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I have a cabin behind my garage and the path down the steps towards the garage and alongside the garage to the cabin is lit up fine. Unfortunately the patio immediately outside the house, including a couple of steps, is unlit.
MrsWCA is keen to get the patio lit properly, something about tripping and breaking an ankle, so wants a light put up.
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I was planning on putting it on the side of the kitchen wall so it pointed towards the step and garage with a switch somewhere in the conservatory. yellow smudges show currently lit area. Blue smudges show area requiring light.
This appeared to solve all the problems until she asked where the sensor was going. Apparently we do not want the light on the whole time I am down the cabin (sauna) so the light needs to be triggered as I head down to the cabin and also as I walk up the steps from the garage.
All the PIR siting instructions seem to say don't put sensors pointing near glass which kind of stuffs my idea as the conservatory is glass. If we point away from the conservatory it will be mounted almost at ground left on the dwarf wall and I am not sure it will operate when coming up the steps.
Advice?
2 switches, one in the conservatory the other in the shed?
Advice?
Your conservatory could do with some furniture.
HTH
Not immediately above the Boiler flue......
Been there, done that, felt very stupid....
[i]2 switches, one in the conservatory the other in the shed? [/i]
Not the easiest to wire in neatly and I think she wants it to work as a security light too after the recent break in
I wouldn't bother with a sensor. I had a security light and got sick and tired of it being tripped by cats - even though they're not supposed to. It was practically on all the time. I'd put it on a timer and have it on all the time or connected to a light sensor so it comes on at dusk and off at Dawn. With LED lights they use naff all electricity.
Was your house on Grand Designs a couple of weeks ago?
I've got a Steinel LED PIR floodlight which allows you to swivel both the light array and the PIR sensor independently. So you could angle the PIR down towards the steps and have the LED array pointing wherever.
It's the XLED home 1 (I've got this model in black). More recent/powerful models are available.
Not cheap but great quality.
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We have about 5 LED light bulb based ones covering the patio...
This style, with 9W LED bulbs in them.
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What's the objection to having a light on while the cabin is in use?
Small LED lights in the step risers, switchable from the house, might be a solution if the objection is too bright / upsets the neighbours, etc. They won't dazzle you as you walk either
Put the light where it is arrowed, they work best when you walk across the sensor target than towards or away from them.
If the glass interferes, you can cover the part of the sensor that picks up the reflections, either with the often supplied sensor covers, or with tape.
+1 for having a couple of LED lights on dusk/dawn sensor. 7W maybe to give enough light to get around the garden. No need for super bright spots.
With that level of light the Mrs won't notice they are on from the conservatory. I'd guess bright spots might intrude at bit through the glass.
Contrary to what the previous owner of my house obviously thought, I can tell you that it's NOT a great idea to locate the sensor pointing towards the boiler flue exhaust unless you want the light flashing on and off all night outside the bedroom window as the heating kicks in....
Idiot. He's concealed the cable behind the cladding as well so it's going to be a PITA to move. Sigh.
Carry a torch when going down to the sauna?