too have had a lot of headaches with it. The most serious is that the pattern of motion detection is bizarre and unpredictable. The best detection pattern I can get is something like the shape of a bow tie; with narrow areas on ether side and a big V-shaped zone in the middle where it doesn’t detect motion at all. You can walk right up to it and not trip the sensor. What a waste of time and money! In any case, I’d also like advice on type and brand of security light. Thanks, David
August 2nd, 2008 at 5:54 pm
We saw you endorse a yard/security light on the Weather Channel. What attracted our attention is there’s a light at Home Depot that doesn’t come on every time the wind blows. Can you tell us the name of the light? The clerks at Home Depot don’t have a clue.
August 27th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
Do you know of any brand of movement activated spotlight which does not require hardwiring by an electrician. We used to have one which had a power plug on the end of the lead but can now only find one with a bayonet adaptor. Since the shed we want to put it on has power points but no lighting and is over 10 metres from the house it is impossible to reach a bayonet fitting on the verandah (and anyway it is already in use). We have had a pretty high quote from an electrician to take a line under ground. Grateful for any info. I am in Western Australia.