Installing a Remote Motion Detector for Lighting

Step 1 Starting 
It's OK to scare off a backyard invader with a gangly-looking motion detector floodlight, but it doesn't look nice on your house. The preferable option is a motion detector with a remote. It may be mounted covertly off to the side and connected to any kind of ornamental fixture, including ones that are already in place.

This post will demonstrate how to connect a remote sensor to either new or old lights. Even a rookie may complete this electrical project by using the wiring schematics we give even if the wiring is a little more difficult than it is for most electrical tasks. You might need to read more as we won't go into detail about electrical work's most fundamental components.

To allow an inspector to assess your work, get an electrical permit at your neighborhood inspections office. Running the wires to link the sensor to the light fixtures could be the most challenging aspect of this project.

Wires can occasionally be "fished" through completed walls. However, this technique is frequently only feasible when there are exposed studs, such as in an unfinished garage (as we demonstrate) or during a significant renovation project. Consider sensors that provide you with comparable results but with little or no rewiring if new wiring is not an option for you.

Step 2 Install junction boxes
Each light fixture and the sensor need electrical boxes installed in the wall. You can also rewire boxes at current fixtures. It's simple to decide where to put your motion sensor: Place it where it can "see" guests or intruders as they approach your home, keeping in mind the manufacturer's instructions for the viewing range. Place the sensor 6 to 10 feet above the ground to get the greatest motion detection results.

We were able to put the sensor on either a circular or rectangular box. Purchase boxes set on an adjustable bar if the inside walls are unpainted.  With this construction, you may place the box between any two studs. Use "remodeling" boxes, which clip to the siding and wall sheathing and fish in the cable, if the wall is enclosed.

Holding the box up against the wall, draw a pencil outline around it. Put the box somewhere other than directly on a stud or other framing. Use a 1/4-in. masonry bit to drill a series of holes all the way around the circle in brick or stucco. Then use a chisel to remove the center. You'll need to use snips to cut the exposed metal mesh on stucco. Using a jigsaw, remove the sheathing concealed by the stucco.

Cut your hole towards the middle of a board if your broad lap siding is constructed of wood, cement board, or hardboard so that you may place the fixture on the flat surface. A mounting block that fits over lapped edges is required if your vinyl siding or siding courses are too thin to offer a level mounting surface. Home centers carry plastic blocks for construction. Drill a 3/8-inch beginning hole through the wall, then use a jigsaw to cut out the circle to create a hole in any style of siding.

Step3 Optional wiring 

You must decide how to connect your system before you run electrical line to the junction boxes. Here, we demonstrate the simplest technique, which involves sending wires to a sensor and then light fixtures after obtaining electricity from a switch box. Alternatively, you might connect the sensor to a fixture first. .

The specifics of the cable and connection, however, may differ.

Just go with the approach that makes running wire easiest. The approach indicated in Figure B is probably the best choice for you if your sensor will be located near to the switch. The approach depicted in Figure C is probably the best if a light fixture is located closer to the switch. Additional lighting fixtures are seen in both pictures. Simply cut the wire that supplies the second fixture if you only have one light. A switch that can cut off the electricity to the sensor and lighting fixtures is a must for your system. You might need to add a box and switch; we utilized an existing switch in a junction box that was already there.

You may add as many fixtures using either technique, provided that you don't go above the sensor's allowed wattage rating. To hold the cables, boxes must meet a minimum size requirement. For each of the wiring layouts we've shown here, a 16-cu.-in. box will do.

Step 4: Connect the boxes via cable.

After choosing your wiring strategy, connect the junction boxes using electrical cable. Examine the existing wire that will be used to power the sensor and lights first. One of the following numbers can be found on the cable's plastic sheathing: 14/2, 14/3, 12/2, or 12/3. The gauge of the wire is indicated by the first digit.

The second gives the cable's total number of wires. (plus the bare ground wire). Make sure the new cable you purchase has the same gauge as the old cable. You'll need some cable with two wires and some cable with three wires if you want to follow Figure C.

Consider the cable routes from a distance and plan them out for a while. Sometimes the longer road isn't the best. Avoid using a route that requires you to drill holes through thick framework or in confined spaces. Run wire high in the walls or along the rafters of an unfinished garage, where it is less likely to be damaged.

If you simply need to drill a few holes, a cheap 5/8-in. spade bit will do. But if you need to drill a lot, invest in an auger bit. The bit's screw allows for quicker drilling with far less strain. After laying out a path for the cable, run it between the boxes, and then use plastic staples to attach it to the frame. Place the staples no more than 4 feet, 6 inches apart and no more than 8 inches from each box.

Connect the sensor and the lights in step five.

The sensor and fixtures may be connected after all of the cable is in place. . It may be tempting to complete this portion of the job quickly so you can assess your progress. Take your time, however. Your system won't function if one connection is incorrect. Finding out where you made a mistake is also a bother.

To expose new cable for your new connections if you're connecting to existing lines, cut off the old bare ends and take off insulation. Once all the connections are made, power up the system and put the sensor in "test" mode to make sure everything is operating as it should. then aim and make sensor adjustments. .

Before removing the lid of the electrical box you want to utilize as a power source, take certain to turn off the main breaker panel. Then, to ensure that the power is off, use a voltage detector to examine the inside cables.

Tools Needed for This Project

Before you begin, prepare the equipment you'll need for this DIY project. This will save you time and hassle.

four-in-one screwdriver
plug-in drill
Set of drill bits
cord extension
Jigsaw
voltage tester without contact
security lenses
Stepladder
Useful knife
wire cutter/stripper

If you're putting junction boxes in brick or stucco siding, you'll also need a hammer and chisel.
Required items for this Project Prepare all of your items in advance to avoid last-minute shopping expeditions.

• 14-2 cable
• Junction boxes
• Motion sensor