Motion Sensor Ceiling Lights

LED ceiling lights with motion sensor: the light you never have to switch on

An LED ceiling light with motion sensor is a surface fitting that screws to the ceiling and carries a built in PIR motion detector. When someone enters the coverage area, the light comes on by itself and goes off after a configurable delay. There is no switch to hunt for in the dark and no lights left on all night. Being a ceiling light and not a downlight, it needs no void or suspended ceiling: it is the answer when the ceiling is solid.

The LED ceiling light with presence detector comes into its own in circulation areas and in places you reach with your hands full: corridors, entrance halls, stair landings, garages, storerooms, meter cupboards and commercial washrooms. It comes on when needed and goes off by itself.

Range, detection angle and mounting height

A PIR sensor detects the moving body heat of a person, so its performance depends on the geometry of the installation:

• Range: the maximum distance at which it reacts. In a long corridor you want it wide; in a small storeroom it is not decisive.
• Detection angle: the spread of the coverage cone. A wide angle covers the whole room from a central point.
• Mounting height: the higher it goes, the more area it covers and the less sensitive it is to small movements. Respect the recommended height for each model.

Switch-off delay, the setting you notice most

The switch-off delay sets how long the light stays on after the last detection. On a landing or in an entrance hall a short interval is enough. In a garage or a storeroom, where you move slowly or stand still looking for something, it is worth extending it. Many models also adjust the sensitivity and the ambient light threshold, so the fitting does not come on during the day.

Motion detector or presence detector

They are not the same. A motion detector needs movement: if you stand still, it may switch off. A presence detector reacts to minimal movements and keeps the light on while there is someone in the room. For circulation areas, the motion type does the job. For a washroom or a work room, the presence type gives fewer surprises. A microwave sensor is another technology altogether: it works by radio frequency, not by heat.

Colour temperature and protection rating

Choose the tone according to the area: 2700-3000K warm in residential entrance halls and corridors, 4000K neutral in garages and communal areas, 6000K cool for storerooms and plant rooms. IP20 is fine in dry interiors; in bathrooms and damp areas you need a higher rating. The service life of the LED runs between 15,000 and 25,000 hours, and with short bursts of use it stretches much further across the calendar.

At FactorLED you will find LED ceiling lights with motion sensor for every circulation area, with the range, angle and colour temperature figures clearly shown.

Frequently asked questions about LED ceiling lights with motion sensor

Do I need a suspended ceiling to install it?

No. The ceiling light is a surface fitting: it screws to the ceiling and needs no void, so it works on solid ceilings where a downlight will not fit.

Can the on time be adjusted?

Yes, on most models. The switch-off delay is set on the sensor itself, along with the sensitivity and the ambient light threshold.

Is a ceiling light with sensor suitable for a bathroom?

Only if the protection rating allows it. IP20 is for dry interiors; in a bathroom you have to go up to a higher IP depending on the distance from the water.

What is the difference between PIR and microwave?

PIR detects the moving body heat of people. The microwave type emits radio frequency and analyses the reflection, which makes it more sensitive.